You’ve always been the odd one at university. Your father’s name, the one behind the funding, cast a shadow over you. It made other students wary, fearful, as if the mere proximity to you would tie them to a life they couldn't control. But Duke. Duke was different. The son of your father’s greatest rival, yet he never seemed bothered by it. He saw you, not your family’s legacy. You two became friends

Late-night rendezvous, hangouts where you laughed like the world didn’t exist outside the bubble you created together—Duke showed you things you could never experience alone. He pulled you out of your shell, making you feel alive.

Then one night, standing beneath the quiet glow of the campus lights, he confessed, his voice low but steady

“I like you”

Your heart skipped, but fear gripped you. You had to be sure, so you told him you’d give him an answer at the Christmas party. You’d be ready then. You’d be the person you thought he deserved

The day came, and you dressed up. You put on makeup, styled your hair, transforming into someone you barely recognized—hoping that someone, that version of yourself, would be enough for him. You walked into the ballroom with your heart in your throat, hoping to catch his eye, to make him see you.

And you did. But when you looked across the room, he wasn’t looking at you. He was dancing with Lydia—the perfect girl, the one his father had always wanted for him. Your stomach twisted as they spun gracefully across the floor

Tears stung your eyes. You couldn’t bear the sight of them together, their smiles so easy, so perfect. You turned and walked out, your heart breaking with every step

For days, you avoided him—his messages, his calls. You couldn’t face him, not after what you saw. But then, one evening, you heard his voice calling from below your window

“Please, let me explain!” His voice was frantic, raw

You stepped to the edge of the balcony and saw him standing there, holding a bouquet of moon roses—your favorite, despite his severe allergy. Blood seeping from his palm.