The cool breeze barely did anything to calm the tight coil of nerves in Liora's chest. She walked along the shaded pathway, her bubble tea clutched loosely in her hand, pretending to enjoy her break. But her real focus was fixed ahead.
Sven!
She had spotted him slipping out of the cafe again, this time with the same female student from yesterday. The girl looked tense. There was something uneasy about how she walked beside him—shoulders slightly hunched, her fingers gripping the strap of her bag too tightly.
'What the hell is Sven up to?'
Liora exhaled through her nose, forcing herself to stay casual. She had left her tote bag in her locker this time—no more careless mistakes. She followed them toward the river's edge, keeping enough distance to blend in with the passing students. The pathway led them up a huge tree, sloping toward the river. It's an isolated spot. A place where whispers disappeared into the wind.
Sven's favourite kind!
She glanced over her shoulder. ′No, Donovan. Good.′ The last thing she needed was to run into that psycho bear again.
Liora settled onto a wooden bench, her back straight, her legs crossed to appear at ease, though her insides coiled like a tightened spring. She took another sip of her drink, angling her head just enough to hear them.
It was choppy at first—the wind carrying bits of words before snatching them away.
"…Did you bring your brother's photo?" Sven's voice was smooth, easy, almost gentle. It made Liora's skin prickle. She wished he was mute. Did he charm her father with the same deceitful voice to siphon money from him? Is this how he weaved the web of lies only to tear their family apart?
The girl, Sofia, hesitated before reaching into her purse, pulling out a passport-sized photo and handing it to him. A boy. Sixteen, maybe seventeen. Brown hair. Brown eyes.
"Will you really get Gabriel here? Without him getting caught?" Sofia's voice held a tremor of uncertainty.
Sven grinned, slipping the photo into his wallet. "You do what I say, and in two weeks, your brother will be far away from the cartel wars—safe and sound."
Sven's voice was gentle, like a snake whispering to its prey before sinking its fangs into its throat. Liora didn't hear the promise of safety but rather the offer of his control over her life.
She pressed her lips together, forcing herself to stay still, to listen.
A long silence stretched between them. Then—an unsettling shift. A rustle of clothing followed by a sharp inhale. Liora didn't need to see. She felt it in her bones. Sven had touched her, causing her to swallow hard, grasping for air.
Sven moved his hand—casual, slow—placing it on Sofia's left thigh. The girl flinched and stiffened her shoulders. Her fingers curled into fists on her lap. She bit down on her lip as if physically stopping herself from reacting. Her eyes darted away to the river, to anywhere but him.
"I...I should go now. The break will be over soon."
She did not protest or directly reject him. She looked for a way out. A way to escape without pushing Sven too far. But he wasn't letting her go yet.
Sven grinned and pulled out his phone. "Not before we take a selfie, Sofia." He dragged her closer, lifting the phone.
The click of a phone camera snapped through the air.
Then another. "Smile," Sven said, his voice lower now.
But Liora heard it clear as day—the word 'smile,' a command that had pressured Sofia into taking pictures against her will. Suddenly, Ronnie's voice echoed in her ears, causing her hand to tremble as memories of that camping night threatened to resurface. She shook her head vigorously and took a deep breath, striving to steady herself.
On the other hand, Sofia was fighting the reaction and swallowing her discomfort. Sofia's smile was forced, the kind that didn't reach her eyes. When Sven finished taking the pictures, she stood abruptly, clutching her bag and walking away quickly—as if she could escape whatever invisible strings Sven had tied around her.
As she walked away from the tree, her gaze flicked to Liora. In such a secluded corner, there was no one around but her sitting alone. Sofia's steps faltered, and her nervousness increased.
'Did she hear our conversation?'
Liora kept her eyes shut, pretending to bask in the breeze, pretending she wasn't listening. Even with closed eyes, she could feel Sopfia's gaze on her. Then, something smacked against Liora's shoulder.
"Hey, babe, what are you doing?" Her eyes snapped open in startled confusion.
Rachel! It was Rachel!
Sofia's footsteps quickened, and she disappeared as fast as she could, leaving her anxiety behind.
Rachel, clutching a thick book, had been observing quietly. Her gaze darted between Liora and the girl who had just fled, one brow arched in scepticism and her expression revealing doubt, 'what had just transpired?'
Before she could speak, the movement behind the tree caught her eye. Sven emerged, and Rachel's muscles tensed, but she reacted quickly, plopping down beside Liora, her legs crossing in an exaggerated display of ease.
Svendark gaze locked onto Liora was unreadable. His expression lingered between amusement and calculation as if he were pulling apart pieces of a puzzle in his mind.
Liora tried to remain composed. 'Did he recognize me?' The thought clawed at her, unsettling. She had done her makeup right and had disguised herself well. Even Kai hadn't recognized her. But Sven... he had known her since childhood. Could he still see through the facade?
"How's the bubble tea?" Rachel's voice was light, feigning nonchalance as if she hadn't just rescued Liora from spiralling thoughts.
Liora forced herself to take a small sip, swallowing hard. "It's good. My favourite flavour."
Rachel hummed. "Yeah? I should try that next time."
Neither acknowledged Sven's presence, but he didn't leave, making them uneasy.
His lips curled into a slow, lazy smirk. "I saw you yesterday. And today. Looks like fate." His voice was silk over steel, a mockery of charm laced with something darker.
Liora's stomach churned as she met his gaze, her tone clipped. "Are you talking to me?" she asked.
Sven stood before her, tilted his head, and studied her face with unsettling leisure. His gaze peeled away at her, searching. "Are you a freshman here?"
She gave a sharp nod, wanting nothing more than for him to vanish. Every second in his space felt like a test she was bound to fail. Revenge would mean nothing if she crumbled at the mere sight of him.
His grin widened. "How lovely." Reaching into his wallet, he pulled out a card and extended it toward her. His eyes never wavered. "If you ever need a part-time job to make extra cash, don't hesitate to contact me."
Liora's grip tightened around her cup, knuckles turning white as anger flared in her chest. Before she could react, Rachel snatched the card from Sven's fingers, her movements swift and deliberate. If Liora refused, he might linger. It's better to let Rachel take the bait.
Sven didn't seem fazed. "What's your name?"
Liora's mind raced, and a sense of frustration blended with confusion.'Why did it seem that her new appearance was causing people to question her more?'
Her voice came out cold, controlled. "Li." Just one word.
His smirk stretched, filled with disbelief, but he didn't push. "Nice to meet you, Li." His voice was too smooth, too sweet, too fake. "A girl as beautiful as you could make a lot of money. Call me, okay, dear?"
Liora forced herself to smile, her insides burning with disgust. "Sure. I will."'And you will soon regret this meeting,' she thought darkly.
Sven lingered, watching her, then finally turned and walked away.
The moment he was out of sight, Liora released a slow breath, her hands trembling—not from fear, but from barely contained anger.
Rachel pried the book from her fingers, giving her a long, scrutinizing look before letting out a low whistle. "Well. That was fucking disgusting. He makes my skin crawl."
Liora exhaled and relaxed, allowing a cool breeze to wrap around her, easing the tension that had built inside her in the presence of Sven.
"So you've started following Sven," Rachel mused, leaning back lazily. "Next time, call me. Let's do this together."
Liora arched a brow. "Don't you have classes to attend?"
Rachel shot her a side glance, then looked toward the river. "This is more fun. Besides, I can always take notes from my classmates." She nudged Liora's shoulder playfully. "And I know you would only do this during your break, not during class. So, I think I'm safe."
Liora gave a slight nod, turning back to her bubble tea, which she suddenly had no desire to finish. She held onto it anyway.
"It was hard to hear their conversation," she admitted. "I got lucky today. Not lots of people are around or noisy today. But I'm not sure it'll be the same next time. Getting closer might make him suspicious."
Rachel hummed, considering. "There's a way."
Liora perked up, intrigued. "How?"
"There's a place where you can buy high-tech surveillance equipment. No ID is required, but it can be pricey." Rachel's voice remained casual, but her eyes sparkled with a knowing glint. "I could suggest other places, too, but I'm sure Daran would challenge me to spar, and I would rather not deal with that. This place is safer for you, and the best part is that the owner studies at our university."
Liora blinked. "A college student runs a place that sells high-tech surveillance gear?"
Rachel smirked. "Rich kid perks. If you tell him you are a student from the same university, he might give me a discount?"
"You think?"
Rachel chuckled. "Maybe."
Liora frowned. "Still, I don't have that kind of money."
"Don't worry about it. Where I work, the pay is good. Just let me know if you need help." Rachel glanced at Sven's business card before handing it to Liora. "Take it—you'll need it, and try to lose yourself in front of him. It won't take long for him to sense that you hate him, or worse." Rachel warned her about how she had acted before. Liora could not afford to continue in the same way if she was genuinely planning for revenge.
"Yeah! I will. be careful."
Liora sighed and started calculating her schedule. Between studying, tracking Sven, and keeping up with her occasional meetups with Alice and Daran, where would she find time for a part-time job? And what about Caspian? It wasn't feasible.
She pursed her lips. "I'll think about a part-time job." But deep down, she was disappointed in herself.
Liora's phone buzzed with messages from Sia and Yo in the group chat—her first-ever girls' group chat. She unlocked the screen and read their texts.
"Caspian just announced to all the freshman classes that he's throwing a party every weekend for students from each department," Sia wrote.
Yo followed up with, "He's looking for you, Liora! Look how much he's willing to spend just to find you!"
Sia chimed in again, "Liora, you're so lucky! I can't wait for the moment you two finally meet face-to-face!"
A smile crept onto Liora's lips as she read the messages, her cheeks heating slightly. Rachel, who had been observing her, immediately took notice. Without warning, she snatched the phone from Liora's hands and scanned the chat.
"That's rude, Rachel!" Liora scowled, reaching for her phone.
Rachel merely shrugged, unfazed. "Whatever. I love gossip." She completely ignored Liora's annoyed glare, her eyes skimming over the texts before suddenly bursting into laughter.
"This is going to end badly for Caspian," Rachel remarked, smirking.
Liora frowned. "Why would you say that?"