William instinctively checked his own phone, only to realize the sound wasn’t coming from him.

  Clarissa winced. “Shit—sorry, it’s mine.” She scrambled to silence it, snatched up her lunchbox from the sink, and practically fled the scene.

  William watched her retreating figure, his expression unreadable. He didn’t look away until she had completely disappeared from sight.

  "William, there you are!" A soft, lilting voice interrupted his thoughts.

  William looked up slightly and saw Lyra walking towards him, dressed in a light, feminine skirt, exuding an air of effortless sweetness.

  She sat beside him without hesitation, giving him a playful smile. "You’re only eating sandwiches again?" she teased. "Let me guess—you’re avoiding your rabid fangirls?"

  William barely reacted. "I was busy," he replied coolly. "Didn’t have time for anything else."

  "You’re always like this," Lyra pouted, resting her chin in her palm. "Working so hard, unlike me. I’m useless at everything." Then, with a bright, eager expression, she pulled out a neatly packed lunchbox. "I made this for you!" she chirped. "You can’t just survive on sandwiches all the time."

  William barely glanced at it before shaking his head. "No, thanks. I have class soon."

  Lyra’s expression faltered, but only for a second. She quickly composed herself, offering a gentle, understanding smile. "Okay… then I’ll bring it earlier next time," she said sweetly.

  "Don’t." His response was firm, immediate.

  Lyra’s smile stiffened. "...What?"

  William’s gaze didn’t waver. "You have a boyfriend. Don’t cause unnecessary misunderstandings."

  Lyra blinked, clearly caught off guard. But then, she laughed softly.

  "He’s not that insecure," she said lightly. "Besides, we grew up together. He knows there's nothing between us."

  She stood up, smoothing down her skirt, and packed up the untouched lunch. "If anything, it’s nice that we can be so ‘innocent’ with each other, don’t you think?" she added, her voice airy and light.

  Then, without waiting for a response, she turned and walked away. Oddly enough, she seemed in a much better mood than before.

  "Wait a second."

  Lyra paused mid-step, tilting her head with a soft smile. "Hm? What’s wrong?"

  William’s face remained unreadable as he spoke, his tone calm but deliberate. "That girl—Clarissa. Is she your sister now?"

  Lyra’s smile froze. Just for a moment. Then, just as quickly, she regained her composure, though the stiffness in her expression lingered. "Yeah… she is. Why?" She kept her tone light, cautious.

  "Nothing. Just asking."

  A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  Lyra let out a quiet breath of relief, her posture relaxing slightly. "Oh, I see."

  She cast her gaze downward, letting out a soft, melancholic sigh. "In name, yes. She’s officially the eldest daughter of the Lancaster family… but after everything that happened, I found out I was my parents' real daughter."

  "I always saw her as my sister, you know? But she…" Lyra hesitated, as if gathering her emotions. "She thinks I stole her family, her inheritance, and even Dorian. She’s hated me ever since."

  Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears. "William, I swear, I never cared about the Lancaster family’s wealth. As long as I had my real parents… that was enough for me."

  William blinked, momentarily caught off guard by the sight of her distress. But he said nothing, merely pulling out a handkerchief and handing it to her.

  Lyra accepted it with a gentle smile. "Thank you… I’ll wash it and return it later."

  "No need. It’s nothing special. You should head back to class."

  "Okay, okay." Lyra laughed lightly, then hesitated, as if something suddenly occurred to her. A slight crease formed between her brows.

  "William… why did you ask about my sister all of a sudden?" She lowered her voice, her concern evident. "She has a terrible temper. If she did something to offend you, I sincerely apologize on her behalf. Please don’t take it to heart, okay?"

  William’s expression didn’t change. "She didn’t offend me. Don’t worry."

  Lyra’s shoulders dropped slightly in relief. "That’s good."

  Still, she leaned in just a little closer, lowering her voice again. "But still… be careful around her. You know how bad her reputation is. She’s unpredictable, and I’d hate for her to take out her angry on you because of me."

  William gave a small nod. "I’ll keep that in mind."

  Lyra smiled again, this time more naturally, and reached for the stack of documents in his hands. "Are you heading back to class? Perfect timing, I’ll go with you. Let me help—"

  Before he could refuse, she had already grabbed the papers and walked alongside him. As they moved through the hallway, more students gathered around. Most of the eyes, especially those belonging to the girls, locked onto them.

  Lyra seemed to notice the change in atmosphere and suddenly slowed her pace, creating a small distance between them. With a knowing look, she offered a sympathetic smile. "William, let’s split up here. People are watching… We don’t want to stir up unnecessary misunderstandings, right?"

  William took the papers from her outstretched hand, his expression unreadable. "Alright."

  As soon as he disappeared down the hallway, June rushed over, practically vibrating with excitement. "Lyra! You and William—how do you know him? And you were walking together?!"

  Lyra smiled modestly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "We grew up together. His family lived next door to mine."

  June gasped. "Oh my god, so he must be really special to you?"

  Lyra’s smile remained soft, almost shy. "Not really… but he did look out for me when we were kids. Whenever I got bullied, he’d step in sometimes, like an older brother."

  June clasped her hands together, practically swooning. "That’s amazing. He’s always so cold to everyone else, but he clearly treats you differently!"

  Lyra bit her lip, but noticeably not denying it.

  A flicker of something unreadable passed through June’s eyes before she suddenly grabbed Lyra’s hand. "Lyra! Since you’re close with him, can you help me out?"

  Lyra blinked. "Help you?"

  A faint blush crept up June’s cheeks. "I… I really like William, but he’s impossible to approach. I never knew he lived next to you! Please, can you help me get closer to him?"

  Lyra hesitated. For the briefest moment, something unreadable flashed across her face. But then she gave a small, reluctant smile. "I… I’ll try my best."

  June nearly squealed in excitement, hugging Lyra’s arm. "You’re the best, Lyra!" But just as quickly, her expression shifted to concern. "Wait—what’s wrong? You look a little down."

  Lyra hesitated, then lowered her gaze, her voice soft and troubled.

  "It’s nothing. I just…" She hesitated again, as if debating whether to say it. "It’s just that William mentioned my sister today."

  June’s face twisted with disgust. "Ugh. Did that bitch Clarissa do something again?"

  Lyra flinched slightly, then sighed, as if reluctant to even bring it up. "No… she didn’t do anything," she murmured, a troubled expression clouding her delicate features. "But William suddenly asked about her today. He wanted to know about my relationship with her. I’m just… worried."

  She sighed again, the concern evident in her voice. "You know how bad her temper is. If she ever gets angry at William because of me… I just don’t want to cause unnecessary conflict."