Cora yanked the duvet over her head, her breath uneven as her heart pounded against her ribs.
Damien just confessed to her.
The realization sent a shiver racing down her spine. The words replayed in her mind like a melody she couldn't escape, a thrill coursing through her veins. She squealed, kicking her feet against the mattress in a flurry of uncontainable excitement before bolting upright.
Amelia was snoring, completely unaware of the chaos unfolding in Cora's mind.
She pressed a hand against her flushed face behind her mask , trying to steady her emotions. But sleep? That wasn't happening anytime soon. With a resigned sigh, she slipped out of bed, her bare feet pressing against the cold wooden floor.
Her mother had insisted on packing supplements when she left for Oscar University—something about aiding her sleep and keeping her mind sharp. At the time, Cora hadn't thought much of it. But now, as she reached for the suitcase stored above the wardrobe, suspicion clawed its way into her thoughts.
Can she trust her mother blindly like before?
She unzipped the bag, her fingers hovering over the bottles. The labels were pristine, untouched. And yet, after tonight, after everything, she felt an undeniable sense of unease. Without another thought, she grabbed the bottles, stacked them in her hands, and dumped them into the trash.
Better safe than sorry.
Dragging herself back to bed, she let exhaustion take over. Sleep claimed her swiftly, though her mind remained restless with whispered thoughts of him.
The sharp groan beside her stirred Cora from the fragile grasp of sleep.
"My head hurts," Amelia mumbled, her voice thick with exhaustion as she attempted to sit up.
Cora, who had barely gotten any sleep herself, forced her eyes open, blinking at her friend. "What's wrong with you?" she asked, pressing a cool palm against Amelia's forehead.
"I had a weird dream," Amelia murmured, her brows furrowing. "It felt so real… and yet so blurry."
Cora's lips pressed together. She knew better than anyone that some dreams weren't just dreams. "Just don't think about it," she said, shifting to sit beside her.
"How are you feeling now?" she asked, concern evident in her voice.
Amelia ran a hand through her tangled hair. "A little confused, but my health is back to normal. When did you return yesterday?"
Cora hesitated, chewing on her bottom lip behind her mask before finally saying, "Right after you dozed off."
She took a deep breath, steadying herself before adding, "There's something I need to tell you."
Amelia turned to her, instantly giving her full attention. "What is it?"
"Damien told me yesterday… that he wanted to make it real. He wants me to be his real girlfriend."
Amelia gasped, her eyes widening with an excitement that made her look fully awake in an instant. "OMG, Cora! You've hit the jackpot!!" She practically vibrated with enthusiasm. "I mean, I knew he liked being around you, but for him to actually confess?! I'm so happy for you, girl! And for the record, he's such a perfect catch."
Her giddy excitement dimmed just a little as she narrowed her eyes. "But… I still don't trust him." She flipped her hair over her shoulder, her protective nature kicking in. "Give me a day. One day to find out if he deserves you, my princess."
Cora chuckled, shaking her head at Amelia's theatrics. It was so like her.
The two girls got ready before exiting their dormitory, stepping into a world that had suddenly shifted.
In the heart of his lavish dorm, Damien Ravenscroft stood before his mirror, adjusting the collar of his crisp black shirt. His reflection smirked back at him, radiating the effortless arrogance that came so naturally.
The door swung open without warning, and Maximilian strolled in, slumping against the nearest couch while Leonard leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed.
Maximilian, ever the one to stir trouble, arched a brow. "So? What's the verdict on your little masked obsession?"
Damien's smirk didn't falter, but his sharp, calculating gaze flicked to Max through the mirror. The weight of that glare was enough for Max to raise his hands in mock surrender.
"Relax," Max said with a laugh. "Unless… don't tell me you actually like her now?" His expression turned incredulous. "What about Ali—"
"Cora is Alicia," Damien interjected, finally turning to face them, his voice edged with absolute certainty.
Silence settled over the room. Heavy. Unsettling.
Maximilian's playful expression faded, his face growing serious.
Leonard, the more reserved of the two, finally spoke. "Does she have the soulmate mark you placed on her in the past?" His voice carried the weight of an unspoken heaviness.
Damien's jaw tensed. "No."
Last night, when he had buried his face against Cora's neck, he had searched for it. Desperately. But it hadn't been there.
And that complicated things.
Max scoffed. "Then how sure are you that she's Alicia?"
Damien exhaled, his lips curving into a smirk—one filled with a kind of dark amusement, as if he were speaking to children incapable of understanding. "Because it's only my mate that I'm supposed to feel this drawn to. And considering I bound my soul to Alicia's, it means that bond should only resurface when she is reincarnated." His gaze darkened. "And last night, after I tasted her blood… I felt it."
Leonard's fingers twitched against his arm. "That doesn't sound like good news," he murmured. "Especially since our memories are failing us."
Max frowned. "And what do you plan to do about it?"
Damien didn't hesitate. "I'm making her mine. This time, I'm serious."
Leonard exhaled through his nose, his gaze sharpening. "But it never worked in the past even though we don't remember the reason."
Max chimed in. "And whatever did happen… was bad. Really bad that it has distorted our memories."
Damien's expression remained unwavering. Unshakable.
"That's why I'm going to make sure it works in this lifetime." His voice was laced with finality. Failure was never an option.
Cora and Amelia navigated the academy's hallways, stepping into the usual storm of curious glances.
Cora was used to it—people whispering, eyes lingering on the mask that concealed her face. Some tried to be subtle. Others… not so much.
Amelia, however, was not as patient. She scowled at the gawkers, flipping them off with unbothered aggression. "I swear I wish I could gouge their eyes out for staring like that."
Cora sighed, shaking her head. "They're just curious."
"They're rude," Amelia corrected, folding her arms.
They both entered the class and sat down at their usual spot but the occasional glances from the students directed at Cora didn't stop .
Before either of them could say anything else, the professor entered the classroom, and Cora instinctively looked up—only for her stomach to tighten uncomfortably.
Professor Graves.
The man's lips curled into a polite smile as his gaze met hers, but something about it felt wrong.
Her fingers curled around her phone, the smooth surface grounding her as unease slithered beneath her skin.
Something about the man wasn't right.
And she wasn't sure if she wanted to find out what.