The garden air was cool, yet Elena felt suffocated under Adrian's gaze. His presence filled every corner of the space, pressing against her chest like a weight she couldn't shake off.
"Ad-Adrian," she began, forcing her lips into a smile. "I didn't expect to see you here."
He didn't answer right away. His silence was heavier than words, and when he finally spoke, his voice was flat and cutting.
"You embarrassed yourself."
The smile faltered. "I-I was only—"
"Don't."
The single command froze her tongue.
Adrian pushed away from the fountain, taking deliberate steps toward her. His dark suit caught the moonlight, his shadow stretching long across the marble tiles until it swallowed hers whole.
"You think dragging others down will keep your crown steady?" His tone was calm, but each word hit like ice. "It doesn't. It only shows weakness."
Elena's fingers tightened around her clutch. The whispers from the hall replayed in her mind, each one like a blade twisting deeper. She opened her mouth, desperate to regain her composure. "That girl—Clara—she's—"
"Different."
The word was soft, almost casual, but it cut through her like a knife. Adrian's eyes narrowed, unreadable.
Elena's pulse spiked. "Different? She's—"
"Don't finish that sentence." His gaze sharpened, the faintest glimmer of warning flashing there. "If you value your place in this school, you'll learn when silence is smarter than words."
Her throat closed up, panic clawing at her chest.
He stepped closer, leaning down just enough that his words brushed past her ear like frost. "I won't repeat myself again. Cross her path in my presence, and you'll regret it."
The words sank deep, crushing her pride into dust.
When he straightened, Elena thought the worst was over. But then, almost as if he were speaking to himself, he muttered, "Strange. Even he couldn't protect her back then."
Elena's eyes widened. He?
The realization hit her like a blow. Adrian knew. Somehow, he knew about Clara's ex-fiancé—the man who had abandoned Clara when she needed him most.
Her stomach twisted. If Adrian had already seen through that betrayal… then Clara wasn't just "different" in his eyes. She was dangerous.
As Adrian turned and walked away, Elena's knees nearly buckled. She gripped the fountain for support, her nails scraping against the stone.
Her humiliation burned hotter than ever, but beneath it was something darker: fear.
Because if Adrian had chosen to notice Clara, even once, Elena's war had just become far more complicated.