In the East Wing of Audrex Academy, the air was heavy with the scent of expensive perfume and the quiet hum of air conditioning. Ms. Jane was at the front of the room, her voice droning on about anger management techniques that none of the students intended to use.In the back row, the atmosphere was entirely different. Victoria and Helen were leaning toward Olivia, who sat like a queen on a throne she didn't have to earn. Helen tapped a manicured nail against her desk, her eyes darting toward the teacher before she whispered, "Olivia. Olivia!"Olivia rotated her chair with a slow, deliberate grace. Ms. Jane caught her eye, but the teacher quickly looked back at her textbook, continuing her lecture as if she were alone in the room. No one dared to challenge the Elite X, especially not a middle-class instructor whose job depended on the Board of Directors."Why are you disturbing me, Helen?" Olivia asked, her voice silky and bored."You know, ever since that day... what you did to that

Eren pushed his bike through the streets, his teeth gleaming in a sharp, confident smile. The wind rushed past him, carrying away the last remnants of his old, timid self."Although I didn't plan to expose myself like that, I am surprised it happened," Eren said, speaking into the Bluetooth headset connected to his phone."So what are you going to do now that you are a Rank B?" Hannah’s voice crackled from the other end. "Are you going to leave your sister in the East Wing and watch her clean while you go to school in the west Wing?"Eren pulled the brake suddenly, the tires of the Neiman Marcus hissing against the asphalt. He went silent. Hannah had a point. The thought of moving up into the world of luxury while leaving Lala to scrub floors in the slums sat like lead in his stomach. He wouldn't want a situation where he had to watch his sister go through that hell while he lived like a king."Hannah, let me call you back," he said abruptly.His mother’s name was flashing on his scre

For the next few hours, the mansion felt less like a cold museum and more like a home. The heavy silence was replaced by the sound of Lala hummimg as she explored the hallways and the quiet clink of plates in the kitchen. The scent of fresh wood and the pie they had found in the pantry filled the air. For the first time in as long as Eren could remember, his mother looked relaxed, her eyes losing that sharp edge of worry that had lived there for years.They were finally settling into the warmth when a sudden, heavy knock echoed through the house.The sound was sharp and out of place. It cut through their laughter like a knife. Lala stopped mid-step, her eyes darting to the front door. Their mother sat up straight, her hands tightening in her lap. Eren’s eyes narrowed. In this neighborhood, they were strangers. Nobody should have known they were here.His mother looked toward him, her voice low and cautious. "Are you expecting someone?"Eren shook his head firmly. Even Hannah didn't ha

The click of the bedroom door signaled they were alone. The room was silent except for their breathing. Eren could smell the floral scent of Yuna’s skin. It was thick and heavy in the air. She did not let go of his hand. Instead, she gripped his fingers tighter. Her hand felt hot and possessive.She turned around and backed against the door. The soft light from the curtains showed her shape clearly. She looked at him with a calm, focused stare. “One hour,” she whispered. The sound was so low it felt like it vibrated through the floor. “Let’s not waste a second.”She reached out and touched him. Her fingertips brushed against his jaw. She traced a path down to his throat where his heart was beating fast. Her touch felt like it burned his skin. She leaned in until her lips were right next to his ear. “You’re scared,” she murmured. She said it like she already knew. “You’re scared of how good this will feel. You’re scared of Hannah. But you aren’t scared of me. You want me. I can see you

Eren pushed the heavy double doors of the mansion open, the cool night air swirling inside behind him. His body was still humming from the raw energy of the night, but the moment his boots hit the polished floorboards, his momentum ground to a dead halt.A man sat comfortably on the leather sectional sofa, one leg crossed carelessly over the other, holding a half-empty glass as if he owned the place.Mr. Lilmore.His stepfather.Right next to the couch rested the worn canvas bag containing Eren’s new Rank B academy uniform—crisp, tailored, and smelling of money. Tomorrow morning, Eren would officially begin his classes in the elite upper wing of Audrex Academy. Everything in his life had shifted into a completely different orbit.Everything except the parasite sitting in his living room.Upstairs, the quiet shuffling of feet signaled that Lala was packing her remaining things. Starting tomorrow, her life would change too. She would be transferred to the kitchen staff, no longer forced