Chapter 155

Chapter 155
Alexander

I stopped near the vending machines, digging through my wallet for coins, when voices drifted from around the corner of the maintenance hallway.
I didn’t mean to eavesdrop; I really didn’t. But then I heard Aria’s name, and I couldn’t help but stay there to hear what they would say.

“…I’m telling you, dude, he’s basically wrapped around her finger already,” one guy said, snorting.
My chest tightened.

Another voice laughed. “Are you sure he hasn’t figured it out?”
“Nah. Rich boy thinks she’s shy and mysterious. It’s hilarious,” the guy said, and I froze completely.
“She’s been dragging it out perfectly,” the first voice continued. “Just enough interest to keep him chasing.”

Something inside my ribs started cracking.

“And her boyfriend’s cool with it?” the second guy asked.
“Bro, it was his idea,” the first one replied. “Split the money three ways. Thorne’s family throws cash around like confetti. One fake emotional sob story and he’ll probably hand over thousands.”

My heartbeat slammed so hard it felt like it echoed in my ears.

“She already got him hooked?” the second guy asked.
“Yeah. She just needs to set up the ‘emergency’ angle. Medical bills, family crises, whatever. He’s soft when it comes to girls he likes. Easy payout.”
Silence exploded in my head. I didn’t move; I couldn't. I didn’t breathe. Didn’t think, couldn't think. I just stood there while every conversation I’d had with Aria replayed in brutal slow motion. Every smile. Every hesitation. Every moment I thought was real.

“Still can’t believe she pulled it off,” the second guy said.
“Man, she’s good. Dude doesn’t stand a chance.”

Footsteps approached the hallway, snapping me out of the trance. I stepped back instinctively, moving behind the vending machines just as the two guys rounded the corner, laughing like they’d just finished discussing sports instead of dismantling my entire chest.

They walked past me without noticing, but I stayed frozen long after they disappeared. My hands felt numb. My stomach twisted like someone had grabbed my insides and wrung them out. It didn’t make sense. It couldn’t be real. Aria wouldn’t…

But then my brain started lining up details I’d ignored. The constant hesitation. The vague answers. The way she always redirected personal questions back to me. The way she never accepted invitations but never fully shut them down either.

Hope was stupid like that. It filled gaps in logic that tried to warn me about. I swallowed hard, staring at the cracked pavement beneath my shoes.
I felt… embarrassed. Not angry. Not yet. Just hollow. I walked back across campus in a blur, barely registering faces or voices. Everything sounded distant, like I’d shoved cotton into my ears. My phone buzzed in my pocket.

Lila.

I stared at her name for a long second before declining the call.

I couldn’t talk. If I talked, I might actually break. And that… that wasn’t something I did. Ever.

I headed straight to my dorm room, locking the door behind me. I dropped my bag onto the floor and sat on the edge of the bed, elbows on my knees, hands covering my face. The silence in the room felt heavier than any noise campus could throw at me. I replayed the conversation again. Every word hit sharper each time.

Easy payout.
Wrapped around her finger.
Split the money.

I laughed once. Short. Dry. Completely humorless.
“Nice one, Alexander,” I muttered to myself.

I’d negotiated with my father and mother; they were CEOs. I outsmarted people twice my age. Handled business deals without flinching. But a girl smiled at me, and suddenly I turned into an idiot.

My phone buzzed again.
Lila.
Then again.
Then a text.

LILA: Where are you?
I stared at the screen, fingers hovering over the keyboard before locking the phone without replying.

Another buzz.
LILA: Alex?

I leaned back slowly against the wall, staring at the ceiling. The familiar cracks in the paint blurred as my eyes burned, but nothing fell. I didn’t cry. I didn’t yell. I didn’t punch anything. I just… shut down. That was worse.
Way worse. Because anger passed. Tears passed. But this numb, quiet feeling sat heavy and permanent, like something inside me had flipped a switch and decided emotions were temporarily cancelled.

Another message came through.
LILA: You’re scaring me. Answer.

I placed my phone face down on the nightstand and stared straight ahead.
Minutes passed, maybe hours. I lost track of the time. Somewhere deep down, I felt something splintering, not dramatic or explosive, just slow cracks spreading across something I thought was solid.

Trust, maybe. Or hope. Or whatever stupid part of me still believed people meant what they said when they smiled like that.
Outside, campus noise continued like nothing had changed. Laughter. Music. Doors slamming. Life moved forward like it always did. Inside my room, everything felt painfully still. I finally lay back against the mattress, one arm covering my eyes.
I didn’t know what hurt more,that Aria played me… or that for a few weeks, I actually let myself believe someone saw me as just Alexander. Not a last name. Not the Thorne heir, not a reputation, not a target. But just me.
I let out a slow breath, staring into the darkness behind my eyelids.

And for the first time in a long time… I didn’t feel like joking. I didn’t feel like talking. I didn’t feel like fixing anything. I just felt empty.

Zia

The house felt too quiet that afternoon.Not peaceful or quiet. The kind that pressed against my ears and made me check my phone every few minutes for no real reason. The house always had its own rhythm, with footsteps echoing from different wings, someone laughing from the kitchen, music drifting from one of the living rooms, and Arthur arguing with Serena about grill techniques like it was a competitive sport.

But that day, most of them were out. Lucas and Angie had taken a weekend trip. Xander was at the office finishing something quick, which usually meant three hours minimum. Evelyn was napping. Mom was rearranging flowers somewhere like she was prepping for a royal visit instead of a regular day. Alex and Lila won’t be home this weekend, so there will be no chaos.
And me? I was in the kitchen pretending I cared about organizing spice jars.

I didn’t. Not even a little. My phone buzzed against the counter, making me jump slightly. I glanced at the screen and smiled when I saw Lila’s name.
That girl rarely called unless she needed something or unless Alexander was involved. And if Alexander was involved… it was usually chaos.
I answered quickly. “Hey, sweetheart.”
Her voice came out tight. Too tight.

“Aunt Zia… have you talked to Alex today?” she asked, and my stomach dipped instantly. I set the spice jar down slowly. “No. Why?”
There was a pause. I could hear campus noise behind her—voices, footsteps, and distant traffic.

“He’s not answering,” she said. “Not texts. Not calls. I even went to his dorm, and he wasn’t there,” she said.
My grip tightened on the counter edge. “When did you last see him?”