(Sierra's POV)
I tried to focus on my sketchbook, on the lines and colors, but nothing stayed. Every time I looked at my canvas, the words Luciana and her girls had spat at me ran like a chorus of poison through my mind.
Stefano… passionate nights… obsessed with Luciana… pampered her…
My hands tightened around the pencil. I wanted to throw it across the room, but I forced myself to stay seated. I couldn't. I wouldn't let Luciana see me break. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. There's no reason to feel this way. Stefano never cared for me. He never gave me attention or affection. He never… mattered. I opened my eyes, setting my jaw. I had to convince myself that the lies were just that—lies. That Luciana's words had no power over me if I refused to let them. But my heart proved stubborn. Every thought of Stefano, every flash of his dark, stormy eyes, every memory of that kiss… and in crept the doubt once more, gnawing at me. I had to distance myself, I couldn't let myself be vulnerable around him. Not now, not while Luciana was scheming. I needed control over my emotions, even if my body betrayed me.
(Luciana's POV)
I watched from afar across campus as my lips curled in satisfaction. Sierra was faltering. The small cracks were forming in her composure. "It's working," Sasa whispered.
"Yes," I said smoothly. "She thinks Stefano was the one who mattered. She's angry, confused… vulnerable. Perfect. And now Stefano is going to sense it too. That's when I escalate. When both of them are questioning, I strike harder." Rosa leaned forward, eyes glinting. "Do you think she suspects anything about your plan?" Luciana shook her head. "Not yet. She has no idea. And she won't… not until it's too late."
(Stefano's POV)
I noticed the change the instant I saw her in the courtyard. She brushed past me like I didn't even exist, with her sketch pad clutched against her chest, her shoulders tense, and her gaze forward. My chest tightened. Why is she avoiding me? I wanted to call out, to chase her, to pull her into my arms, but I stopped myself. I could see the hurt in her posture, the tension in her jaw. What happened to her? I hated it. Most of all… I hated the ache in my chest that whispered, she's slipping away from me. I clenched my fists. I couldn't let her distance go unanswered. Not after everything, after the kiss.
(Sierra's POV)
I spent the rest of the day in a haze, making my way through college. Every look at a couple laughing, every whisper of passing students, felt like a reminder that no one else was struggling with thoughts of shadows and rumors the way I did. Angel caught onto my tenseness. "Sierra, you okay?" she asked, cocking her head. I forced a small smile. "Yeah… I'm fine. Just… thinking about some stuff, projects, nothing serious." Angel narrowed her eyes but didn't press further. "Okay… but don't push yourself too hard." I nodded, grateful for her concern. I moved along, aware of the weight in my chest, the insistent pull toward Stefano that I couldn't deny, even if I tried.
(Luciana's POV )
By mid-afternoon, I was ready to make the next move. I cornered her in the library again with my girls. "Sierra," I said sweetly, "I just wanted to clear up a few things. I don't want misunderstandings." I let the lies drip, every word exaggerated. Stefano, obsessed, attentive, loving. And Stefano… I subtly hinted about the tension between him and me, planting seeds of doubt and letting her imagination do the rest, twisting the truth just enough to make her heart clench. Her eyes flashed, her hands clenching on her bag. She didn't say much. She nodded, but I could see it-the frustration, the hurt, the storm building behind her calm outer facade. Perfect.
(Stefano's POV)
I was in class when I felt it—the shift, the cold distance. Anytime I passed her, any glance told me she was pulling away. My stomach turned at that possessiveness. Why is she avoiding me again? I longed to march across campus, grab her hand, demand the truth, but I couldn't. I had to be so cautious, so subtle. And yet jealousy flared uncontrollably, like a fire consuming me. Who is putting nonsenses in her head? Anger and frustration were raging through my mind as I wanted to protect her, to make her understand that I didn't care for Luciana, I wanted her, only her. But I also knew that if I pushed too hard, she'd pull even further away.
(Sierra's POV)
That evening, I sat on the steps outside the art building, my sketchbook open but untouched. I stared at the page, lost in thought. Luciana's words, lies and truths, clung to my mind. I made myself remember Stefano never cared. That chapter of my life didn't define me. And Stefano… I couldn't let doubt poison what I felt for him now. Even if he didn't say anything, even if my heart ached, I had to trust-or at least control my own heart enough to survive. I gripped my sketchbook tighter, trying to anchor myself. There was one thing that was certain I wasn't going to fall apart completely. But deep down, I knew the storm wasn't over emotionally. Not by a long shot.
(To be continued......)