Chapter 3

Thalassa's POV

The administrator slid the stamped form across the desk.

I picked up the thin piece of paper, feeling a brief wave of emptiness.

Walking out of the admin building courtyard, Darien blocked my path. He was wearing the dark jacket I’d given him for graduation. He looked at me, the furious rage from this morning entirely gone—replaced with a forced, practiced gentleness.

"You got the stamp?" He glanced at the edge of the paper in my hand. "The north gets freezing and damp. Remember to pack heavy clothes."

"I will."

"I have some errands today, but I'll process my transfer tomorrow morning." He dropped the promise so smoothly, like a man executing a long-planned display of devotion.

The sudden peace almost gave me whiplash.

Then, his phone rang. He answered it without using speakerphone, but the voice on the other end was frantic enough to bleed through.

"Darien... are you busy? If you're busy, it's fine, I don't want to bother you..." Cassira's voice was soft and breathy, like fragile glass. "I'm at the hospital. I got a little dizzy during my blood draw, and the nurse said I can't leave until the results are back."

She let out a tiny sniffle. "It's not a big deal, I just... I got a little scared."

Her voice broke perfectly on the word "scared."

"Don't move, I'm on my way."

Without a single word to me, Darien spun around and jogged away. He didn't even look back once.

Watching him disappear into the crowd, the final trace of warmth in my eyes died completely.

I pulled out my phone and booked a one-way flight to London.

By 2 PM, I was sitting on my apartment floor, packing. I wasn't taking anything unnecessary.

Inside my jewelry box sat a sapphire pendant. Last month for my birthday, Darien had put it around my neck in front of everyone, claiming it was a handcrafted, one-of-a-kind piece he had tracked down just for me.

Until yesterday, when I saw the flawless, authentic version hanging around Cassira's neck.

The one I held was nothing but a cheap replica given away by the brand as a complimentary gift. His "exclusive love" was just a pathetic illusion I had built for myself.

I picked up the necklace and tossed it into a black trash bag like dirty tissue paper.

My phone vibrated violently on the hardwood floor. Darien’s name flashed on the screen.

I answered, expecting a confession. Instead, I got hit with a blind, irrational screaming match.

"Thalassa, exactly how evil can you be to Cassira?"

"What did I do?"

"She was diagnosed with severe depression today."

"That's unfortunate."

"And it's all because of your relentless bullying! You ruined her life!"

I could hear Cassira's forced sobbing in the background. "Darien, stop... I'm just not good enough. I shouldn't have come between you two. If Thalassa treats me this way, it must be my fault... Don't fight with her over me, I'm not worth it."

Darien’s breathing grew heavier over the line.

"If you don't come to the hospital right now and apologize to her face, you can go up north by yourself. I refuse to be tied to a toxic bitch like you for the rest of my life."

I listened calmly to his unhinged roaring.

"The only one who should apologize is you."

Dead silence on his end.

"You betrayed my love and ruined years of companionship. Since you made your choice, you have absolutely no right to lecture me."

I hung up smoothly.

Those few sentences drained the last drop of sorrow from my system. All that remained in my chest was pure, unadulterated disgust.

I opened my contacts and permanently blocked his number, then erased every social media connection we had.

One week later, I pushed open the heavy mahogany doors of the advanced business seminar at a London university.

It was my first class since landing. The man standing behind the podium closed his notes and looked up.

It was Joren Thalyn. Darien's uncle, and a pureblood vampire.

His deep, gray-green eyes betrayed no emotion, yet effortlessly locked onto me from rows away. Dressed in an impeccably tailored dark suit, he radiated a stifling but non-aggressive dominance.

I met his gaze, didn't pause, and walked straight to a corner seat, opening my textbook.

My phone buzzed relentlessly in my bag. Liam, Darien’s teammate, was calling.

I answered, only to hear Darien’s panicked, voice-cracking shout.

"Thalassa, where the hell are you hiding?!"

"Why has your apartment lock been changed?!"

"Which northern university did you go to? Why is everyone saying they haven't seen you?!"