UNTOLD

HAYES RESIDENCE 🖋️

The envelope arrived on a Tuesday morning.

Elena Hayes had been waiting for it for six months.

She just never expected to be so terrified when it finally came.

"Elena!"

Her mother's voice came from the sitting room.

"There's a letter for you!"

Elena stepped out of the small kitchen, wiping her hands on the sides of her jeans.

"From who?"

"I don't know. It looks important."

Her mother was standing beside the front door, holding a thick cream-colored envelope.

Elena's eyes immediately caught the silver crest embossed on the corner.

Her heart stopped.

She knew that crest.

She moved closer.

For a few seconds, she simply stared.

Blackwood Academy.

The school she had dreamed about since she was fifteen.

The school she had spent three years preparing for.

The school she had almost convinced herself she would never attend because students like her weren't supposed to belong in places like that.

She had studied beneath weak lights when everyone else was asleep. She had borrowed textbooks. She had turned down outings because she needed to study. She had filled out the scholarship application six months ago and then spent every day afterward pretending she didn't care whether she was accepted.

Now the answer was in her hands.

"Open it," her mother whispered.

Elena swallowed.

"What if it's bad news?"

"Then we'll face it together."

Elena carefully tore open the envelope.

Her eyes moved across the first line.

Then the second.

Her hand flew to her mouth.

"Mom..."

Her mother stepped closer.

"What is it?"

Elena looked up.

Tears were already gathering in her eyes.

"I got it."

Her mother's eyes widened.

"What?"

"I got the scholarship."

For one second, neither of them moved.

Then her mother screamed.

Elena laughed through her tears as they threw their arms around each other.

"I got it!" Elena cried. "Mom, I actually got it!"

"You did it!"

"It's a full scholarship!"

Her mother held her face between both hands.

"I knew you could."

Elena laughed again.

For the first time in a long time, the little house felt warm.

No unpaid bills.

No whispered arguments.

No worries about what tomorrow would bring.

Just two people holding onto a dream that had finally become real.

Then her mother looked down at the letter.

Her smile disappeared.

Elena noticed.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Mom."

Her mother folded the letter slightly.

"I said nothing."

Elena frowned.

"You were smiling two seconds ago."

"I'm still happy."

"Then why do you look scared?"

Her mother didn't answer.

Before Elena could ask again, the front door opened.

Her father walked inside.

He looked tired.

His tie was loosened, his shirt sleeves rolled up, and the expression on his face told Elena that work had not gone well.

She immediately forgot her mother's strange reaction.

"Dad!"

He looked at her.

"What?"

"I got the scholarship."

His expression changed.

It was subtle.

But Elena noticed.

The smile that had started forming on his face disappeared.

"The scholarship?"

"Yes!"

"From where?"

"Blackwood Academy."

Silence.

Her father's eyes moved to the envelope.

Then to her mother.

Something passed between them.

Something Elena didn't understand.

Her father held out his hand.

"Let me see it."

She gave him the letter.

He read it.

His face became colder with every line.

Elena's excitement slowly faded.

"Dad?"

He folded the letter.

"You aren't going."

She stared at him.

"What?"

"You heard me."

"But-"

"No."

Her father's voice was firm.

"You are not attending Blackwood Academy."

Elena looked at her mother.

Her mother wouldn't meet her eyes.

"But I got a full scholarship."

"I know."

"We can't afford a school like that."

"You don't need to."

"Then what's the problem?"

Her father placed the letter on the table.

"Some opportunities aren't worth taking."

Elena stared at him.

"That's not an answer."

"It is the answer you're getting."

"Dad, I've worked for this!"

"I know."

"Then why are you doing this?"

He looked at her for a long moment.

There was something in his eyes she couldn't understand.

Fear.

Not anger.

Fear.

"I said no, Elena."

He turned and walked away.

Elena watched him disappear down the hallway.

Her mother sighed.

"Please don't push him right now."

"Why?"

"He's tired."

"No, Mom."

Elena shook her head.

"There's something you're not telling me."

Her mother went quiet.

And that silence told Elena more than an explanation could have.

She picked up the scholarship letter.

"I'm going."

Her mother looked at her.

"Elena..."

"I've spent three years working for this."

She hugged the letter against her chest.

"I'm not throwing it away."

That evening, Elena sat on her bed with the acceptance letter beside her.

Her room was small.

The paint on one wall had begun to peel, and the wooden desk she'd used since junior high had a broken drawer.

But this room had witnessed every late-night study session.

Every failed test she cried over.

Every time she promised herself she would do better.

She picked up the letter again.

Blackwood Academy.

She smiled.

Whatever her father was hiding, she would figure it out.

She had earned her place.

She wasn't going to let anyone take it from her.

BLACKWOOD'S RESIDENCE 🖋️

Across town, the Blackwood residence stood behind enormous iron gates.

The mansion was so large that Elena's entire house could probably fit inside one wing.

Damon Blackwood stood in front of the mirror in his bedroom, adjusting the cuff of his shirt.

He looked at his reflection without much interest.

Tall.

Dark-haired.

Confident.

The kind of handsome that made people stare even when he wasn't trying.

A knock sounded.

"Come in."

The door opened.

Adrian Cole walked in first.

"Are you seriously still getting dressed?"

Damon glanced at him through the mirror.

"I'm dressed."

"You're standing in front of a mirror."

"Because I look good."

Adrian laughed.

"You are unbelievably annoying."

Sebastian Sterling entered behind him, carrying his phone.

"He's been annoying since birth."

Damon turned around.

"Jealousy doesn't suit either of you."

The three boys laughed.

They had known each other for years.

Damon Blackwood.

Adrian Cole.

Sebastian Sterling.

Their families were among the wealthiest and most influential in the city, and their names alone were enough to make most students at Blackwood Academy think twice before crossing them.

But money wasn't the only thing they had in common.

They were competitive.

Confident.

Arrogant.

And almost impossible to separate.

Adrian dropped onto the sofa.

"So, are you ready for the new school year?"

Damon picked up his watch.

"School is school."

"You mean boring."

"Exactly."

Sebastian looked up from his phone.

"You know you're supposed to graduate soon, right?"

Damon smiled.

"Best news I've heard all year."

Adrian shook his head.

"You're going to miss this place."

"No."

"You're going to miss the attention."

Damon paused.

Then smiled.

"Maybe."

Sebastian laughed.

"At least you're honest."

Damon slipped his watch onto his wrist.

He wasn't thinking about relationships.

He wasn't thinking about love.

And he certainly wasn't thinking about some scholarship student who was about to walk into his carefully controlled world.

For Damon, Blackwood Academy was simple.

Friends.

Basketball.

Girls.

Parties.

And staying out of his father's way.

He had no reason to believe this year would be any different.

He was wrong.

BLACKWOOD ACADEMY 🖋️

Monday morning arrived faster than Elena expected.

She stood outside the gates of Blackwood Academy with her backpack over one shoulder.

Her palms were sweaty.

Her stomach was tight.

Students moved around her in expensive cars and polished uniforms.

She looked down at her own clothes.

They were neat.

Simple.

Nothing like the designer outfits some of the students were wearing.

For a second, insecurity crept in.

Then she remembered her scholarship letter.

She had earned this.

She lifted her chin and walked through the gates.

The school was beautiful.

Massive stone buildings surrounded a perfectly maintained courtyard. Tall windows reflected the morning sun, while students gathered in small groups beneath the trees.

Elena stopped for a moment.

She had imagined this place so many times.

Now she was actually standing inside it.

"Elena!"

She turned.

A familiar face came running toward her.

"Chloe!"

Her best friend threw her arms around her.

"You actually came!"

Elena laughed.

"Of course I came."

"I was beginning to think your parents would lock you in your room."

"They almost did."

Chloe pulled away.

"Seriously?"

Elena nodded.

"I'll tell you everything later."

Chloe looked around.

"Come on. I'll show you the school before we get lost."

They started walking through the courtyard.

Elena listened as Chloe pointed out the library, science building, administration block, sports complex, and student center.

Everything looked expensive.

Everything looked perfect.

Then they reached the basketball court.

A group of students were gathered around it.

The sound of a basketball hitting the floor echoed across the courtyard.

Elena barely paid attention until Chloe suddenly stopped walking.

"Oh."

"What?"

Chloe's expression changed.

"What?"

She nodded toward the court.

"That's Damon."

Elena looked.

Three boys were standing near the basketball court.

She immediately recognized Damon from the picture Chloe had once shown her.

He was wearing the school uniform with his sleeves rolled up, a basketball tucked beneath one arm.

Adrian stood beside him, laughing about something.

Sebastian was leaning against the fence, watching them.

Damon looked completely comfortable.

As though the entire school belonged to him.

Students greeted him as they passed.

Girls smiled.

Some whispered.

A few openly stared.

Damon barely noticed.

Or perhaps he simply wasn't interested.

Then a girl walked toward him.

Beautiful.

Confident.

Expensively dressed.

She said something that made Damon smile.

Elena looked away.

"Who is she?"

Chloe hesitated.

"Isabella Monroe."

"Friend?"

Chloe gave her a look.

"Something like that."

Before Elena could ask what she meant, the warning bell rang.

Students began moving toward the buildings.

Chloe grabbed Elena's hand.

"We have to go."

Elena followed her.