Carolyn's POV I was completely drained by the time I stepped into the house.Today at school had somehow been worse than yesterday.And I had no doubt that tomorrow would be worse than today.I didn’t know how I was going to survive this.Without thinking, I started walking past the sitting room, heading straight to my room. I didn’t have the energy for anything—or anyone.But then—“Good afternoon to you too, Carolyn.”The sarcastic voice made me jump.I turned abruptly, my heart pounding, only to find Aunty Pat sitting in the living room, watching television.“Wow, calm down. Why are you so jumpy? Are you o—”I didn’t let her finish.I collapsed into her arms, my body trembling as the weight of everything I had endured crashed over me.And then—The tears came.I couldn’t stop them.I sobbed uncontrollably, gripping her as if she were the only thing keeping me from falling apart completely.“Oh my God, Carolyn!” Aunty Pat’s voice was filled with panic as she wrapped her arms around
J.J.’s POVI pulled into my usual parking spot, the sleek black of my car gleaming under the early morning sun. As I turned off the ignition, I noticed a figure standing close to my space. A girl.Probably another desperate social climber looking for a way into my family's wealth.I sighed, already irritated. I wasn’t in the mood for meaningless conversations, especially not first thing in the morning. I grabbed my bag, stepped out of the car, and started toward the school building—until someone reached out and grabbed my wrist.The audacity.I turned sharply, ready to put whoever it was in their place, but when I saw her, I froze for half a second.Carolyn.She stood in front of me, looking up with those damn blue eyes. There was something raw in them, something I wasn’t expecting. Desperation. Fear. But also… determination?“Are you insane?” I snapped, jerking my hand away. “Let me go.”She hesitated before speaking. “I need to talk to you.”I narrowed my eyes. She had never approac
Carolyn’s POVThe weight of J.J.’s bag dug into my arms as I followed him through the hallways.It was heavier than I expected—probably full of textbooks he never touched. Still, I tightened my grip and kept my head down. My feet moved on instinct, but my heart pounded in my chest like a trapped bird.I couldn’t believe I had just agreed to this.J.J. Johnson’s personal servant.I wanted to convince myself that I had made the right decision—that obeying him would make things easier. But deep down, I knew it wasn’t true.J.J. didn’t go easy on anyone.The moment we stepped into the classroom, all eyes turned to us.Or rather, to me.Whispers erupted almost instantly. Girls’ eyes narrowed with barely concealed jealousy, while the guys smirked, some looking amused, others intrigued.Oh God.J.J. walked ahead like he owned the place—because, in a way, he did. He was the king of this school, and everyone bowed to him in one way or another. And now, I was walking beside him, carrying his ba
J.J.’s POVThe second the lunch bell rang, I leaned back in my chair, stretching lazily as the classroom emptied around me.Carolyn was already on her feet, ready to do as she was told.Good. She was learning quickly.I didn’t have to say a word—she already knew what to do. Without waiting for my command, she grabbed her bag and hurried toward the cafeteria. She was going to get me my food.I smirked.She was scared.That was good. Fear was control.Julius and George flanked me as we walked out of the classroom, making our way toward the private lounge . I was loving my life at school, I had my own space, my own rules, and now—I had my own personal servant.“Think she’ll actually bring the food back warm?” Julius asked, smirking as he pulled out his phone.George laughed. “I doubt it. She looked like she was gonna puke when you ordered her to get it. Who knows, maybe she’ll run away.” I could see that George was hoping she would, after our phone conversation yesterday, he seems to b
Carolyn’s POVThe silence followed me everywhere.It was worse than the laughter, worse than the insults.At least when people bullied me, they acknowledged my existence. Now? Now I was a ghost.Ever since J.J. declared me his, the entire school had started avoiding me like the plague.The first few days had been the hardest. I walked into the cafeteria, expecting glares, maybe even another humiliation, but instead—nothing.People simply moved away.If I sat at a table, students got up and left.If I walked into a hallway, the chatter died down, and then I’d hear their whispers the moment I passed."That’s J.J.’s property…""He really wasn’t joking.""I heard she even cleans his shoes now…"Rumors. Lies. Some close to the truth, others ridiculous. But none of them mattered.Because the result was the same.I was alone, well not really, I had Tina but she has been very sick for a while now and has not been to school.Even Emma—who once took every opportunity to make my life miserable—r
Carolyn’s POVI stood in front of Covent High School, my stomach twisting with nerves.The school’s tall gates stretched before me, their sleek metal bars polished to perfection. Beyond them, the school grounds looked like something out of a magazine—lush green lawns, towering buildings, and students dressed in crisp uniforms.This wasn’t just any school. It was for the rich, the children of senators, business tycoons, and celebrities. Here, kids arrived in chauffeur-driven cars or drove themselves in luxury vehicles.I swallowed hard. What am I doing here?At fourteen, I was the only child of my mother, who had raised me alone in a ghetto slum. Life had been hard, but I had studied relentlessly and earned a full scholarship to Covent High School, one of the most prestigious and expensive private schools in Nigeria.Now, here I was. A girl from the slums, about to walk into a school full of kids who had never known hardship.I forced my legs to move forward.Just as I reached the gate
Carolyn’s POVTina and I walked toward the administrative block, both of us relieved to have found a friend on our first day at Covent High School.She had just told me that she hadn’t received her school ID either. Like me, she was on a scholarship, but unlike mine, hers wasn’t a full ride. Her family had to pay for half of the tuition, which they could afford because they were middle class.That put her above me on the social ladder but far below the ultra-rich kids at this school.I wasn’t just from a less privileged background. I was poor.As we entered the administrative office, I noticed a woman sitting behind the reception desk. She looked to be in her early forties, her short, cornrows hair neatly styled. She was typing something on her computer, her lips pressed into a thin line.The moment she saw us, her frown deepened.Tina and I exchanged a nervous glance.“Good morning, ma,” we greeted in unison.The woman said nothing.The awkward silence was deafening, making me shift
J.J’s POVI could still feel the sting of her slap on my cheek.No one—no one—had ever dared to lay a hand on me before.The nerve of that girl.I clenched my jaw, my fingers drumming against the smoker’s table in the private lounge—a room only I, Julius, and George were allowed to use. It was one of the perks of being untouchable in this school.The lounge had a plush couch, a stocked fridge, a sound system, and a smoker’s table where we sat when we wanted to escape the noise of the school.Julius sat across from me, quiet, his arms crossed. He hadn’t said much about his cousin since we entered the room, but I could feel his concern like a weight in the air.It was funny.Julius had acted like he hated Carolyn before, but now? Now he was worried about what I might do to her.And he should be.Because I wasn’t going to let this go.She had challenged me in front of people. Embarrassed me.She needed to learn who owned this school.“Are we not going to class?” Julius finally asked, his
Carolyn’s POVThe silence followed me everywhere.It was worse than the laughter, worse than the insults.At least when people bullied me, they acknowledged my existence. Now? Now I was a ghost.Ever since J.J. declared me his, the entire school had started avoiding me like the plague.The first few days had been the hardest. I walked into the cafeteria, expecting glares, maybe even another humiliation, but instead—nothing.People simply moved away.If I sat at a table, students got up and left.If I walked into a hallway, the chatter died down, and then I’d hear their whispers the moment I passed."That’s J.J.’s property…""He really wasn’t joking.""I heard she even cleans his shoes now…"Rumors. Lies. Some close to the truth, others ridiculous. But none of them mattered.Because the result was the same.I was alone, well not really, I had Tina but she has been very sick for a while now and has not been to school.Even Emma—who once took every opportunity to make my life miserable—r
J.J.’s POVThe second the lunch bell rang, I leaned back in my chair, stretching lazily as the classroom emptied around me.Carolyn was already on her feet, ready to do as she was told.Good. She was learning quickly.I didn’t have to say a word—she already knew what to do. Without waiting for my command, she grabbed her bag and hurried toward the cafeteria. She was going to get me my food.I smirked.She was scared.That was good. Fear was control.Julius and George flanked me as we walked out of the classroom, making our way toward the private lounge . I was loving my life at school, I had my own space, my own rules, and now—I had my own personal servant.“Think she’ll actually bring the food back warm?” Julius asked, smirking as he pulled out his phone.George laughed. “I doubt it. She looked like she was gonna puke when you ordered her to get it. Who knows, maybe she’ll run away.” I could see that George was hoping she would, after our phone conversation yesterday, he seems to b
Carolyn’s POVThe weight of J.J.’s bag dug into my arms as I followed him through the hallways.It was heavier than I expected—probably full of textbooks he never touched. Still, I tightened my grip and kept my head down. My feet moved on instinct, but my heart pounded in my chest like a trapped bird.I couldn’t believe I had just agreed to this.J.J. Johnson’s personal servant.I wanted to convince myself that I had made the right decision—that obeying him would make things easier. But deep down, I knew it wasn’t true.J.J. didn’t go easy on anyone.The moment we stepped into the classroom, all eyes turned to us.Or rather, to me.Whispers erupted almost instantly. Girls’ eyes narrowed with barely concealed jealousy, while the guys smirked, some looking amused, others intrigued.Oh God.J.J. walked ahead like he owned the place—because, in a way, he did. He was the king of this school, and everyone bowed to him in one way or another. And now, I was walking beside him, carrying his ba
J.J.’s POVI pulled into my usual parking spot, the sleek black of my car gleaming under the early morning sun. As I turned off the ignition, I noticed a figure standing close to my space. A girl.Probably another desperate social climber looking for a way into my family's wealth.I sighed, already irritated. I wasn’t in the mood for meaningless conversations, especially not first thing in the morning. I grabbed my bag, stepped out of the car, and started toward the school building—until someone reached out and grabbed my wrist.The audacity.I turned sharply, ready to put whoever it was in their place, but when I saw her, I froze for half a second.Carolyn.She stood in front of me, looking up with those damn blue eyes. There was something raw in them, something I wasn’t expecting. Desperation. Fear. But also… determination?“Are you insane?” I snapped, jerking my hand away. “Let me go.”She hesitated before speaking. “I need to talk to you.”I narrowed my eyes. She had never approac
Carolyn's POV I was completely drained by the time I stepped into the house.Today at school had somehow been worse than yesterday.And I had no doubt that tomorrow would be worse than today.I didn’t know how I was going to survive this.Without thinking, I started walking past the sitting room, heading straight to my room. I didn’t have the energy for anything—or anyone.But then—“Good afternoon to you too, Carolyn.”The sarcastic voice made me jump.I turned abruptly, my heart pounding, only to find Aunty Pat sitting in the living room, watching television.“Wow, calm down. Why are you so jumpy? Are you o—”I didn’t let her finish.I collapsed into her arms, my body trembling as the weight of everything I had endured crashed over me.And then—The tears came.I couldn’t stop them.I sobbed uncontrollably, gripping her as if she were the only thing keeping me from falling apart completely.“Oh my God, Carolyn!” Aunty Pat’s voice was filled with panic as she wrapped her arms around
J.J.’s POVI drove home, gripping the steering wheel a little too tightly, my mind drifting back to Carolyn.To her face.The way she looked at me when I called her a charity case.The raw pain in her eyes.I knew I had broken something inside her.And I shouldn’t care.I don’t care.…Do I?I scoffed, shaking my head as I pulled into my family’s estate.The gates of my father’s mansion opened automatically, allowing me to drive into the long, paved driveway.The sheer size and grandeur of our home never failed to remind me just how untouchable I was.A seventeen-bedroom duplex, complete with a private cinema, a basketball court, a swimming pool, a game room, and an underground wine cellar.To the world, I had everything.But only I knew the truth.This wasn’t a home.It was compensation.Since the day I was born, I had never lacked anything.Expensive gifts. Luxury cars. First-class trips around the world.People envied me. They thought my parents loved me so much that they drowned me
Carolyn’s POVAfter everything that had happened that morning, I dragged myself to the cafeteria, my body aching and my heart heavy.J.J.’s words from earlier still rang in my head."I am going to break you, piece by piece."I swallowed, pushing the memory aside. I needed to eat. I hadn’t had dinner last night, I hadn’t had breakfast this morning, and after spending hours kneeling in the sun, my body was screaming for energy.I scanned the cafeteria, looking for a safe place to sit, when I saw Tina waving at me from a seat far away from the popular kids’ table.Relief flooded through me.I started walking toward her, passing by J.J.’s table where he sat with George, Julius, Emma, and two other girls.Emma’s minions.I felt their eyes on me, their silent judgment pressing against my skin like needles. I kept my head down, quickening my pace.The further away I got from them, the better I felt."Just get to Tina."When I reached her table, she immediately grabbed my hand and pulled me d
Carolyn’s POVAs J.J. walked away from me, I felt my dignity shatter into pieces.I couldn’t stop him.I couldn’t reason with him.I couldn’t even make him feel guilty.He had looked me in the eyes and told me he was going to break me, piece by piece—and I knew, from the chilling certainty in his voice, that he meant every word.I tried to hate him, truly hate him.But for some reason, I couldn’t.A part of me, a small, disgusting part, felt something else entirely.Was it fear? Frustration? Obsession?I collapsed onto the floor, my legs buckling beneath me.What am I going to do?I had fought so hard to get into one of the most prestigious schools in the country—and yet, within two days, my dream had turned into a nightmare.Everything was happening so fast. Too fast.I was losing control.I was losing myself.The pain in my knees brought me back to reality. A sharp, throbbing ache pulsed through my legs, but it was nothing compared to the humiliation that burned deep in my chest.I
J.J.'s POVWatching Carolyn drag herself to the podium was pure gold.The hesitancy in her steps, the way her hands trembled as she reached for the microphone, the sheer terror in her wide blue eyes—it was a performance all on its own.I almost laughed right then and there.This was going to be so much better than I imagined.As she hesitated, gripping the mic tightly, the entire assembly waited in anticipation. Some students exchanged amused glances, while others—like Emma—looked downright annoyed that Carolyn was even in the spotlight.And then, she started to sing.The moment her voice came out, the assembly erupted in laughter.It was horrendous.She sounded like a frog choking on its last breath.It wasn’t just bad—it was painful to listen to. Her voice cracked so much that it sounded like someone was actively strangling her.Even the principal’s face twisted in embarrassment.Madam Grace, who had looked skeptical from the start, snatched the microphone away from Carolyn, her exp