💖Episode 07 Secrets on the Rooftop💖
807 Words
Secrets on the Rooftop
Kiara’s POV
The next day at Dream High felt suffocating.
Every hallway she walked through, every glance thrown her way—it all screamed judgment. Whispers floated like poisoned arrows.
"Did you hear? Her dad was a thief."
"She tricked her way into this place."
"Christin danced with her—gross."
Kiara kept her head down, each step heavier than the last. Her ears rang with the memory of Jennie’s cruel voice and the damning words: A criminal’s daughter.
In the cafeteria, Liya slid into the seat across from her.
"Ignore them. They’re not worth it," Liya said firmly.
Kiara stirred her untouched soup. "But what if it’s true? What if... my dad really did something horrible?"
Liya reached over and gently squeezed her hand. "Even if it is, that’s his story, not yours."
Before Kiara could respond, her phone buzzed.
Christin: Rooftop. Now.
Her heart skipped.
Christin’s POV
He stood at the edge of the rooftop, wind tugging at his blazer, mind racing. The folder in his hand felt heavier than it should have.
He'd spent all night digging. His mother’s private files. The campus archives. Even the corporate ledger.
And what he found...
He didn’t know whether to hate David Richardson or pity him.
Footsteps. Kiara.
She approached slowly, arms crossed, eyes wary. "I’m here."
"Thanks for coming," he said.
"You said there’s something I need to see."
Christin nodded and extended the folder.
"These are company records. From twenty three years ago. Your father worked for my family—as an internal auditor. Not a janitor. Not a clerk. An auditor. A trusted position."
Kiara frowned. "Then why did Jennie say—"
"Because the Fernandes board blamed him when millions went missing. But the evidence... it’s shaky. Too convenient."
She took the folder, flipping through the pages. Her eyes widened.
"What is this?"
"The embezzlement wasn’t just pinned on him. He was silenced. Fired without police involvement. Paid to leave quietly. My uncle—Lorenzo—handled it."
Kiara stared. "You think he was framed?"
Christin’s voice dropped. "I think he was protecting someone. And it wasn’t himself."
A long silence.
Then Kiara looked up, trembling. "Why are you showing me this?"
Christin didn’t answer right away. He turned toward the city skyline.
"Because I don’t think you’re just anyone, Kiara. There’s more to your past. And the people here—they’re scared of you finding out."
Her chest tightened. "Scared of me?"
"Of what you represent. Of the truth."
The wind howled between them.
"Why do you care?" she asked.
He turned to her. "Because your truth is connected to mine. And because I see you."
Their eyes locked.
Then—
A loud bang.
The rooftop door slammed open.
Ethan.
His eyes burned with fury. "What the hell is going on here?"
Ethan’s POV
He’d followed her. He knew it. The second she left the cafeteria, he was behind her. Not like a stalker, he told himself. Like a protector.
But what he found on the rooftop made his blood boil.
Christin. Always Christin. Stealing Kiara’s attention. Getting into her head.
And she—she—looking at him like he was her savior.
"You stay away from her!" Ethan shouted, storming forward.
Christin stepped in front of Kiara. "Back off, Carter. You’re not her keeper."
"She doesn’t know what kind of snake you are. She’s trusting you, and you’re lying to her."
Kiara stepped between them. "Enough! Both of you!"
They froze.
She faced Ethan. "Why are you following me? Watching me?"
He blinked. "Because I care about you. I’ve always—"
"That doesn’t give you the right to control who I talk to."
Ethan’s jaw clenched. "He’s using you."
Christin’s voice cut through. "Maybe. But at least I’m not hiding behind smiles and fake kindness."
Ethan’s eyes narrowed. "I should’ve let her find out who you really are."
Christin’s voice was ice. "Careful, Ethan. You’re about to cross a line."
Ethan turned and left, the door slamming behind him.
Kiara’s POV
Silence stretched between her and Christin.
"Why do you two hate each other so much?" she whispered.
Christin looked away. "It’s not about hate. It’s about power. He wants you under his thumb. I don’t."
She shook her head. "This is too much. I came here for an education. Not... secrets and fights and pasts I didn’t ask for."
He nodded. "I know. But you deserve the truth. All of it. Even if it’s painful."
She clutched the folder. "And this... this is just the beginning, isn’t it?"
Christin looked at her solemnly. "Yes."
Meanwhile…
Jennie’s POV
Jennie sat in a dark room, her phone lit up with a message from an unknown number.
Unknown: "He’s digging. She’s getting close. Time to push her away."
Jennie smirked.
"Time for Phase Two."
To be continued...💖
- Writer
