Chapter Twelve Dean Halloway sat behind his massive dark oak desk, flanked by the Board of Directors. Opposite them sat Erica, her eyes red, and Robert Leonardo, looking disheveled but desperate. When Adrian walked in, still wearing his worn sweater, the Dean did not bother to look up. "Sit down, Adrian," Halloway barked, tapping a stack of files. "We reviewed the report. Stolen cards, fraud, and your ridiculous stunt at the Vista Hotel. Mr. Leonardo here provided all the evidence we needed, and Erica confirmed your... unstable behavior. You are nothing but a parasite, Adrian. A beggar trying to live in a mansion." Adrian sat down and leaned back calmly, his eyes on Erica. "A parasite? Erica, you spent three years eating at the Leonardos' table and wearing Lina’s hand-me-downs while pretending to be a socialite. You should be careful with that word." Erica’s face flushed a deep red. "How dare you! My cousin Lina and Lukas are like siblings to me. The Leonardos are my family! You?

Chapter Fourteen The Grand Ballroom overflowed with people who spent more on watches than most people did on houses. Tonight, they all gathered to watch the Vance Clan swallow another victim. Caspian Vance stood at the center of a circle of admirers, looking like a prince in his white tuxedo. He did not just look rich; he looked untouchable. His hand clamped tightly on Lina’s waist—so tight the grip left a bruise. Behind him, Jason Whitmore and Mira stood like well-trained house pets. “Look at her,” Mira whispered to Jason, her eyes glittering with envy. “Lina thinks she’s special, but she’s just a trade-in for the Vances.” “She’s lucky. At least she’s with a Vance," Jason smirked, adjusting his cufflinks. He stood ten feet tall in Caspian’s shadow. "My father says the Whitmores waited three generations just to get a mention in the Vances' father's will. She gets it all in one night. This is a massive upgrade from that scholarship rat. I saw him in the quad today, kneeling in the m

Chapter Sixteen “Let us board a cab,” Adrian said, stepping toward the roadside. Lina forced a smile, though her heart still hammered against her ribs like a trapped bird. When the cab pulled up in front of the girls' dormitory, Adrian climbed out to walk her to the gate. “Why are you coming down here?” Lina asked, her brow furrowing. “How will you get back to your own dorm this late? It is a forty-minute walk.” “I’ll just walk. Besides, there are lights everywhere. You are starting to sound like a worried old lady, Lina,” Adrian teased, idly kicking a piece of gravel with his beat-up sneaker. Lina smirked, shaking her head. “Fine. Get home safe, Adrian.” She turned and headed inside. The warmth of his joke vanished the exact second the heavy dorm doors shut behind her, locking her in the quiet hallway. A cold, heavy sigh escaped her lips as she stepped into the suite. She shared the common room with four other girls, her own cheerleader squad mates. The moment her foot crossed th

Chapter Eighteen “What can you actually fix, Sarah?” Lina asked daringly. Her voice remained steady as she watched Sarah's hand tremble against the printed notice. Sarah's face flushed a deep red. She stared at the paper, her mind racing in pure panic. She could not perform the triple twist, nor could she even stick a landing without Lina's hand on her wrist to steady her. Without a team to hide her flaws, she was nothing more than a girl in an expensive outfit. “You are not the school proprietor,” Lina said, her voice turning ice-cold. “So I believe there is nothing you can do about the new notice. You wanted to be independent? Well, now you have your wish. Don't trip over your own ego on the way to the stage.” The door flew open. Mira stormed into the room, slamming her copy of the notice onto Lina’s desk. “You think this solo audition is your big break, Lina?” Mira laughed, and the sound was like glass breaking. She leaned down, her face inches from Lina's. “Look at you. Your f

Chapter Twenty The Imperial Club charity gala took place at the Grand Azure Pavilion, a venue so exclusive that even the air inside seemed to carry a premium price tag. Outside the entrance, luxury vehicles stretched for blocks—Rolls-Royces, Maybachs, and custom Bentleys idling in a massive, glittering line. Miana stepped out of her limousine, smoothing the fabric of a designer gown worth more than a suburban house. Beside her, Jason adjusted his silk tie with a smug grin, his eyes scanning the arriving crowd. "Tonight, Lina and her little sidekick will learn exactly where they sit on the food chain,” Miana murmured, her eyes gleaming. "I want her to watch us on the main podium while she tries to slip through the service doors." Sarah and Mira trailed close behind, their eyes glued to their phone screens, desperately waiting for a weeping text from Lina. But Lina remained completely silent. Mira looked at Jason standing next to the wealthy heiress, a sharp pang of envy hitting her