City Z sparkled differently at night—like it was trying to outshine the truth that lived in its shadows. Lynn sat on the edge of her four-poster bed, phone still in her hand, Alex's voice echoing in her thoughts from earlier.
"Only for you," he'd said.
The boy with the edge and the silver keychain had opened a part of her she hadn't even realized was closed. But in the Kays household, vulnerability wasn't a language anyone spoke.
Not anymore.
There was a knock at the door.
"It's open," she called.
Serene stepped in, barefoot and wrapped in her oversized hoodie. Her long, dark curls were slightly damp—she must've just showered—and her usual calm expression had been replaced with something between curiosity and concern.
"You've been quiet," Serene said, flopping onto the bed beside her. "Even quieter than usual."
Lynn smiled faintly. "I didn't know I had a usual."
"You're loud in silence. That's how I know something's brewing."
Lynn sighed. "There's this boy…"
Serene sat up straighter. "Oh. That kind of quiet."
"His name's Alex. He's new. Intense. Sharp, but gentle too. And the school is kind of imploding around us."
Serene blinked. "Did you kiss him?"
Lynn gave her a look. "We may have started an entire gossip war."
Serene laughed softly. "You don't do things halfway, huh?"
"It's the Kay in me."
At the mention of their last name, Serene's smile faded. She picked at a thread on the blanket. "You know Suzie's planning another one of those charity photo ops, right? She was bragging about it over brunch."
Lynn groaned. "Let me guess—matching blazers and fake smiles?"
"And Jamy will probably get center stage again."
Lynn leaned her head against the bedpost. "Dad always lets her run the whole show. Like she's the brand manager of our family."
"She is the brand manager," Serene muttered. "And we're just props."
There was a silence between them. Heavy. Familiar.
It had been like this since their mother died.
Their father, John Kay, had buried himself in his empire, growing KayCorp into City Z's most powerful business. And somewhere along the way, he'd handed the emotional keys of their home to Suzie—his second wife with designer heels, a sugar-sweet smile, and a ruthless streak.
"She asked me about Alex," Lynn said suddenly. "I think someone told her."
Serene's eyebrows raised. "What did she say?"
"That he doesn't 'fit our family optics.' Whatever the hell that means."
Serene scoffed. "Means he's not wealthy, polished, or plastic enough for her curated life."
Lynn tightened her grip on her phone. "I don't care what Suzie thinks."
"You should care about what Dad thinks."
And there it was.
The real shadow.
Because even though John Kay barely looked up from his portfolio spreadsheets anymore, his disappointment still felt like thunder when it hit.
---
The next day at school, the tension thickened like fog. Lynn could feel the weight of eyes on her every time she stepped into a room. The post about Alex was still circulating, but he hadn't said much about it.
When she found him by the library entrance, he was alone, sketchbook in his lap—something Sam must've given him to calm his head.
"You okay?" she asked.
He looked up. "It's weird, being the story."
"You're not the story," she said. "You're my reality."
Alex closed the sketchbook. "Someone vandalized my locker this morning."
Lynn's body went cold. "What?"
He nodded slowly. "'Stay in your lane,' written in marker. Someone thinks I'm not allowed near you."
"Give me names," she said instantly.
He stood up, his voice low. "No. I'm not going to let them drag me into a fight I already won."
"How do you figure that?"
"Because I have you."
Lynn stared at him.
She wasn't used to being the one protected.
"Come to my place today," she said. "I want you to meet someone."
---
Later that afternoon, the gates of the Kay estate loomed like iron guardians as Alex followed Lynn up the long driveway. He'd seen mansions before, but nothing like this—modern glass, marble fountains, manicured hedges shaped into birds.
"Don't let the shine fool you," Lynn murmured. "The real performance is inside."
Alex didn't respond. But he did reach for her hand.
She led him through the grand hallway and up the stairs. Past the glass-enclosed trophy cases, the polished family portraits, and the faint scent of vanilla Suzie always insisted on diffusing through the air.
They found Serene sitting on the window seat in her room, reading. She looked up—and smiled.
"So you're Alex."
He nodded. "Guilty."
"Nice to meet the reason my sister hasn't threatened to run away in the last forty-eight hours."
Lynn laughed. "He's better in person."
Alex sat on the edge of the armchair. "I've been warned about this house."
Serene tilted her head. "Good. You should be. It looks like gold, but some parts rust fast."
They talked for another hour—about school, the chaos, and the rumors. And Alex, who rarely said much to people outside his small circle, opened up more than Lynn expected.
Later, when Suzie knocked on the door with a too-sweet smile and a plate of macarons, Lynn met her at the threshold.
"Don't," she said flatly. "Not today."
Suzie blinked. "Excuse me?"
"I'm not dressing him up for your dinner party."
"You're a Kay, Lynn. He's—"
"He's mine," she interrupted. "And that's all that matters."
Suzie didn't reply.
But her silence screamed.