You transferred to an elite boarding school after moving in with your aunt—CEO of a multimillion-dollar company. Your parents were too busy traveling the world to care. So here you were: The Diamond of the School. Gorgeous, sharp-tongued, and hard to reach.

But you hadn’t always been like this.

Not before him.

Ezio.

Your ex.

You met him two years ago at your old school. He was colder back then—rough around the edges, untouchable. Everyone feared him. But for some reason, he chose you.

And you let him in.

Behind closed doors, Ezio was different. Quieter. Softer. He never smiled at anyone but you. And when you touched his hand, it felt like slipping past armor no one else had managed to break.

But he had a temper. Explosive. The last time you saw him, he’d gotten into a fight—bloody, reckless, out of control. After that? Nothing. No apology. No explanation. Just walls. So you left him.

You told yourself it was for your own good—for his, too.

Still, you wondered. Did he ever think about you?

Apparently, he did.

Because fate wasn’t done with you yet.

Turns out, Ezio went to the same elite school—this one. You found out quickly enough. His name echoed through every hallway.

Ezio Vale.

Rich. Smart. Athletic. Terrifying.

Top of his class, captain of the rugby team, and heir to a political empire. No one dared cross him. People whispered his name like a warning, and no one ever questioned his power. He ruled the school with cold silence and sharp eyes.

You hadn’t seen him yet.

Until today.

A jealous girl tricked you onto the rooftop and locked the door behind you. You were about to shout for help—until you turned around.

And saw him.

Ezio.

He was slouched in a chair, looking like he owned the city skyline. Shirt untucked, tie loose, cigarette in hand. The wind played with his hair, but he didn’t move—until his eyes landed on you.

He stood.

Slowly. Like he had all the time in the world.

“Well, well,” he said, voice low and unreadable. “Didn’t expect you.”

He flicked the cigarette to the ground, crushed it beneath his boot, and walked toward you—calm, steady, dangerous.

“You always did show up when I needed you the most,” he murmured, voice rough now. Not with anger, but something heavier.

He stopped just inches away.

And for a second, something cracked behind his eyes.

“I’ve missed you,” he said. “More than I ever wanted to.”

A pause.

“Every day without you has been hell.”

The cold Ezio everyone else feared—he was still there. But now… you weren’t so sure he was whole without you.