Once they stepped out of the lift, while walking, Liora tilted her head slightly, just enough to glance at Donovan from the corner of her eye. She didn't want him to notice, but she also couldn't stop herself.
Behind them, Kai, Sia, and Rhythm followed quietly, the sound oftheir footsteps filling the space between conversations.
Donovan, of course, noticed how she had been sneaking glances at him since they were inside the elevator. She never let go of his hand, not even for a second—and he noticed that, too. He liked it. And the fact that she had said, in front of a room full of people, that she loved him?
That alone had made his night.
So this time, when he caught her looking at him again, he turned his head and gave her a soft, serene smile.
Liora couldn't help but smile back.
"Do you want to say something?" Donovan asked gently, his voice low enough that only she could hear.
"Yes, I do. Up there at the party—"
"You were nervous," he interrupted her, histone light. "And instead of saying what you meant, you accidentally confessed your love for me. Right?"
Liora blinked. Her lips parted in surprise. "Yes…right," she repeated before her mind kicked back in, and her heart jumped. No! That wasn't what happened. She needed to correct him. "Nova," she began, but her voice faltered. "I d-d—"
The words tangled on her tongue. Why couldn't she say it? It wasn't like she loved him. But still… something in her hesitated. Every time she was around Donovan, her feelings got harder to define.He was steady and patient; sometimes, he teased her, but he was always there. And being near him made her feel—seen.Why? And that scared her more than she liked to admit.
Before she could untangle her thoughts, Donovan spoke again."Liora," he said softly. "You don't need to explain. I understand you." He winked at her, teasing now, and she looked away with a shy smile. He was pulling her out of her own spiral, and he knew it. He wasn't blind not to notice. He knew she hadn't meant that confession the way it sounded. She had panicked in front of the crowd. But the comfort she felt around him, the ease with which she reached for his hand—that was real. And that was enough for now. One day, she would repeat those words. And she would mean every single one.
Behind them, Sia and Rhythm walked in silence—at first.
Then Donovan spoke again. "Liora."
Sia's head turned sharply. Until now, theyonly knew her as Li.
'Her real name is Liora?'
Sia watched her friend closely, observinghow Donovan looked at Liora—not with amusement or curiosity, but with something gentler and personal.Sia's thoughts spiralled about the whole situation. Liora had told her she loved Caspian. So why had Liora confessed her love for Nova—was that Donovan's nickname? Liora did not speak of Caspian for afew days. Was something else going on she did not know of?
Beside her, Rhythm kept her expression neutral, but she was observing everything. She wasn't there for only Sia but for Li, who apparently is Liora. Rhythm knew Kai. They were classmates.She has seen Donovan and Logan Kai's cousin many times near their classroom.
That man, Donovan—who never once looked back at his ex, who carried the kind of silence people learned from heartbreak—had walked into a party, claimed Liora as his girl, and smiled like it was the most natural thing in the world. And Liora? She just joined the university, and he is already in love with her and Liora, too. That was quick. None of it is her business. She thought in the end.
*
Sven stood just outside the hotel gates, partially hidden in the shadows cast by a flickering streetlamp. He had been waiting for Li—his shoulders tensed, holding a cigarette between his fingers, and his eyes fixed on the entrance. But when Li finally appeared, she wasn't alone. She stepped out with Donovan Magnumand, his hand still loosely wrapped around hers. Behind them followed Kai, flanked by two girls he didn't recognize—one of them clearly walking a little too close.
Sven's jaw tightened. His eyes narrowed. He flicked the cigarette away as if it had turned bitter in his mouth and crushed it under his heel with more force than necessary. Of course, she wouldn't be alone. Of course, it had to be some powerful guy.He should have expected it. But that didn't make it sting any less.
He had come tonight hoping for a confrontation—a chance to ask, to demand answers while the memory of last night still burned fresh in his mind. Now, he would have to wait until Monday and he hated it...
*
*
*
The next morning, Liora sat on the edge of her bed and dialled Daran's number. She waited for the call to connect, holding the phone to herear, however it went straight to voicemail. She pulled the phone away, stared at the screen for a moment, then redialed. Again, the same result.
Daran's phone was off. A small frown formed between her brows.
She then tried Rachel's number next, hoping to connect with her, but her call didn't go through either. No ring, just the quiet, mechanical voice telling her the number was unreachable.
Her thumb hovered over the screen for a few seconds longer before she sighed and locked the phone. If she couldn't reach either of them, she would have to speak to Rachel in person, maybe during break.
Without thinking much, she got ready for class. Sia was already waiting by the corridor, sipping her cold coffee and chatting casually with another girl. The moment she saw Liora walking closer, she broke away from the conversation and fell into step beside Liora.
They walked silently for a while, then Sia spoke. "Li?" Her voice was soft, unsure. Lioraturned her head, the sunlight from the windows tracing the curve of her cheek. "Your name is Liora?"
Liora didn't answer immediately. The hesitation was plain on her face.
Sia's eyes were still on her. There wasn't anger in her tone—only quiet hurt. "Why didn't you tell me? I thought we were friends."
Liora lowered her gaze. Her steps slowed slightly. "I didn't mean to hide it," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. She did not want to hide her identity from Sia. She was afraid that Sven would find out her true identity. If she knew her real name, she would have been exposed like this in front ofher friend; she would have told Sia the truth earlier. "Can we talk about it during the break?"
Sia studied her for a moment, the silence stretching thin between them. Then she gave a single nod. "Alright." She wanted to believe there was a reason. She needed to hear it before she judged.
As they walked across campus, it became impossible not to notice the shift in the air. People were watching Liora. Some were subtle, turning their heads the moment Liora passed and pretending to check their phones as she crossed their path. Others weren't as careful. Their eyes followed her. Whispers came in short waves, low enough not to be heard but strong enough to be felt. It was curiosity.
Liorahad become the girl—The one Donovan Magnum had claimed in front of the entire rooftop crowd.The one who had said she loved him—and didn't take it back. The same girl people had been warned never to photograph. The one no one dared to mess with because no one wanted to test Donovan's patience.
From across the courtyard, James stood with his back against one of the brick pillars, half in shade. He was chewing gum, watching the scene unfold like a casual observer. But his eyes didn't miss a single movement of Liora.
He saw Liora walking beside Sia, head slightly lowered, her expression unreadable.
A slow smile crept across his face, and his smirk only deepened the more he thought of Liora and Donovan,"I wonder what Caspian will do when he hears about this."
He tilted his head slightly, letting the thought unfold. Just like he shared Pearl with Caspian,maybe Liora would follow the same path or not. Today, he would see Caspian and Pearl after his class. Today, he would talk about Liora.