A light breeze rustled the towering acacia trees lining the stone pathways of North Crescent Academy, their leaves casting dappled shadows against the pristine white walls of the library. Inside, Damian Castillo sat at a secluded wooden desk, his sharp blue eyes scanning the aged documents in front of him. The dim glow from the brass reading lamp illuminated the yellowed pages, the inked words sending a shiver down his spine.
Project Aegis is still active.
His hands tightened around the edges of the paper. How was this possible? The project had been deemed defunct years ago. Yet, the documents in front of him detailed recent developments, including financial backing from unknown investors and references to subjects that bore eerily familiar codenames.
Sera.
His fingers drummed against the desk as his mind whirred. Could she be involved? Or worse, could she be one of their targets? A rare flicker of genuine concern crossed his usually arrogant features. This was beyond their usual intellectual rivalries—this was dangerous.
He pushed back his chair with a screech and stood abruptly, drawing the attention of the few students scattered across the library. Ignoring their questioning glances, he grabbed the files and strode out, his mind set on finding Sera.
 
The soft golden glow of the setting sun bathed North Crescent Academy’s elite garden in warm hues, painting a dreamlike backdrop of delicate pink cherry blossoms swaying with the breeze. The academy’s garden was a sanctuary away from the competitive tension of its hallways, a secluded space where only the privileged few ventured, and tonight, it belonged to Seraphina and Alexander.
Beneath an intricately carved white gazebo, Sera sat on a stone bench, her long dark brown hair cascading over her shoulder as she looked up at Alexander. His sharp silver-gray eyes softened in the amber light, studying her intently. The crisp scent of fresh roses mixed with the faint trace of his cologne, an intoxicating combination that made Sera’s heart pound slightly faster than usual.
“You know,” Alexander murmured, reaching out to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear. His touch lingered, the faintest brush of his fingers against her skin making her pulse stutter. “You have a habit of overworking yourself. I don’t recall granting permission for you to ignore your well-being.”
Sera arched an eyebrow at him, a smirk playing on her lips. “Oh? And since when do I need your permission, Mr. Lorenzo?”
Alexander chuckled, a rare sound that sent a delightful shiver down her spine. “Since you became mine.” His voice was low, rich, and utterly self-assured.
Sera felt her breath hitch, but she masked it with a teasing scoff. “That’s quite the assumption, CEO Lorenzo.”
Instead of answering, Alexander leaned in ever so slightly, his gaze dropping to her lips for just a fraction of a second. The air between them crackled with something unspoken, something dangerously electric. Sera wasn’t sure if it was the magic of the twilight hour or the way his presence always seemed to consume every inch of space around her, but she found herself caught in his gravity, unable—or unwilling—to pull away.
Just as the tension reached its peak, the moment hanging between them like a fragile thread about to snap—
“I hate to interrupt your love story,” a familiar, exasperated voice cut through the atmosphere, “but we have a serious problem.”
Sera groaned, her head falling against Alexander’s shoulder as Damian Castillo emerged from the path leading to the gazebo, an unimpressed expression on his face. He stood tall, his sharp blue eyes flickering between them, utterly unamused.
Their peaceful moment was shattered as Damian stormed into the courtyard, his expression a mix of urgency and frustration.
Alexander let out a long sigh, adjusting his cufflinks with forced patience. “Castillo,” he greeted coolly. “You have three seconds to make this worthwhile.”
Damian crossed his arms, ignoring the thinly veiled threat. “Trust me, you’ll want to hear this. Project Aegis isn’t just some abandoned experiment. It’s still active.”
The warmth of the moment evaporated instantly.
Damian ignored the jab and tossed the documents onto the stone table between them. “Read this.”
Sera’s picked up the papers. The moment her eyes scanned the contents, her blood ran cold. Alexander, sensing the shift in her demeanor, leaned in to read over her shoulder. A tense silence stretched between the three of them.
Alexander was the first to speak, his voice dangerously calm. “Where did you find this?”
“The restricted archives,” Damian admitted. “And before you ask—yes, I was supposed to be there.”
Sera’s grip tightened on the paper. “Project Aegis… I thought it was shut down.”
“So did I,” Damian said grimly. “But these documents say otherwise. Someone is still funding it, and from what I can tell, they’re looking for new subjects.”
Alexander’s expression darkened. “Subjects?”
Damian hesitated before nodding. “Test subjects. People with… unusual capabilities.”
Sera’s breath hitched. A deep-rooted fear clawed at her chest. She had spent years questioning why her intelligence had dulled in her past life. Could this be connected? Could she have been—
No. Not now. She forced herself to remain composed, swallowing down the panic that threatened to rise.
“What do you suggest we do?” she asked, her voice steady despite the storm raging inside her.
Damian glanced between her and Alexander. “You two may be busy playing house,” he gestured vaguely at the lingering pink atmosphere of their earlier moment, “but this is serious. We need to dig deeper.”
Alexander leaned back, his expression unreadable. “And why are you bringing this to us?”
Damian scoffed, shoving his hands into his pockets. “Because, as much as I hate to admit it, I can’t do this alone. And let’s face it—you two have a knack for making things happen.”
Sera exchanged a glance with Alexander. There was no need for words. They both knew the implications of what they had just uncovered. The past was clawing its way back into her present, and this time, she wouldn’t be caught off guard.
She exhaled sharply, determination flaring in her amber eyes. “Then we start digging.”