Chapter 2

By Saturday evening, they escalated their tactics.

A black chauffeur-driven SUV arrived at my villa. The driver handed me an embossed invitation. The Sapphire Coast Observatory. 8:00 PM. We need to talk. — X & M.

I threw on a plain black trench coat over my jeans and got in the car. I needed to see exactly how far they were willing to go to keep me under their control.

The moment the elevator doors opened to the rooftop observatory, I was hit by the cloying scent of hundreds of white lilies.

The entire viewing deck had been rented out. Fairy lights wrapped around the massive telescope, and a lavish catered dinner sat untouched on a linen-draped table.

Xavier stood by the railing, dressed in a tailored charcoal suit that accentuated his cold, aristocratic aura.

Magnus was pacing near the table in a designer leather jacket, his towering frame tense with nervous energy.

When they saw me, they both stepped forward.

"Sera." Xavier’s voice was extremely soft. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a sleek jewelry box.

Inside rested a blindingly expensive diamond solitaire necklace. "We’ve been dancing around this for years. You’re angry about the competition slot. I get it. But you need to look at the bigger picture. Come to Berkeley with me. Be my girlfriend."

Magnus shoved his way forward. He pulled a silver promise ring from his jacket.

He dropped to one knee, holding out a diamond promise ring. "Screw that, Sera. I’ve been your bodyguard since we were kids. I’m the one who makes you laugh. Be my girlfriend."

A dual confession.

They were cornering me with romance, forcing a choice to stroke their own egos, all while expecting me to hand over my academic future as a dowry.

I looked at the diamond. I looked at the ring. The sheer nausea bubbling in my chest was almost unbearable.

"You both want me to choose?" I asked, taking a slow step back. "After you just handed my USNCO spot to Moira?"

Xavier frowned, his dark eyes flashing with impatience. "Moira is sick, Sera. She’s fighting a rare immune disease. We owe her our lives. My family's honor demands I repay her. But I’m offering you my heart right now. Isn't that enough?"

"Yeah," Magnus echoed, running a hand through his blonde hair. "Don't be so petty, Sera. Moira needs the academic boost for her medical grants. You're a genius, you can win another competition. But what we have—"

Ring. Ring. Ring.

The shrill, customized ringtone shattered the romantic atmosphere. It was the special alert they both used exclusively for Moira.

Xavier immediately pulled out his phone. Magnus leaned over his shoulder.

Within a split second, Xavier’s calm, aristocratic mask shattered into pure, unfiltered panic. Magnus let out a string of violent curses.

"What is it?" Magnus yelled.

"She knocked over a beaker of concentrated sulfuric acid doing a home experiment!" Xavier’s voice was actually trembling. "It splashed on her arm. She says she’s alone and dizzy!"

Xavier snapped the jewelry box shut and shoved it into his pocket. "Sera, wait here. It’s a massive emergency. We’ll finish this conversation later."

"Don't move, Sera! We'll be right back!" Magnus shouted, already sprinting toward the elevator.

The doors slid shut. Just like that, they were gone.

I was left standing alone in a sea of white lilies, surrounded by fairy lights and the chilling ocean breeze.

In my past life, this was the exact moment my heart would have completely shattered. I would have sat on this cold floor, weeping until dawn, wondering why I was never enough.

Today? I just felt a profound sense of relief.

 I called an Uber and went straight home.

 I picked up my phone. I blocked Xavier and Magnus’s number.

For the next fifteen days, Seraphina Hale ceased to exist in their world.

I didn't go to the cafeteria. I didn't go to the private library. I locked myself in the advanced biology lab at the edge of campus, pouring every ounce of my energy into grinding for the USABO—the United States Biology Olympiad.

I had registered for it independently, completely bypassing the school's nomination quota. Moira could steal my chemistry spot, but she couldn't touch my biology application.

Then came the sixteenth day. The day the USABO State results were publicly posted.

I was standing in front of the main bulletin board in the school lobby, staring at the freshly printed list. Right at the very top, highlighted in bold ink:

State Champion & National Finalist: Seraphina Hale.

"Sera!"

A heavy hand suddenly clamped down on my shoulder, spinning me around violently.

Magnus stood there, chest heaving, his eyes bloodshot.

Xavier was right behind him, his usually immaculate uniform wrinkled, his jaw clenched so tightly a muscle ticked in his cheek.

"Where the hell have you been?" Magnus roared, his voice echoing through the crowded lobby. Students stopped and stared. "We’ve been looking for you for two weeks! You blocked us? Over what? A ruined dinner?"

Xavier stepped forward, his gaze slicing toward the bulletin board. He saw my name at the top of the USABO list. His expression shifted from anger to a condescending, disappointed sneer.

"Is this what this is about?" Xavier asked coldly, gesturing to the paper. "You threw a temper tantrum, ghosted us, and locked yourself away just to win a biology medal? Are you that desperate to prove you're better than Moira?"

Magnus scoffed, crossing his arms. "You’re so childish, Sera. Moira has been crying because she thought you hated her. You did all this plotting and hiding just for a stupid piece of paper?"

I looked at their exhausted, angry faces. They truly believed my entire universe still revolved around competing for their attention.

Before either of them could utter another word, my phone vibrated in my pocket.

The screen illuminated with a new email notification.

Sender: Massachusetts Institute of Technology - Office of Admissions. 

Subject: Congratulations, Seraphina! Welcome to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

"A piece of paper?" I smiled, a genuine, terrifyingly cold smile. "No. I didn't do it for the medal."