Adriel's POV
Rain slapped the windshield like a warning, but I wasn't about to slow down. The deal could wait. My mind was sharper than the drizzle blurring the streets.
Ezra, my younger brother, sat beside me, scrolling through his phone like we weren't hurtling through Manila's chaos at 100 km/h.
Then it happened.
Out of nowhere, two cars appeared—racing side by side, reckless and wild. Both were sleek black SUVs, weaving through traffic like the world was theirs to conquer.
I narrowed my eyes. I recognized neither driver.
Then—impact.
Metal screamed. Tires skidded. I had no time to react. My car collided hard with one of them.
The jolt shook my frame. Ezra cursed beside me.
I pulled over, heart pounding, adrenaline sharp.
Two figures emerged from the wreck—soaked, breathless, dripping rain like they'd just fought through the storm itself.
Same uniform as mine. But I've never seen them before. Maybe they're new.
A boy rubbed his arm, scowling at the world. The kind of scowl you wear when you've never heard the word consequence.
But it was the girl who drew my eyes.
No—held them.
She stepped forward, dark brown eyes blazing with fire. She was defiant, fierce—and terrifyingly real.
She is fire.
Her black hair was soaked, plastered against sharp cheekbones. Her dark brown eyes burned through the rain—and straight through me.
For a second, everything else vanished. The storm. The crash. The ache in my ribs.
All I could see was her.
There was something raw in that stare. Fierce. Alive. Untouchable.
And just like that—I was hooked.
She is mine.
Only mine.
She belongs to Adriel Santos.
The world just doesn't know it yet.
I stepped closer, voice steady—though my pulse betrayed me. "Are you hurt?"
"Fine," she snapped. Voice sharp as broken glass.
But the boy beside her winced, clutching his wrist. She flicked him a glance—protective, possessive.
Interesting.
Her phone buzzed suddenly—a shrill emergency alert slicing through the rain's rhythm. She fumbled for it, fingers trembling just enough to make my chest tighten.
Then a call. She glanced at the screen, then picked up.
It was a video call.
"Where the hell are you?" a man's voice barked. "What happened?" A pause. "We got an emergency notification. What's going on?"
"Nothing. Just a small accident," she said, voice steady, controlled. Beautifully composed under pressure.
"Are you okay?" he pressed.
"Yes."
Another voice cut in—female, urgent, commanding. "Come home. Now."
"But Mom—"
"You're both coming home. End of discussion."
She sighed, resigned. "Okay."
She ended the call and turned. Her eyes met mine again—for just a moment. I felt it in my bones.
Her eyes... as if I had seen the whole world today. She is different. She is unique. She is mine. No one can take her from me.
"I'm sorry... for everything," she said suddenly, voice softer now.
"I'm sorry too," I replied, without thinking.
She nodded once—graceful even in the storm—and walked toward her car. The boy followed.
Then they were gone.
"Brother, come fast! We'll be late," Ezra called from behind me.
I turned—then paused. Something caught my eye.
A small card, lying there, soaked in rain. Maybe it was hers.
I bent down, picked it up, brushed it off.
Higher Value International College
Lia Martinez
First Year — International Business Field
Section A
Section A. Not my section. Not yet.
But I want her in mine.
There's always a way to make things happen — connections, favors, a well-placed word. She's fire. I need fire in my corner.
"Brother, come on," Ezra's voice cut through my thoughts.
I glanced back and slid into the car.
"Hey, I need to make a quick detour. I'll drop you at school after, alright?"
"Fine," Ezra replied, barely looking up.
The game was on.
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Lia's POV
The sun dipped low, painting the sky with bruised purples and golds as I lounged in my room, trying to lose myself in a book. The quiet hum of the city outside was a faint reminder I was supposed to be somewhere else—like school, where my life was suddenly becoming a mess I didn't sign up for.
A sharp knock pulled me back. I opened the door. One of the maids stood there.
"Ma'am, your mom is calling you. She's in the living room."
I nodded and made my way downstairs.
When I entered the living room, Mom, Dad, Brother David, Kalix, and Aunt Jean were all there, standing like they were about to deliver some bad news.
"Lia," Mom said, eyes serious.
"What?" I asked, already nervous.
"Your section has been changed."
"What? Why?" I demanded, my heart sinking.
Mom sighed, avoiding my gaze. "There was... an incident. The school thinks it's best you're moved for now."
"An incident?" I echoed, confused and pissed.
Brother David rolled his eyes. "Some fight broke out between Section A and Section C last week. You were in Section A, right? The counsel thinks separating some students will calm things down."
I shot a look at Kalix, who said nothing but looked tense.
"So, I'm being punished for something I wasn't even part of?" I snapped.
Dad stepped forward, trying to keep calm. "We're trying to get you back to your original section, Lia. But for now, you need to cooperate."
"But—"
"We're doing our best, Lia," Aunt Jean said softly.
I swallowed hard. Cooperation felt like surrender, but arguing now wouldn't help. Still, the sting of losing control was sharp.
"Fine"
I was Defeated.