Cora finished the last bite of her meal, absently running her fingers over the smooth surface of Damien's dining table. The room around her was pristine, almost eerily so—everything placed with meticulous precision, like a hotel suite designed for a man who commanded order with every breath he took. The air was thick with his scent, a heady mix of cedarwood and power, something that made her pulse quicken and her thoughts dangerously hazy.
She slipped on her mask, adjusting it carefully before taking a look around the space that had somehow become too familiar, too intoxicating.
Her phone buzzed.
Amelia.
With a sigh, Cora answered, only for her best friend's exasperated voice to snap through the receiver.
"I think it would be better if you cut your little adventure with Damien short and come check our room."
Cora straightened. "What's wrong?"
"Just get here before I kill someone."
That was all Amelia said before the call abruptly ended.
Cora frowned but didn't hesitate. She sent Damien a brief text—Something came up. I'll see you later.—before slipping out of his room and making her way to her dorm.
The moment she stepped into the hallways, hushed whispers followed her.
"Did you hear? Sienna Lancaster is moving rooms."
"Oscar Island University's very own influencer queen? Damn, she's gonna turn that dorm into a set."
"Who's she rooming with?"
"The mayor's daughter and…" a pause. "…the masked girl."
Cora's lips pressed into a thin line. So that's what this was about.
Sienna Lancaster.
A name she knew all too well. Born into wealth, raised in privilege, and crafted into a picture-perfect socialite. Sienna had been at the school since the beginning since they all began this year , but unlike the rest of them, she had always lived in luxury , treating the school like her personal kingdom.
And now, she was invading their space.
Cora didn't waste another second, pushing the dormitory door open—only to freeze at the sight before her.
The room had been ransacked.
Their beds had been shoved aside, crammed into one corner like an afterthought, while a third, far grander bed had been placed at the best spot—where the windows let in the perfect morning light.
But that wasn't all.
Men were still hauling in expensive furniture—a flat-screen television, a state-of-the-art vanity, a washing machine (why the hell did she need a washing machine in a dorm?), and even a microwave.
Cora's gaze flicked to Amelia, who stood in the middle of the chaos, her arms crossed, her foot tapping in barely contained fury.
"Finally," Amelia muttered. "Look at this mess."
Before Cora could respond, one of the workers reached for Amelia's study table.
That was a mistake.
SMACK!
Amelia slapped his hand away, hard enough that the sound echoed through the room.
"Don't. Touch. That." Her voice was sharp enough to cut glass.
Cora exhaled slowly, scanning the mess. Who the hell was moving in that required this much… excess?
She didn't have to wonder for long.
The door swung open again, and in stepped the intruder herself.
Sienna Lancaster.
She didn't walk—she strutted, the kind of entrance reserved for a woman who knew she owned the room the second she stepped inside.
Her long, silky brown hair fell in perfect waves, not a strand out of place. She was draped in a designer two-piece ensemble, the fabric hugging her curves effortlessly, the kind of casual luxury that came with knowing price tags didn't apply to her.
Her hazel eyes barely flicked to them, dismissive and disinterested, as if they were mere background noise. Instead, she clapped her hands together, turning to the men who followed behind her with cans of paint.
Paint.
Cora's brows lifted. What the hell was she planning now?
"Oh, you two must be the ones staying here," Sienna mused, her voice silky and condescending all at once. "Well, this room needs a makeover. The colors are too dull. Let's start repainting."
Cora had barely processed the words before Amelia exploded.
"Excuse me?!"
Sienna finally turned to face them fully, her gaze sweeping over Amelia before landing on Cora.
The moment her eyes met the mask, her expression twisted.
Disdain. Annoyance. Pure, undiluted arrogance.
Cora could almost see the thoughts running through Sienna's head.
What the hell is this masked girl doing in my space?
Sienna let out a dramatic sigh, flipping her hair over her shoulder.
"I had to switch rooms," she said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "My last dorm is being given to someone else according to the dean plus this room has better ventilation with the best view ."
Her lips curled into a smug smirk. "So, I'm here now."
Amelia's hands curled into fists.
"Oh, hell no." Amelia stepped forward. "You don't just waltz in here, cram our stuff to the side, and start treating the place like your personal studio. This is our dorm. You're just moving in."
Sienna's brow arched delicately. "And?"
Cora finally stepped in, her voice cool.
"You seem to be forgetting something, Sienna."
Sienna's gaze snapped to her.
Cora didn't flinch.
"This was our room first," she continued. "You're just a temporary guest."
Sienna let out a slow, mocking laugh. "Guest? Oh, sweetheart. I don't think you understand how things work."
Cora tilted her head, unfazed. "Enlighten me."
Sienna smirked, stepping closer.
"I don't think," she said smoothly. "I know."
There it was.
The undeniable arrogance of a girl who had never heard the word no.
Cora exhaled sharply. This was going to be a headache.
"You can do whatever you want with your space," Cora finally said, pulling her things back toward her usual side of the room. "But Amelia and I will be keeping our area exactly how it was."
Sienna narrowed her eyes.
Before she could respond, Amelia snorted.
"Yeah, go ahead. Paint your side neon pink for all I care," Amelia said, dragging her own things back where they belonged.
Sienna glared, her jaw tightening ever so slightly.
For a moment, Cora thought she'd argue.
But then, the smirk returned—sweet, patient, and dangerous.
"Fine," Sienna said, stepping back. "Have it your way."
But the way she said it… it wasn't defeat.
No.
It was a promise.
Roseline settled into her lavishly renovated dorm, her gaze sweeping over the deep blue walls, the luxurious furniture, the sheer perfection of her space.
This wasn't just about comfort.
This was about power.
She hadn't come to Oscar Island University for a change of scenery.
No.
This was her final step toward securing her future.
The crown she had been promised.
Her lips curled into a slow, deliberate smile.
Let the games begin.