**Chapter 1: Welcome to Blackwood Academy**
The iron gates loomed ahead, taller than any she'd seen before, a silent reminder that **this world was not hers.**
Sienna Monroe sat stiffly in the back of a sleek black car, gripping the hem of her skirt. The driver, a man whose suit was probably worth more than everything she owned, didn't spare her a glance as the vehicle crawled forward.
Beyond the gates, **Blackwood Academy** spread across **acres of manicured perfection**—a kingdom for the **elite, untouchable, and corrupt.**
She swallowed hard.
**New identity. New life. A fresh start.**
**No one here could know the truth.**
The car came to a smooth halt in front of the grand entrance. A towering building of **gray stone, intricate archways, and century-old prestige**. It felt more like a palace than a school.
"Miss Morone, we've arrived," the driver announced.
Sienna exhaled. **Show no fear.**
She pushed the car door open, stepping out, her boots crunching against the pristine pavement.
**And then it began.**
Eyes. **Dozens of them.**
Students draped in luxury brands, **the future rulers of corporations, political empires, and industries**, turned to stare. Some whispering behind manicured hands, some smirking, some assessing.
**This was a different kind of battlefield.**
A perfectly manicured brunette leaned closer to her friend. "Scholarship?"
Her friend laughed. "Has to be. Or maybe she's someone's secret love child."
Sienna ignored them.
**Focus. Blend in. Don't stand out.**
Unfortunately, **fate had other plans.**
**Click. Click. Click.**
The sharp sound of heels echoed, slicing through the murmurs.
A **honeyed voice**, laced with venom, purred from behind.
"Oh? A new face."
Sienna turned, her breath steady, her pulse not.
**Celeste Davenport.**
The name was practically royalty. **Daughter of a billionaire media mogul, heiress to one of the most powerful social empires, and the undisputed queen of Blackwood Academy.**
Flanking her were three girls—**Vanessa Kingsley, Isla Laurent, and Juliet Hale**—**each as rich, ruthless, and cruel as their leader.**
Celeste's icy blue eyes **swept over Sienna**, her lips curling in amusement.
"I didn't realize Blackwood was accepting charity cases this year," she mused.
Laughter erupted from her clique.
Sienna's jaw tightened, but she kept her expression **calm, unreadable.**
She had dealt with girls like Celeste before. **The ones who ruled through fear, manipulation, and whispers behind closed doors.**
But **she refused to bow.**
Sienna met her gaze head-on. "I didn't realize Blackwood still let in people who mistake wealth for class."
Silence.
The air shifted.
Students nearby **sucked in sharp breaths.**
No one talked back to **Celeste.**
Her eyes darkened, the smile on her face turning razor-sharp. "Oh, you're adorable," she said sweetly. "I can't wait to break you."
Sienna felt the heat of the challenge settle between them, but before she could respond—
"Celeste, leave the fresh meat alone."
The voice was **deep, smooth, and dangerously indifferent.**
The crowd **parted like the Red Sea.**
And then **he appeared.**
**Damien Sterling.**
**Blackwood's untouchable king.**
**The heir to the Sterling fortune.**
Tall. **Unapologetically arrogant.** A sharp jawline, tousled dark hair, and **piercing gray eyes** that seemed to see right through people. His uniform was immaculate—**except for his undone tie, a single rebellion against perfection.**
Sienna felt it instantly.
**Power. Cold, effortless power.**
Celeste's lips curled in delight, flipping her platinum waves over her shoulder. "I was just welcoming her," she purred.
Damien didn't acknowledge her.
His gaze settled on **Sienna.**
And he studied her.
Not like the others. **Not with condescension, amusement, or curiosity.**
But something else.
Something **dark.**
His eyes dragged over her features, pausing just slightly—**as if recognizing something.**
The seconds stretched.
A slow, unbearable tension.
Then—
"Interesting," he murmured.
Then, as if **bored of the moment**, he turned and walked away.
Just like that.
As if **the entire world revolved around him.**
The tension shattered.
Celeste rolled her eyes, but something flashed behind them—**annoyance.**
She smiled at Sienna, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Enjoy your stay, new girl. It won't last long."
Then, with **perfectly practiced grace**, she turned and walked away, her minions following in sync.
The crowd **slowly dissolved.**
Sienna let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding.
This was more than she expected.
**Blackwood Academy was more dangerous than she thought.**
And if she wasn't careful—
**She would be eaten alive.**
---
### **Later That Night – Dormitories**
Sienna sat on the edge of her new bed, staring out the massive window of her dorm room.
The school was silent now, but the weight of **what had happened today still lingered.**
Celeste had **already marked her as an enemy.**
Damien had **noticed her.**
And worst of all—
**She felt like she was being watched.**
She reached for her phone, fingers hesitating over an old number.
She shouldn't.
But before she could stop herself, she typed:
**I made it in. But I think someone recognizes me.**
Her heart pounded as she hit send.
A response came almost instantly.
**Stay quiet. Don't let anyone know who you are. Especially him.**
Sienna's grip tightened around the phone.
Because the truth was—
She wasn't just **a random new student.**
**She was connected to one of the elites.**
And if they ever found out **who she really was…**
**She wouldn't survive Blackwood Academy.**
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**End of Chapter 1**
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