Episode3: Our worlds
689 Words
Sharon’s POV
The late-afternoon sun stretched golden fingers across the university quad, casting long palm-tree shadows over students in slow-moving clusters. Sharon Light threaded through them, books clutched to her chest.
Hours of lectures, lab work, and enzyme pathways still clung to her brain like static. But the real weight wasn’t academic.
The gala replayed in her mind on an endless loop—chandeliers, crystal glasses, and those eyes. Cold. Calculating. She still didn’t know his name, but the memory of that untouchable presence refused to fade.
Focus on your own life, she scolded herself, stepping onto the cobblestone path toward the library. Gowns and strangers mean nothing to you.
“Boo!”
Vera materialized at her side, practically vibrating with energy. “Were you trying to disappear, or just lost in the galaxy of your own thoughts?”
Sharon managed a faint smile. “Something like that. I can’t stop replaying last night. I’m… tired.”
“You? Tired?” Vera gave an exaggerated gasp. “The perfectionist who survives on caffeine and sheer willpower? Impossible.”
“It wasn’t the gala. It’s the expectations. The reminders of… everything. And Zack not showing up didn’t help.”
“Ahh,” Vera said, eyes gleaming. “The boyfriend factor.”
“He had work. Or plans. Whatever. It doesn’t matter.”
“Sharon, it always matters.”
“I’ll be fine,” Sharon said firmly, quickening her pace.
Inside the library the scent of paper and polished wood wrapped around her like a familiar blanket. She claimed a quiet corner by the tall window and opened her notes. Metabolic pathways stared back, but her thoughts kept drifting—back to the stranger who moved through the ballroom like he owned the air.
Vera plopped opposite her, notebook sliding across the table. “You’re thinking about him again.”
Sharon flushed. “No. He was just… a minor detail.”
“Uh-huh. Minor detail, major impression. Got it. Anyway, Professor Daniels will eat you alive if you daydream tomorrow.”
Sharon groaned and forced her eyes to the page. But curiosity lingered like a heartbeat she couldn’t ignore.
---
Across the city, Leo Smith sat in his corner office, skyline spread below like a chessboard. A glass of amber liquor warmed his hand; emails lined up on his screen like obedient soldiers. Every decision belonged to him—and he belonged to none of it.
A soft knock.
“Enter,” he said without looking up.
Cynthia Matthews stepped in, auburn hair catching the light. “Busy as always.”
“Yes,” Leo replied, eyes on the spreadsheet. “And it’s never enough.”
“You wear your father’s legacy like a crown of lead,” she said lightly. “Ever get tired of being perfect?”
“Perfection isn’t optional.”
“You know the empire would survive one night without you.”
“It’s not about survival,” he said, jaw tight. “It’s about control.”
Her teasing softened. “One day someone will show you control isn’t everything.”
Leo gave no answer. The silence was its own refusal.
---
Night draped the Light residence in soft lamplight. Over tea, Susan’s voice carried that gentle weight Sharon knew too well.
“You’re excelling in your studies,” her mother said. “But remember—family alliances matter as much as personal achievements. Opportunities appear where we least expect.”
“We guide, we don’t force,” Mr. Light added. “Life isn’t only books and grades.”
Sharon nodded politely, a small smile hiding the tension their words stirred.
Later, alone in her room, she stared at her open notebook while the city’s glow bled through the curtains. Somewhere out there, threads she couldn’t see were tightening.
Across town, Leo poured another drink and watched the same city lights. Nana’s caution echoed in his memory. His mother’s plans lingered. The name Light brushed the edge of his thoughts.
Two worlds. Separate.
Yet already on a quiet collision course.
And behind closed
doors, unseen hands were moving pieces on a board neither of them knew existed.
- Writer
