The party had reached its peak. The dance floor pulsed with bodies—first-year students laughing, swaying, losing themselves in the moment.For many,the drinks flowed too quickly, and their glasses never stayed full.
Liora stayed close to her friends. Sia was still chatting with Kai, her excitement bubbling over every word she spoke. Rhythm had drifted a little to talk with some classmates. The music blasted loud enough that voices blurred into the beat. And then without warning, suddenly, it stopped. Everyone's movements halted, as they looked at the DJ. A few people even groaned and shouted in annoyance. Liora's heart jumped, and the sudden silence made her ears ring.
A tall final-year student stepped up near the DJ booth with a microphone in hand. He wore jeans and a casual grey shirt. His voice was calm but commanding.
"Alright, guys, calm down. I'm Rick, and weare going totake a short break from the music," he said, smiling. "It's time for the tradition you have all been dreading."
The crowd laughed and clapped. Rick holding a tennis ball in one hand. His eyes swept over the crowd. "Freshers—come to the dance floor. Everyone else, please clear the space for them."
There was shuffling, laughter, and fake protests, butsoonthe floor filled with the newest students. Liora, Sia, and Yo followed the movement, blending into the group.
Rick tossed the ball into the air. A student caught it awkwardly, laughing.
"Here's the deal. You say your name, your nickname, and the name of someone you fantasize about here at the university and why."
The crowd howled again, some students already chanting names in mock suspense.
The ball kept moving, bouncing from one eager student to another on the lively playground. With every clean pass, shouts of excitement erupted—each name shouted in delight was a new cheer, punctuating the rhythmic fun of the game. Liora stayed quiet, weaving behind Sia and sometimes Yo, hoping to avoid the ball entirely. Last night's memory of the game has not faded completely from her mind. But did she think she could escape this game?
Sia had already spoken—her nickname, that she admired Kai because his smile was the most enchanting part of him.
Liora had considered saying the same. But she couldn't take Kai's name. Not when Sia liked him. She couldn't say Caspian's name either. Not when she wasn't even sure if he still cared for her? Nothing was certain anymore about her relationship with Caspian. People who love each otherwould be able tostay away from each other without being in contact. Without informing where they are going and why?
She kept dodging the ball. Letting it move from hand to hand like a ticking clock she didn't want to hear.
The ball tapped her shoulder and dropped. Without thinking, she caught it before it hit the floor. It was light and harmless. Just a tennis ball. But in her hands, it felt heavy. Too many eyes turned toward her at once. She could feel them.
Liora took a slow breath. Her fingers gripped the ball too tightly. "You can call me Li," she began, her voice softer than before. "My nickname is Ora, and the person I admire is…" She hesitated at first. Her eyes flicked toward Rick at the DJ booth. He smiled, encouraging her to speak. 'Safe option,' she told herself. Say, Rick.
But the moment she closed her eyes, it brought up Nova's face. The way he teased.The way heleaned in when he talked like she was the only one in the room.The way herheart had betrayed her in silence long before her voice did.
"I love Nova." The words slipped out—clear,certain, and louder than she intended. And the silence that followed was instant. Her eyes flew open, the blood rushing to her face. She clutched the ball like it could pull her backwards in time.
"I— I meant—" she stammered, trying to fix it, trying to soften the blow. "That's not what I—"
A voice rose from behind the crowd. It was smooth and familiar.
"You. Love. Me?"
Every muscle in Liora's body stilled. She didn't need to turn to know who it was. But she did anyway. "Crap!"
Donovan stood near the entrance, dressed in black, the collar of his coat turned up slightly. One hand is still on the door. His eyes locked on hers,
Sia's and Yo's mouths dropped open, and they were confused.
The entire terrace seemed to exhale at once. Donovan wasn't from the law department. But here he was, crashing a Law department party.
Why?
Rick was still holding the mic when he spoke again, his voice cutting through the stunned silence. "Donovan?" His brows raised slightly, unsure whether to ask or wait for Donovan's answer.
That's when Donovan's gaze turned toward him. "Sorry," he said with a calmness that didn't match the weight of what he was about to say. "I had to come get my girl."
Amurmur passed through the crowd like a sudden breeze. Eyes shifted, whispers followed, and people started glancing sideways at each other—guys scanning the crowd, trying to figure out who he meant. They had heard rumours before. About Donovan. He had warned people from university never to take photos of a certain girl. Anyone who tried would be shot dead, and that is why no men ever took a picture of any girl. In fact, no one ever turned their phone camera toward any female they did not know on the campus. But no one ever imagined she was from the law department.
Donovan stepped further into the terrace. He didn't shout.Hedidn't rush. He walked in slow, steady steps, eachonedeliberate as his eyes moved across the stunned crowd and settled only on her.
"As per tradition, she has already attended the party," he said, addressing the room like he owned it. "She's introduced herself. Followed the rules."
He paused, his gaze never leaving Liora. "So I think I can take her now."
Liora's head dipped, a deep flush spreading across her cheeks. Her fingers tightened slightly around the ball before she let it fall to the floor.
"She needs rest," Donovan added. "I hope her seniors don't mind."
He offered them a smile, but it didn't reach his eyes. It wasn't warm. It wasn't meant to be. He wasn't really asking. He was informing.
Then he turned to her.
"Shall we go?" he asked, his hand extended toward her—open, waiting.
Liora stared at it for a second. Her thoughts spun—words she hadn't meant to say, and the feeling that none of this was hers. She couldn't shake the strange certainty that something else had moved through her—that maybe, just maybe, Eve'sghost had slipped into her skin again and spoken through her lips.
She wasn't sure what happened. But she knew she had to explain to Nova. Quietly, she placed her hand in Donovan's. She didn't look at anyone. Not Sia. Not even Rhythm.
She walked out beside him, her steps light but her chest heavy.
The DJ resumed the music like nothing had happened. The lights blinked, and the crowd slowlystarted to recoverfrom the interruption.
But not everyone stayed. Kai followed them out almost immediately. Sia trailed behind him, calling Liora's name softly. And Rhythm, with a deep sigh, had no choice but to follow her sister.
And that wasn't all.
As Rihana, Elena, and Harper stepped out from the restroom hallway, the scene in front of them stopped them cold.
Donovan was walking just ahead, holding Liora's hand. His posture was relaxed, but his gaze never left the girl beside him. He wasn't just walking with her—he was looking at her gently like she was something delicate in a world made of glass. Like she was his.
Rihana froze mid-step. Her breath caught in her throat. Donovan was smiling. A smile she craved to witness. Smiling at a woman like she was his whole world. Rihana had seen him angry, silent and even Ruthless. But never like this. A slow, bitter heat began to rise in her chest, blooming sharp and ugly behind her ribs. She had convinced herself he had left because he needed time.
But this? This was a betrayal. He had left for her.
"So that's the girl," Rihana murmured, her voice low. "From the law class."
The words tasted bitter on her tongue. "The one he left me for." She said it flatly as if confirming a fact to herself. But something in her voice cracked.
Beside her, Harper followed her gaze.Her eyes narrowed, not at Liora—but at Sia, who was now walking next to Kai, a little too close, a little too comfortable."How convenient," she said under her breath. "She didn't just steal Donovan. She brought her little friend to trap Kai, too."
Rihana's jaw tensed. Her nails dug into the strap of her purse.
"She should have died," she whispered so quietly. Elena almost didn't catch it. "But she is still breathing and walking."
Harper didn't respond right away. Her lips pressed into a thin, calculating line. "She needs to leave Valtham," she said finally.
Only one thought came to Rihana's mind. 'Pearl.' To solve her problem, Pearl was the answer. She needs to meet her.