The Legacy Of The Virkir's

Chapter 08

 

Seraphina's gaze stayed at the door. Someone was watching her. She was sure of it.

A hand tapped her. 

She flinched. 

“Earth to Seraphina…” Fedora said, waving a hand over her face. 

Seraphina blinked and turned away from the door.

"What?"

Fedora exchanged a look with Gina, both of them grinning.

"Oh, nothing," Fedora said, drawing out the word. "Just wondering if you're daydreaming about your mysterious fiancé."

Gina laughed. "I bet she's imagining what he looks like. Tall? Dark? Handsome?"

"Probably some old man with more money than personality," Fedora added.

Seraphina's jaw tightened. "I'm not thinking about him."

"Sure you're not," Gina said, leaning in. "That's why you've been staring into space for the past five minutes."

"I said I'm not."

Fedora raised her hands in mock surrender. "Alright, alright. We believe you."

They didn't.

Seraphina turned back to her notes, pretending to focus on the assignment in front of her.

"Honestly," she said flatly, "I don't care who he is."

Fedora and Gina exchanged another glance but didn't push further.

The conversation shifted to something else—gossip about someone's weekend party, complaints about an upcoming exam.

Seraphina nodded along, barely listening.

Because the truth was, she did care.

Not about who he was. But about what the engagement meant.

She'd never met him. Never even heard his name until a few weeks ago when her parents casually mentioned it over dinner like they were discussing the weather.

"You're engaged now, dear. The arrangement was made years ago."

They didn't even explain or give her a choice. 

Just another decision made for her.

She hated it.

Hated that her life was being decided by people who saw her as a piece on a chessboard. Hated that she was supposed to smile and accept it.

But what she hated most was the knot of anxiety in her stomach every time she thought about it.

What if he was controlling? What if he expected her to be the perfect, obedient wife her parents wanted her to be?

What if she had no say in any of it?

She pushed the thought away and forced herself to focus on Fedora's voice.

It didn't matter.

She'd deal with it when the time came.

Just then, movement caught Seraphina's eye.

A girl walked past their table, head down, clutching her books.

Gina's foot shot out.

The girl stumbled, her books scattering across the floor.

A few students nearby looked up, then quickly looked away. No one wanted to get involved.

Fedora snorted. "Oops. Didn't see you there."

The girl knelt down, gathering her books without a word.

"Careful where you walk, scholarship girl," Gina said loudly. "Wouldn't want you breaking something. I doubt you could afford to replace it."

A few people laughed.

The girl's face flushed, but she kept her head down, reaching for the last book.

Fedora kicked it further away.

"What's wrong, freak?" she said sweetly. "Can't afford to buy new books either?"

Seraphina sat there, watching.

She knew exactly who this was. Chloe Everstone.

The scholarship nerd who kept to herself, always buried in fantasy novels and fairy tales like some kind of child.

She should stop this. She knew she should.

But her friends were looking at her, waiting.

And if she said something, if she defended the girl, they'd turn on her next. Ask why she cared about some nobody. Question her.

So instead, she forced a small smile.

"Maybe she's too busy living in her fantasy world to watch where she's going," Seraphina said.

Her voice sounded hollow even to her own ears.

Gina laughed. Fedora grinned.

The girl finally grabbed the last book and stood, her hands trembling slightly.

She didn't say anything. She never did.

She just turned to leave.

"Running away already, nerd?" Gina called after her.

The girl kept walking.

Then a voice cut through the laughter.

"Um... excuse me."

Everyone turned.

A guy stood a few feet away. White hair, glasses, plain clothes. He looked nervous, shifting his weight slightly.

No one recognized him.

Fedora raised an eyebrow. "Can we help you?"

The guy swallowed, then spoke again, quieter this time.

"Could you... leave her alone? Please?"

Silence.

Then Gina burst out laughing.

"Are you serious right now?"

The guy didn't move. His hands were in his pockets, shoulders slightly hunched. He looked like he wanted to disappear.

But he didn't back down.

Fedora leaned back in her chair, amused. "And who are you supposed to be? Her boyfriend?"

"I just..." He hesitated. "I just think you should leave her alone."

Gina stood up, crossing her arms. "Oh, you think? That's cute."

Seraphina watched him carefully.

Something about him felt... off.

Not in a bad way. Just different.

The nervousness seemed almost... practiced.

Alastor kept his posture slouched, his expression uncertain.

Inside, he was perfectly calm.

He looked at the scene in front of him. Three girls standing over one on the ground. Books scattered everywhere.

His eyes moved to Seraphina first.

She was watching him with that sharp gaze of hers, trying to figure him out.

She didn't recognize him.

Good.

The white hair and glasses were doing their job. Add the nervous act, and he was just another awkward student trying to play hero.

He shifted his weight again, making himself look smaller.

"I just..." He let his voice shake slightly. "I think you should leave her alone."

One of Seraphina's friends—the one who'd kicked the book—laughed. "Who do you think you are?"

The other one stepped closer, arms crossed. "You new here? Because you clearly don't know how things work."

Alastor didn't answer. He just looked at Seraphina.

She was still studying him, her expression unreadable.

For a moment, he thought she might join in. Mock him. Make this harder than it needed to be.

But then she stood.

"Let's go," she said flatly.

Her friends blinked.

"What? But—"

"I said let's go." Seraphina's tone left no room for argument. "We shouldn't waste our time with trash."

She didn't look at Alastor or the girl on the ground. She just turned and walked away.

Her friends exchanged confused glances but followed.

The hallway slowly returned to normal. Students went back to their conversations, the brief entertainment over.

Alastor watched them leave, then turned to the girl still kneeling on the floor.

"You okay?"

She nodded quickly, gathering the last of her books. "Y-yeah. Thank you. You didn't have to do that."

"It's fine."

She stood, clutching her books to her chest. Her hands were still shaking slightly.

Up close, Alastor got a better look at her.

Wait.

He knew this face.

The girl from Tempest Enterprise, he'd saved her from.being humiliated by the secretary… well ex secretary. 

She'd been terrified then, too. 

And now she was here.

She didn't recognize him either.

"Thank you," she said again, her voice soft. "Really. Not many people would've said anything."

Alastor nodded. "Don't worry about it."

She hesitated, then gave a small, grateful smile. "I'm... I should probably know your name. Since you just saved me from complete humiliation."

"Leo," he said. "Leo Vance."

"Leo." She tested the name, then extended a hand. "Nice to meet you."

He shook it.

"And you are?"

She paused, as if surprised he didn't already know.

"Chloe," she said. "Chloe Everstone."

The world stopped.

Alastor's hand was still holding hers, but he couldn't feel it anymore.

Chloe Everstone.

The name he'd been searching for. The girl he came back to London to protect. The childhood friend who'd saved his life when he had nothing.

She was standing right in front of him.

And she had no idea who he was.

Ten years.

Ten years and she didn't recognize him.

But why would she?

The Alastor she knew had black hair and hope in his eyes.

Leo Vance had white hair and nothing behind his smile.

They weren't the same person.

Not anymore.

He released her hand carefully, keeping his expression neutral.

"Nice to meet you, Chloe."

I've missed you.

I'm sorry I left.

I'm sorry for what's coming.

But he didn't say any of that.

He just smiled.

The harmless, forgettable smile of Leo Vance.