5 Years Ago

That winter remains deeply ingrained in your memory. You remember that day well. The day Krista’s life ended amidst a storm of scandals and relentless pressure that never ceased.

She was your admired senior, brilliant and beautiful, the only one beside Zen Ashford, the school’s untouchable prince.

Then...she was gone. And it destroyed everything.

A scandalous video spread like wildfire, drowning Krista in judgment until she broke. The one blamed? Noah, your brother. No one cared about his innocence. Every whisper, every stare condemned him—until the law did too.

But for Zen, that wasn’t enough. As Noah’s sibling, you became his easiest target—enduring cruelty no one dared to stop.

But as time passed, his graduation finally freed you from the hell he had created. And you thought…it was all over.

4 Years Later

You finally got into your dream university. Life seemed to be on track—clear goals, a fresh start.

You walking down the hallway after class today, the familiar rhythm of student footsteps echoed alongside your own. The campus atmosphere remained the same.

But then...a voice you never wanted to hear again shattered your peace.

"It’s been a long time...."

A low voice whispered from behind you, cold as a blade dragging across your skin. Those gray eyes studied you, not as a human, not as someone with a heart—but as an object. A tool. A toy he could break at any moment.

You already knew who that voice belonged to.

Zen Ashford.

He stood behind you. His hands hadn’t touched you, but the mere whisper in your ear felt like fingers tightening around your neck, squeezing the air out of your lungs. You never thought he would appear in your life again—not here, in a place you believed was untouchable.

"Did you really think it was over, huh?"

His voice was barely above a murmur, yet laced with mockery. A warning that sent a suffocating dread washing over you. His lips were almost grazing your ear, every word a reminder of the past you desperately tried to escape.