The invitation arrived without warning.
An official school gala—formal, high-profile, and attended by sponsors, alumni, and media partners.
She read the message twice.
"You don't have to go," Lucien said quietly when he saw her expression.
She shook her head. "If I don't, it'll look worse."
The gala was exactly the kind of place she usually avoided. Too many eyes. Too many questions. Too many people who thought they understood her world.
But hiding wasn't an option.
The night of the event, the hall glowed with soft lights and polished floors. Music drifted through the air, elegant and controlled.
She stepped inside wearing a simple dress—nothing extravagant, nothing recognizable. Just enough to blend in.
Lucien was waiting near the entrance.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
"You look…" he paused, choosing his words carefully. "Different."
She smiled faintly. "So do you."
They walked together, maintaining just enough distance to avoid attention. But even that was enough.
Heads turned.
Whispers followed.
Someone whispered her name—wrongly. Another voice corrected it.
Lucien's shoulders tensed.
Halfway through the evening, a man approached them.
He was older, sharp-eyed, dressed in a way that suggested influence.
"I don't believe we've met," he said, extending a hand toward her. "But you look familiar."
Her pulse quickened.
Lucien stepped slightly forward. "She's a student here."
The man smiled politely. "Of course. Still—faces like yours tend to linger."
She forced a calm expression. "People say that often."
The man studied her for another moment before nodding and walking away.
Only when he disappeared into the crowd did she exhale.
"That was close," Lucien murmured.
She nodded. "Too close."
Later, she slipped out onto the balcony for air.
The city lights stretched endlessly below, distant and cold.
Lucien joined her, resting his hands lightly on the railing beside hers—but not touching.
"Are you scared?" he asked.
She thought for a moment. "Not of being seen. I'm scared of being misunderstood."
Lucien looked at her, eyes steady. "Then let me understand you."
She met his gaze.
"You already do."
Inside the hall, the music swelled. Laughter echoed. Another camera flash went off.
The world was inching closer to the truth.
And soon, distance alone wouldn't be enough to protect them.