(Sierra's POV)
Morning light over Blackwood Estate crept in like a careful whisper, a soft warmth brushing over my eyelids. But the comfort didn't stay long. The moment I shifted in sleep, the old nightmare clawed into me—again.
A dark hallway. My father's shadow turning away. My mother's muffled sob. His voice-cold, broken, final. "I cannot stay here anymore… not with you." I tried to run to him. But it always swung shut before I got to it. And then everything went black. In the dream I screamed. In real life… I guess I did too. For the next instant, a robust hand grasped my shoulder-not rough, yet pressing, steady.
"Sierra." His voice. Stefano's voice.
My eyes jolted open, tears spilling, my hair clinging to my forehead with sweat. The room seemed distorted from crying, and my breathing came out in sharp little pulls. He knelt beside my bed, his chest rising with the quiet panic he pretended not to have.
"Hey—hey, breathe," he muttered, his brows drawn together in a way I'd never seen. "You're okay. It was just a nightmare."
I didn't answer. I couldn't. I felt too exposed. Too weak. Too… unlike the hostile Sierra he liked fighting every day. But then, he did something I didn't expect. He leaned in, pressing a soft, barely-there kiss to the side of my head.
Not romantic. Not lustful. Just… instinctive comfort.
It felt like a sigh my body had been waiting years to release.
"There," he whispered, the pad of his thumb brushing away a tear I didn't know fell. "You're fine. No one's hurting you."
His voice cracked. Just a little—but I heard it. I closed my eyes again-not to sleep, but because to look at him was to invite danger. His proximity was dangerous. His touch-
And yet…
I didn't pull away. He stayed beside my bed until my breathing slowed. Until I finally whispered, "Thank you." He stiffened-like the word burned him. Then he stood suddenly. Walls sliding back into place. Expression returning to the same cold unreadable stone. He was about to walk away from there but I stopped him saying "Don't… mention it to anyone, plz."
He didn't say anything, just noded. And he walked out. But for the remainder of the morning, my head's side was warm, as if his kiss had been made of fire. Felt so safe, so warming.
(Stefano's POV)
What the hell was wrong with me?
I wet my face with cold water in the bathroom sink, my hands wrapped around the edge so tightly the marble bit into my palms.
Why had I come to her room? Why did I touch her? Why did I…"kiss" her?
She had lain whimpering in her sleep, running sweat down the temples, curled into herself as if fighting invisible claws. Her voice—choked—whispering please.
I couldn't ignore it. I couldn't walk away from it. Not even if I wanted to. And when I saw her tears… Yeah. Something inside me snapped. I cursed under my breath and dried my face. This can't keep happening.
She's my sister.
She's the daughter of the woman who's married to my father.
She's the girl I should hate, not… want to protect.
I slammed the towel down and left the bathroom before I punched something I couldn't afford to break. But I couldn't do anything. She was so fragile, so soft and so scared just like my mother. She is exactly like her. My mother was fragile like her, soft, kind, hearted, emotional. But still I hated her from the first day because of her mother. Seeing her today felt like she was already on so pain.
What'll happen when she'll face the pain I'd planned for her. I never thought the consequences of my plan. And now I'm feeling the future destruction of this.
(Sierra's POV)
The campus buzzed with late-morning energy: football banners flapping above us, students laughing in the café area, the scent of coffee vending carts wafting around the architecture building.
The boys had gone to drop off equipment. Marko stayed behind, saying he'd "wait." But he was pale. And sweating. And clearly pretending the pain wasn't bad.
"Sit down," I told him. "Sierra, I'm fine—"
"You're not." I grabbed the first-aid kit from the nearby classroom. He tried to pull his hand away. "It's not that serious."
"Let me see." He gave in. And when I unwrapped the bloody cloth around his palm, he hissed.
"Oh my God, Marko, this is deep."
"It'll heal," he muttered, eyes everywhere except on me. I cleaned it with steady hands, though he flinched at every sting.
I held his wrist gently, so that it would not shake. I kept talking so he wouldn't focus on the pain. For four hours, I stayed.
Talking. Laughing. Administering medicine. Rewrapping. Checking his temperature. Holding in his hand the moment it shook. He didn't understand why I was doing it. Maybe I didn't either. But kindness… is something I cannot switch off. Caring for my friend.
A good friend…..
(Stefano's POV )
The doors swung open, and I stepped in with Sebastian and Ethan. "What the hell—" Sierra was kneeling on the floor in front of Marko, pressing a cold pack to his wrist. Her hair fell over her shoulder, her brows furrowed with pure worry. Marko… seemed not to know whether to breathe or cry. Ethan whispered to me, "Dude… she didn't leave him for hours." Something inside my chest tightened. Hard. Sharp. Jealousy or Regret? No. Impossible. She's nothing to you. But when she looked up and smiled— My fists clenched. I am loosing my sanity. She's making me something I never was.
(Sierra's POV)
Angel walked beside me, talking about some studio project. I nodded, but my head was somewhere else altogether. Specifically, in the memory of Stefano kneeling next to my bed. Stop thinking about him. Please stop thinking about him. By the time we crossed the courtyard, they were already waiting: Sebastian waving at us with his bright smile, Ethan grumbling about early morning practice, and Marko leaning against a tree… with a thick bandage on his hand.
I gasped. "Marko! Your hand—how's ur hand?"
He jerked slightly, surprised I caught on so fast.
"Oh—uh—it's fine," he said, smiling but not hiding the pain.
Sebastian snorted. "He crushed it like an idiot."
"Yeah, genius here tried catching a falling weight. With his hand." Ethan said to Angel.
Marko threw them an annoyed look. "Shut up."
"You must be more careful," I told him, scolding him softly. "If you don't treat it well, you could get infected with something. Did you apply this antiseptic to yourself that I gave you?"
He blinked at me, taken aback. What's happening to him? Why he is behaving like this?
"How did u know Sie,?" Angel asked me.
"I had to stay with him four hours yesterday," I reminded him. "Someone had to keep him from being his own worst enemy."
Sebastian grinned. Arko smirked. Marko… stared at the ground, jaw tight, emotion flickering in his eyes. It was the same look he had yesterday when I cleaned his wound while he tried not to wince. And it was clearly hurting him.
I offered a little smile. "Let me know if it hurts again, okay?"
His voice came out quiet. "Yeah." Something inside him was changing.
Softening.
And I didn't know it.
Angel tapped my shoulder. "We're going to be late for class." "Oh—right!" I turned back to the boys. "I'll see you later." Sebastian gave his usual sunshine smile. "See you, Sunshine." My cheeks warmed. It made me smile every time. Marko gave a small wave. Ethan nodded. And I walked off with Angel towards the architecture building.
(To be continued.....)