Chapter one

18years later

As she strolled through the school grounds, she found herself growing increasingly tired. Her mid-thigh skirt, paired with a blue shirt and a loose tie resting against her chest, made her stand out in the crowd.

Clutching a map of the school in her hand, she was determined to familiarize herself with every nook and cranny of Westford High School.

However, there seemed to be a disturbance in the school environment. Girls were yelling and dashing around aimlessly, creating chaos.

"Hey, transfer student! Why aren't you joining us? The wealthy boys have arrived." A girl extended her hand towards her before darting off in the direction where the crowd was heading.

It was intriguing for her. She glanced back to see what kind of rich boys could captivate the attention of all the girls in the school in such a manner. Curiosity danced in her head, she decided to go and see for herself without any hesitation.

As she approached the mob of excited students, she couldn't help but feel a slight sense of surprise.

"What's happening here?"

Her thought spoke out to her. She craned her neck to catch a glimpse of the boys and noticed two figures clad in black pants and blue shirts, with a black coat draped over one's shoulder.

Their impeccably polished shoes moved gracefully as they walked away from the line of black SUVs parked in front of the school compound through the main hall.

One was wearing a smiling face, appearing friendly and approachable to the crowd. The girls were literally drooling over them.

She rolled her eyes at the sight of a girl throwing kisses at the friendly one. But the other exuded a cold, almost icy aura that could cut through the thickest of barriers.

"Wow, he's quite charming. Evan is really handsome," one of the girls remarked.

"I disagree, I prefer Phil. He has a carefree spirit, unlike his cousin. Evan Baristanas is as arrogant as always!" another girl chimed in.

But the arrogant Evan halted in his tracks, automatically halting Phil in his tracks too.

The girls' conversation had carried itself to the ears of Evan.

The chatter in the hall abruptly died down as all eyes turned to the girl whose direction Evan had turned to.

With his sleek jet-black hair and angular features, Evan Baristanas stood tall with an air of elegance. Wealth, popularity, and most of all, his strikingly handsome appearance.

His deep, hazel eyes held a hint of disdain as he turned fully towards the girl, his gaze sending shivers down her whole being.

"I guess you are talking about me right?" He jolted his head, and his chilling voice reverberated through the air, causing everyone to fall silent.

The girl stood frozen, unable to form a coherent response. It was common knowledge not to cross paths with Evan Baristanas, known for his arrogance, egoistic, and self-centered attitude.

"Did you even bother to look at yourself before speaking about me?" he sneered taking a quick glance at the girl. A devilish grin played on his lips.

"You look like you crawled out of a dumpster. Are you related to poverty?"

The girl was unable to say a word. She dared not to nor to meet his gaze. She kept her head bowed. Her comment had earned her a sharp rebuke from Evan.

The onlookers knew better than to intervene, well aware that the Baristanas family held immense power in the city.

"Evan..." Phil attempted to intervene, but his attempt was swiftly brushed off by Evan's icy glare.

Tension permeated the hall, with everyone holding their breath, afraid to utter a single word.

Suddenly, a voice pierced through the silence.

"That is too much arrogance, you know!"

All eyes turned to follow the sound as Evan's gaze meticulously turned to lock onto the source.

The girls in that direction shrank with fear. They started to pull away from the bold student who dared to challenge Evan.

This paved the way for that particular student to step forward: It was the transfer student. She dared to confront the enigmatic Evan.

A hush fell over the crowd as the students discreetly distanced themselves, unwilling to be associated with challenging Evan. Their family was not as rich as Phil's father, Spark Winterfill, not to mention Evan's father, Chad Baristanas.

She advanced to the center, confronting Evan face to face, her hazel eyes meeting his cold stare. Her ebony hair cascaded down her back, slightly shorter than Evan's towering figure.

Despite being only 18, her poise and the elegance of her mid-thigh skirt projected a maturity beyond her years, drawing admiration from her peers.

Her bold demeanor clashed with the high school prince's aloof demeanor and stunning onlookers. She dared to retort while others cowered in fear.

"You didn't earn what you have, your father gave it to you. That means you rely on his efforts for everything. Shouldn't you reconsider your arrogance," she challenged.

With arms crossed, she scrutinized Evan confidently. Philemon (Phil) Winterfell was a ladies' guy. He couldn't help but feel captivated by her beauty and audacity. He was taken aback. It was the first time someone had stood up against his cousin, and that too a girl. Apart from the fact that he had never seen her in the school before, he was sending smiles towards her direction.

Evan's icy stare remained locked on her yet she didn't back down. The unforeseen confrontation sent shockwaves through the audience, as such defiance had never transpired within the school's walls.

She had no idea of the school's unspoken rule: "Do not cross Evan Baristanas."

"Who the fucking hell you are?"

"Oh, I'm a newly enrolled student here, having arrived just yesterday..."

"How much is the worth of your father? Trillions, billions, millions, thousands, hundreds, or... nothing?" Evan taunted with arrogance.

The girl clung tight to her fist. Her expression turned sour over his comment. Evan was not blind to this. A faint devilish smirk escaped the corner of his lips.

"Why, do you want to punch me? Can you afford that? I bet selling your whole family will not be worth the dust under my feet!"

This poked the anger of the girl. She looked frustratedly annoyed with Evan. Moved with anger, she closed the distance between them.

"Listen, we, the less privileged, place a higher value on humanity than rich people like you! Despite our financial limitations, we still respect others' emotions!" she spatted to his face, her voice fierce and drilling with anger.

Evan let out a soft scoff, directly making eye-to-eye contact with the girl. His face turned so dark.

"I don't mingle with worthless people like you! So if you need to vent your frustrations about your poverty-stricken life, talk to the walls next time!" He remarked coldly.

Brushing past her, he left her seething with anger.

Her jaw clenched in frustration, and her hand balled into a fist tightly. Phil observed her closely, noticing the tension in her fingers.

"I apologize for his behavior," Phil interjected swiftly, causing the girl to turn her attention towards him.

"You're a new student, right? I'm Phil Winterfill, a third-year student," he introduced himself, extending his hand toward the girl to cool the air.

She took a second to calm down.

"Hi, I'm Angel, Angel Rodriguez, and I'm in the fourth year," she replied to the shock of Phil.

"Wait, could that mean you and Evan will be in the same class?"