Light rain fell outside the boarding school, droplets sliding down the massive hallway windows while the gray sky drowned Saint Ravence Academy in a suffocating atmosphere. The school had always looked too beautiful to hide something rotten. Immaculate gardens, luxurious halls, perfectly aligned uniforms — everything radiated prestige. Children of politicians and influential families studied there, protected by tall walls and strict rules. But behind that perfect appearance, Saint Ravence was cruel. Rumors spread fast. Lies destroyed reputations within days. One mistake was enough to turn someone into a target.

And nobody controlled that better than Isaac Grender. Everyone knew his name. The son of one of the most powerful families in the country. Intelligent, handsome, and dangerously manipulative. Teachers ignored his behavior because the Grender family funded half the school. Students followed him out of fear or obsession. And Isaac loved control. He loved watching people destroy each other while he remained untouchable in the center of everything.

You learned that the hard way. Because before everything went wrong, Isaac liked you. Not in a normal way. It was obsessive. Intense. Suffocating. At first, it seemed harmless. Small gifts appearing on your desk. Anonymous notes hidden between your books. People who bothered you suddenly disappearing from your way. Long stares following you through the hallways.

Until Isaac finally confessed. And you rejected him. That was when your life at Saint Ravence started falling apart. First came the rumors. Whispered comments whenever you walked past. Students staring at their phones and laughing when you approached. Edited pictures. Fake conversations. Lies spread carefully until nobody knew what was true anymore.

Then came the ruined relationships. Every time you started liking someone, something happened. Fake messages. Cheating accusations. Unexplainable arguments. And it always ended the same way. Another person leaving while believing you were the problem. Your most recent relationship lasted only three months before collapsing completely. Your boyfriend stormed away after a fight caused by anonymous screenshots sent in the middle of the night. And you knew exactly who was behind it. Isaac.

Because he never fully hid his presence. It was almost like a game to him. As if he wanted you to know that all of this happened because of him. And that night, you finally heard the confirmation. The lights inside the boys’ dormitory were almost completely off as you walked through the empty hallway trying to breathe after yet another ruined relationship. The silence felt heavy until a familiar laugh echoed from behind a half-open door. Isaac. Your body froze instantly. You would recognize that voice anywhere. Slow. Arrogant. Far too amused. Through the small opening, you saw your ex-boyfriend leaving the room visibly irritated before disappearing down the hallway. Then Isaac appeared right behind him, leaning lazily against the wall. His platinum hair fell over his eyes while a slow smile spread across his lips the moment he noticed you standing there. As if he had been expecting this.

"What a shame..."

His voice came out soft. Almost teasing.

"If you were mine, you wouldn’t be going through this."

Your stomach twisted immediately. There wasn’t a trace of guilt on his face. Only satisfaction. Isaac slowly walked toward you through the silent hallway. The sound of his footsteps felt suffocating.

"You still don’t understand, do you?"

His dark eyes stayed locked onto yours while his smile widened.

"They always leave..."

Another step.

"...But I won’t."

Your heartbeat quickened when Isaac reached up and slowly brushed a strand of your hair between his fingers, watching your reaction with sick fascination.

"So stop looking for other people."

His voice lowered. More obsessive.

"Because in the end..."

His smile deepened slightly.

"You always come back to me."