After school, Anastasia decided to relax, alone, at a nearby cafe. As she ordered her coffee, someone else entered the cafe.
At first, she did not pay attention and scrolled through the news on her phone.
The person walked toward Anastasia and took up the seats opposite her.
"Sorry, those seats are reserved."
Anastasia said, not looking up from her phone.
She was thinking about her boyfriend, Shoya. Since she had not been on a date with him and Akane in a hot minute, she wanted to have another one.
However, Akane was on temporary leave. Her family took her out for a reason that Anastasia did not know about.
"Nothing interesting..."
She uttered to herself, looking at the news available.
In her peripheral vision, she saw the person sit down, despite her earlier statement.
"Oi, didn't I tell you that—"
"What? I don't see anyone here."
Anastasia closed her mouth when she saw the person's face. A person she knew but hated wholeheartedly.
"What're you doing here?"
She asked.
It was Alicia—her half-sister.
"Even if you're here on Father's orders, you shouldn't be able to get on Altria."
Alicia smiled gently.
"Look at my clothes."
She had the Altheria Academy uniform on. The white tie she had on showed the fact that she was a first-year.
"You... enrolled here?"
"Yup. School is subpar, at best. The ones in England are better. Surrounded by fewer commoners, of course."
The Altheria Academy British Branch, based in a secret territory in London, was only for those with money. Due to that, only nobles would attend, but there are, one or two, students at that school on scholarship.
Usually, people reject it because of the nobles, so not many normal Streia attend it.
"So, why are you here?"
She asked.
"Let's talk outside. Too many commoners for my taste."
Alicia commented, standing up.
Anastasia glared at her.
"So, do you want to know, or not?"
The mistress also stood up.
"Then, why don't we go to your dorm room?"
The half-sister had an annoying smirk on her face as Anastasia winced.
·———·
The two arrived at Anastasia's dorm room. Once they went in, Alicia sat on Anastasia's bed.
"Oh, no roommate? Who do you live with?"
"None of your business."
"I heard that some second-years, specifically those from class A and B, live with first-years, what about you—"
"Get down to business before I kick you out."
Anastasia threatened, clearly not entertained by her sister.
"Tch. No fun."
Unable to resist, Anastasia snatched at Alicia's collar. Sparks flickered around her hand as she stared deeply into her sister's eyes.
"I said, get down to business."
"R-right..."
Even Alicia was shaken by her sister's impatience and rage. She bit her lip, bitterly.
Anastasia let go and pulled a chair out to sit on it.
"What did you come here for?"
"There's no need to ask. You already know."
Alicia said, laying her hand out.
"Return. Father wants you back."
"No."
"But—"
"No. I won't return to a family that forsook my mother long ago. It won't be long until Father forsakes me."
She was not wrong.
Her father, Andrais, only cared about Anastasia as a means to improve the Reishville family's image. The moment she would not have any use anymore, Anastasia would be thrown away.
Both of them knew that well enough.
"But, sister, if I don't then Mother will—"
"I don't give two shits about a bitch like that!"
Anastasia yelled, surprising Alicia.
"Why the fuck would I care about that bitch, that fucking whore, who married Father for money? That bitch-ass mother of yours was also involved in my brother killing my mother and younger brother!"
Anastasia gritted her teeth, annoyed.
She just wanted to vent her anger. Shouting at the daughter of the woman who participated in her mother's death was not enough.
The mistress stood up.
"S-sister?"
Anastasia's hands twitched as sparks of electricity flickered in her apparent wrath.
Her anger was stored inside to the point in which she wanted to vent it out through violence.
"You're all twisted..."
She whispered.
"I'll put you in your place."
"That wouldn't exactly be good, would it?"
Anastasia turned, ready to attack, but someone grabbed her arm. They were completely unaffected by Anastasia's Electromagnetism.
"Who're—ah."
Anastasia's eyes widened and she stopped the activation of her Singularity. She stared, aimlessly, at the person with a haunting expression.
Alicia looked nervous. More like, she had not been expecting them.
"It's been a while, Anastasia, I heard you were cheating on me."
He was a young man. His hair was pale blonde, almost like the hair colour of an angel. He had soft, yet slightly sultry emerald eyes. There was an almost permanent smirk on his face.
"How are you..."
Anastasia threw a fit.
"Let go of me! Let go!"
So, the young man did what she said, causing her to fall onto the floor.
"Have you had fun without me? You haven't, have you? Well, that'll be no longer."
He said.
Anastasia activated Electromagnetism once more and pulled the young man towards her. She punched but it was easily blocked. The electricity dulled itself as the young man caught it.
The girl winced.
"Why are you... Why are you here? Why? Why?!"
She shouted.
"I'm here because I want you. You're my fiancée and you don't belong to anyone else but me."
He said, still wearing a soft smirk.
"..."
Anastasia silently formed a bitter expression.
"Alexander... I don't love you. I never have."
"That's irrelevant. Besides, this is not only for my love but it's also a political engagement, you don't have a say. Besides, the King family have the backing of the Mortal Sin of Pride. No one can mess with us. Not even the principal."
(That's why he was able to get into the school so easily. He used his family name and connections.)
Alicia thought.
Even she had not expected Alexander to suddenly appear.
"Anyway, I have a month left here. So I'll stay here in Altria."
He tilted Anastasia's chin upwards with his hand.
"I'll watch over you, to make sure that no boys hit on you unnecessarily. Will that be okay?"
The girl shivered relentlessly.
She was afraid. Of course, she was. This was the young man who tortured her for fun during their engagement. He was a sadistic young man and Anastasia's fiancée.
Alexander Darius King, the second son of the King family with more influence than the Reishville family.
She was one of the two people in the world, which Anastasia truly feared.