No one slept properly that night.
Amir lay on his bed, staring at the faint crack in the ceiling where a thin line of light leaked through from the hallway. The dorm was quiet—too quiet—yet his mind refused to settle. Every time he closed his eyes, the same images returned in fragments.
Photos scattering across the floor.
Matteo's face, pale and stripped of every defense.
Maliya's hand, raised in anger, striking skin.
The sound of it still echoed in his head, sharp and unforgiving.
Curiosity hadn't just opened a door.
It had shattered something fragile.
Across the room, Matteo sat on the edge of his bed, elbows resting on his knees, hands clasped tightly together. His head was bowed, dark curls shadowing his eyes. He hadn't moved since they returned. Hadn't spoken. Hadn't even looked up.
Amir shifted slightly, the mattress creaking beneath him.
He wanted to say something.
Anything.
But every sentence he formed felt wrong.
Minutes passed. Maybe hours.
Then Matteo spoke.
"My father doesn't stop."
Amir turned toward him. "What?"
Matteo didn't look up. His voice was low, steady, but there was something hollow beneath it.
"When he decides something," he said, "he doesn't stop. He waits. He watches. He sends people until you break—or until you give in."
A chill crept up Amir's spine.
"Then why didn't you warn us earlier?" Amir asked quietly.
Matteo's jaw tightened. His fingers clenched.
"Because I thought if I ran far enough," he said, "if I buried it deep enough, he'd forget."
Silence settled between them.
Amir swallowed. "He won't."
Matteo nodded once. "I know."
Morning came, but it didn't bring relief.
The school felt different the moment Amir stepped onto campus. Conversations dropped the second he passed. Eyes lingered too long. Whispers slithered through the halls like smoke.
Something had spread.
Someone had seen the fight.
Someone had seen the photos.
By second period, the rumors had twisted themselves into something unrecognizable—illegal corporations, powerful families, secret pasts. Some said Matteo was dangerous. Others said he was being hunted.
None of them knew the truth.
And somehow, that made it worse.
Maliya didn't show up to class.
Khadija tried to act normal, laughing too loudly at jokes that weren't funny, but she kept checking her phone every few minutes. Leo sat with his arms crossed, scanning the room like he expected someone to burst through the door.
By lunch, Amir couldn't take it anymore.
"I'm going to check on her," he said, standing.
No one stopped him.
Maliya sat alone on the bleachers behind the gym, knees pulled tightly to her chest. The afternoon sun cast long shadows across the empty field, but she didn't seem to notice. Her gaze was fixed on the grass below, unfocused.
She didn't look surprised when Amir approached.
"You here to defend him?" she asked flatly.
"No," Amir said immediately.
She glanced at him then. "Good."
He sat beside her, leaving space between them.
"I slapped him because I was angry," she said after a while. "But I left because I was scared."
Amir nodded. "Me too."
Her voice trembled. "He looked at me like I was his enemy. Like I didn't matter."
"That wasn't true," Amir said gently.
She let out a shaky breath. "Then why did it feel real?"
Amir stared at the ground. He didn't have an answer.
That afternoon, the principal announced a mandatory assembly.
The gym was packed. Students murmured nervously as teachers stood stiffly along the walls. The principal's voice echoed through the speakers, calm but carefully measured.
There was talk of safety.
Of vigilance.
Of external concerns.
The name CC Corporation was never mentioned.
But new security guards appeared at the school gates before dismissal. Unmarked cars lingered longer than necessary. Teachers suddenly watched their students more closely.
Someone was moving pieces.
And they weren't subtle anymore.
That evening, Amir's phone vibrated.
Unknown Number:
You were told not to interfere.
His heart slammed against his ribs.
Another message followed almost immediately.
This is your only warning.
Amir stared at the screen until it dimmed.
His hands were shaking.
The group gathered back at the dorm without planning to.
No one spoke at first.
Leo broke the silence. "So what now?"
Matteo stood slowly. For the first time that day, he lifted his head.
"I stop running," he said.
Everyone looked at him.
"I won't let him use you," Matteo continued. "Not again. Not ever."
Khadija hesitated. "And if he comes anyway?"
Matteo met her eyes. "Then we stop him together."
A heavy silence followed.
Then Amir nodded. "Together."
Leo exhaled slowly. "Guess we don't have a choice."
Outside, the wind rattled the windows, carrying with it the sense of something approaching.
Somewhere far away, a man studied photos and reports, already planning his next move.
And this time—
He wasn't hiding.