Aria Moretti felt her world spinning faster than ever. Crescent High had become a maze of alliances, subtle manipulations, and emotional entanglements she hadn’t anticipated. Damian Cole, unpredictable and infuriating, hovered constantly in her orbit. Adrian Kane had arrived like a storm, his charm and confidence drawing attention that made Damian’s jealousy palpable. And through it all, she was trying to stay grounded, to think clearly, to protect herself from being pulled in too many directions at once.
It was Luca Romano who found her first. He had been waiting near the edge of the courtyard, leaning casually against the stone railing, but the casual stance couldn’t hide the tension in his posture. He noticed her as soon as she appeared, briskly walking across the sun-dappled lawn, and
