Veronica Lin always knew that secrets didn't stay buried forever.
But she hadn't expected this one to surface with silk gloves and a Cheshire smile.
The knock on her door came just as twilight painted Elite High in hues of lavender and dusk. Veronica had been reviewing Alexis Wu's old transfer documents again—each line of redacted information screaming that someone had gone to incredible lengths to erase her.
Then: the knock.
Soft. Rhythmic. Almost… polite.
Lucas, leaning against the far wall with arms crossed, straightened immediately. "Expecting someone?"
"No," Veronica said slowly, closing the folder and sliding it beneath a false panel in her desk. "But whoever it is, they're coming at twilight. They want to catch me in the in-between."
"In-between what?"
"Persona and power."
Lucas opened the door.
Standing there, in pressed grey slacks and a wine-colored scarf, was Mr. Eliot Zhou—the school's ethics teacher. A man so forgettable he was practically background noise in Elite High's political theater. No one spoke ill of him. No one spoke of him at all.
And yet… There he stood, with a subtle smile that didn't reach his eyes.
"Miss Lin," he said, nodding respectfully. "Might I have a word? Alone?"
Lucas shifted. "That's not happening."
Veronica gestured slightly. "It's alright. Stay inside. But let him speak."
Eliot's eyes flicked to Lucas with curiosity. "The bodyguard with opinions. Very modern."
Veronica didn't rise to the bait. "You've come a long way to be cryptic, Mr. Zhou."
"I prefer… careful."
He stepped inside, and the door closed behind him like the final click of a chess clock.
"I assume you've seen the footage," he said, voice even. "Of Miss Lei. And the aftermath."
Veronica gave a noncommittal nod.
"I'm not here to defend her," Eliot continued. "But the girl in that video—Alexis Wu—do you know what happened to her?"
Veronica's gaze sharpened. "I know she vanished."
"She was vanished," Eliot corrected, pausing near her bookcase. His fingers brushed one of the leather-bound law journals. "But not in the way you think."
He turned slowly.
"There's a thread, Miss Lin. A red one. It ties Alexis to the student body president five years ago. To an incident involving the old music conservatory. To a foundation that doesn't exist anymore—at least not on paper."
Lucas frowned. "Why are you telling us this now?"
"Because Miss Lin pulled on that thread," Eliot said. "And you don't seem to realize it's connected to the school's very foundation. Elite High isn't just funded by legacy families. It was built as a political training ground."
Veronica's lips parted slightly. "Are you saying—"
"I'm saying the game you think you're playing is just a board on a bigger table."
Silence stretched between them.
Eliot's smile returned, thin and tired. "I came here because I believe in what you're trying to do. But if you go down this path… you'll need allies more dangerous than enemies."
Veronica stood, slowly. "Then why hide behind riddles?"
"Because the walls have ears," he said simply. "And some of those ears answer to ghosts."
He turned to leave, then paused. "Ask yourself this, Miss Lin: why is Alexis Wu's name still on the donor registry for last year's alumni gala—if she was supposedly transferred out three years ago?"
Then he left.
No further explanation.
No parting threats.
Just a single, crimson thread left dangling in Veronica's thoughts.
—
Later That Night – Veronica's Room
The moonlight spilled like cold milk across her bedspread. Veronica sat cross-legged, the file on Alexis Wu re-opened in front of her. Lucas had gone to make a call, likely to investigate Eliot Zhou's background.
But Veronica's mind was racing elsewhere.
The donor registry.
She typed into her tablet, pulling up Elite High's archived gala lists. And there it was.
Donor: Alexis Wu. Amount: $5,000. Status: Anonymous proxy.
Proxy.
That meant someone was donating in her name.
She scrolled faster, searching past events—silent auctions, sponsor banquets, art showcases.
Each time, Alexis's name flickered like a ghost in the margins.
But Alexis was gone.
So who was pretending otherwise?
Veronica's thoughts were interrupted by her phone buzzing.
A message. Unknown number.
> Stop digging, Amy Lin.
Or you'll end up buried just like her.
Veronica stared at the message for a full ten seconds.
Then she smiled.
Cold. Icy. Beautiful.
She took a screenshot, forwarded it to Lucas, and typed back only three words:
> Then dig deeper.
—
The Next Morning – Elite High
Veronica walked into the atrium with the grace of a queen and the gaze of a blade. Whispers followed her now like perfume—no longer out of pity or mockery.
They whispered because they feared her.
Admired her.
And some, undoubtedly, wanted to destroy her.
At her locker, a single red string was taped across the handle. Clean. Thin. Crimson.
A message.
Lucas appeared a moment later. "I saw it too. No fingerprints."
"Too theatrical for Victoria. Someone wants us to know they're watching."
"You think it's Zhou?"
"No," Veronica said. "He was the warning. This is the storm."
She untied the string and pocketed it.
—
Elsewhere – Underground Meeting Room, Off-Campus
Victoria Lei sat in the shadows of a half-lit room, her fingers curled around a wineglass she didn't sip from. Across from her sat a girl with sleek black nails and dark eyes lined in violet kohl.
An old acquaintance from the city's private art school.
"I saw your little show," the girl murmured. Broadcasts and blackmail. Vintage mafia."
"Don't flatter her," Victoria snapped. "She got lucky."
"No," the girl said slowly, "She got strategic."
Victoria leaned forward. "I need information. On her past. On her secrets."
"She's been very clean."
"Then find the dirt she buried."
A slow smile. "You want blood, Victoria?"
Victoria's smile returned. "I want Amy Lin to burn."
—
Evening – Student Council Records Room
The last piece of the day's puzzle came unexpectedly.
Lucas returned with an old keycard, swiped from the archives with help from Iris, who had faked a maintenance request.
Inside the records room—dusty and forgotten—they found a locked filing cabinet.
Lucas pried it open.
Veronica pulled the top folder: Alexis Wu – Transfer Appeal: Denied.
Below that, handwritten notes from a former counselor.
"Student requested investigation into Gala Fund discrepancies. Dismissed due to lack of evidence. Expressed fear of retaliation."
Veronica's eyes lingered on the last line:
"Student stated: 'They think I'm stupid, but I've hidden proof. If anything happens, look for the red thread.'"
She looked at Lucas.
"She left a trail."
"And someone's been covering it."
Veronica nodded. "Then we find it. And we bring everything to light."
Outside, the wind howled.
Inside, a red string fell from the folder, landing softly on the floor between them.
Veronica picked it up.
Wrapped it once around her finger.
Then she whispered—
"Let's follow the thread."