Monday morning felt surreal.
I stood in front of my mirror, staring at the girl in the Blackwood Academy uniform. The same girl who'd been that terrified scholarship student just two weeks ago. But everything had changed.
Viktor Thornton was in prison for life.
Marcus Chen was awaiting trial, locked up and no longer a threat.
The fake relationship that had consumed my life was now… real.
And the boy I'd once been terrified of was downstairs making me breakfast.
"Aria!" Kai called from the kitchen. "Coffee's getting cold!"
I smiled despite my nerves and headed downstairs. Aunt Maria had already left for her morning shift, and Kai had taken it upon himself to become the household cook whenever he stayed over which was basically every night now.
He looked up as I entered, and his expression softened. "You okay?"
"Nervous," I admitted, sliding into a chair at the kitchen table. "Going back to school after everything that's happened… everyone's going to be staring."
