After Alexander left to let me think about his transfer offer—which I had no intention of accepting—I escaped to the library’s third floor, seeking the kind of quiet solitude that seemed impossible to find anywhere else on campus.
The advanced research section was usually empty except for the most dedicated graduate students, making it perfect for processing the chaos that my life had become. I found a secluded table behind the philosophy stacks and finally allowed myself to acknowledge how overwhelming everything had become.
The banking theft, Julian’s drugging, Ethan’s targeting, family investigations, media attention, and now Nick and Roni’s relationship crisis—all of it was spiraling beyond my ability to manage or control.
For the first time since arriving at Ashwick Academy, I put
