The next morning, Alena went to school as usual. Her face looked pale, her eyes puffy from the night before. Kieran had noticed it while she got ready, suspicion flickering in his sharp eyes, but she brushed it off with a small smile, blaming it on sickness.
As she walked toward the entrance, Jack's voice rang out."Alena!"
She turned, giving him a faint smile. He jogged to her side, eyes scanning her face."You okay?" he asked, breathless with worry.
She nodded, trying to appear brighter than she felt.Jack frowned, his gaze lingering on the dark circles beneath her eyes. "You look sick. You sure you're okay?"
Alena forced a smile, though her chest felt heavy. "Yes, I'm fine. It was just stress that messed with my system. Nothing to worry about. I'm good now."
Relief softened his face. "Thank God. I really got scared yesterday when you suddenly collapsed."
Alena patted his back gently. "Don't worry too much about me. I'm okay now."
Jack pulled back, his lips curving into a teasing grin. "See? That's what I always say: don't complete every single assignment the professor gives. Because of stress, you fainted. You should've listened to me."
Alena rolled her eyes and smacked his arm lightly. "Stop it, dramatic ass."
He giggled, rubbing the spot she smacked as if it actually hurt.
Just then, Jessi came running toward them. "Hi, Alena! You okay now?"
Alena gave her another small smile. "Yes, Jessi. No need to worry about me."
Jessi let out a sigh of relief. But Jack, never one to miss a chance to stir emotions, added, "You know, Alena, yesterday when you fainted, Jessi almost started crying. She thought something terrible had happened to you."
Alena's smile faltered. For a second, yesterday's images replayed in her mind: those sharp brown eyes, that smirk, the suffocating memories that had pulled her down into darkness. She looked at Jessi quietly.
Jessi, catching her expression, quickly said, "Don't listen to him, Alena. I just panicked and… couldn't process my emotions at that moment."
Alena forced a faint smile. She didn't reply. The three of them simply walked into class together, but her silence lingered.
Meanwhile, Kieran sat at his office, focused on a pile of documents spread neatly before him. His phone lay at his side, though his mind wasn't entirely at ease. Henry Moretti's sharp knock broke his concentration.
"Come in," Kieran said without glancing up.
Henry entered, his presence commanding as always. Clearing his throat, he made his way to the chair opposite Kieran's desk.
Kieran finally looked up and immediately stood from his seat. "Dad? What brings you here?"
"I wanted to check on something and thought of visiting you," Henry replied, taking his seat with a calm but firm expression.
Kieran studied his father silently, waiting.
"I discussed everything about hiring young artists from their art school," Henry continued. "Mr. Novak asked for some investment to provide perks to convince them. I agreed. Since you left the meeting halfway, I wanted to inform you."
Kieran looked down. "I'm sorry. I had something important to handle."
Henry's eyes sharpened. "What was that important thing? Was it about Luca?"
Kieran hesitated for half a beat, then shook his head. "No. It was… a personal matter."
Henry leaned forward slightly, his gaze pressing down on his son. "Personal? Something I don't know about."
Kieran met his eyes firmly. "Dad, I'm an adult. There are things, that are personal, and you don't have to know everything."
Henry studied him for a long moment, then finally leaned back. "Whatever it is, as long as it doesn't hurt the Moretti reputation or business, I won't bother. But if it does… I'll have to step in. Keep that in mind."
With that, he stood and left the cabin.
Kieran stayed frozen for a few seconds, his frustration simmering under the surface. He sighed heavily, running a hand down his face.
Later that evening, Alena returned to the farmhouse. One of the guards had dropped her off. Now she stood before her canvas, brush in hand, half-finished strokes waiting for her touch.
Kieran entered quietly. He smiled to see her, but his eyes narrowed at the sight. "Again, painting? Didn't the doctor tell you to rest, not stress yourself?"
Alena smiled faintly. "I'm fine now. I was feeling bored, so I thought of doing something productive."
Kieran walked behind her, watching the canvas with an amused smirk. "Woah, this looks complicated."
She chuckled. "Not that much. Don't overreact."
His smile lingered as he leaned closer, watching her strokes. Something in her demeanor seemed off; her face was calm, but her aura wasn't. He studied her quietly. "How are classes going?"
She kept her eyes on the canvas. "Good."
"And Jessi and Jack?"
"They're fine too." She finally turned her face toward him. "Why are you asking so suddenly?"
He smiled faintly, hiding his probing eyes. "It's been a while since I met them."
Alena gave him a weird look, suspicion in her eyes. He smirked. "Focus on your canvas, crybaby, or else you'll ruin it."
She glared. "When will you stop calling me that?"
"Until I find you a new name."
"God save me," she muttered with a sigh.
He chuckled, his familiar mischief slipping out. Without warning, he tugged her ponytail loose and ran his fingers through her hair, messing it up.
"Hey!" she gasped. "Why do you always do that?"
"Because it's fun to tease you." He smirked and walked out, leaving her annoyed and glaring at his back.
She sighed, set the brush aside, and wiped her hands before tying her hair again. Her phone buzzed with a message.
"Who could it be, at this hour? Jessi? Jack?" she murmured, reaching for it.
The number was unfamiliar.
She frowned, unlocking the screen.
Hey dear.
Her brows knitted together. Who is this? She typed quickly: Who is this?
A reply came instantly.
Did you forget me already?
Her stomach dropped. Fear tingled at her fingertips. She typed again, her hands trembling slightly: Who is this?
The next message shattered her world.
Just because you found a rich sugar daddy, you forget the one who groomed you?
The words pierced her chest like a knife. Her breath hitched. The phone slipped from her hands, clattering against the floor. Her legs gave out beneath her as her body crumpled to the ground.
Her face turned pale. Her heart pounded painfully, memories she had buried clawing back to life.
Her past had found her.