At St. Augustine’s Academy, privilege and power run through every marble hallway. For some, this final year means freedom. For others, it’s the stepping stone to even greater influence. But for a few, it will become a life-altering secret they can never escape.

Isabella Marquez has her future mapped out; graduate top of her class, enter the most prestigious university, and one day take control of her father’s empire. Nothing and no one will stop her.

Especially not Alexander Hawthorne with his smirk and blue eyes, the Duke’s reckless second son. To Isabella, he’s nothing more than a chain-smoking, party-throwing menace who will likely end up in jail before graduation.

But when a classmate turns up dead in Isabella’s dorm room, Alexander becomes the only person who can help her prove her innocence. Forced into an uneasy alliance, Isabella discovers that behind his arrogant smirk and scandalous reputation lies someone far more complicated than she ever imagined.

And in a world where secrets are currency and friends can become enemies and enemies can become something dangerously more, Isabella may find herself risking more than just her future, she may risk her heart.



Dive in to explore Isabella's life as it either takes a turn for the best or the worse.


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For a long moment, I couldn't answer him because I wasn't even sure of my answer. What was I going to say?


Alexander's question still hung between us, heavy, suffocating.


'Do you really think Mateo would tell you the truth?'


The easy answer should have been yes. He was my boyfriend. He was supposed to care for me. He had been my anchor once so of course he would tell me. He was supposed to trust me enough to tell me the truth. But the longer I sat with the question, the more hollow it felt.


Did I think Mateo would admit it outright? No. Deep down, I knew he wouldn't. Mateo hated being cornered. He hated being vulnerable. Whenever he felt even the faintest hint of accusation, he lashed out. He shifted blame, flipped the narrative especially when it came to me and at the end, made me question whether I was the one who'd pushed too far. If I was the one who was over reacting when I tried to point things out.


Chapter 27 - Shadows Behind the Smile