Sit Beside Me

The uniformed driver stepped out of the sleek black Bentley, his polished shoes crunching against the gravel as he instinctively moved toward the front passenger door. It was an unspoken but ironclad rule within the Hawthorne family: no one shared the back seat with Kaelen Hawthorne. Regardless of their social standing, business ties, or familial connections, passengers always rode in the front.

Just as the driver reached for the gleaming chrome handle, a heavy, metallic click echoed in the quiet morning air. Kaelen pushed the rear door open from the inside.

His deep, resonant voice cut through the tranquil silence. "You can sit at the back."

Serena, who already had one delicate foot pointed toward the passenger side, froze mid-step.

The driver spun around, his eyes widening in pure shock. He stared at his formidable boss, unable to mask his disbelief. "Sir?"

Kaelen didn't even spare the man a passing glance. His sharp, dark gaze remained firmly locked on the ethereal girl standing under the oak tree. "Sit here," he commanded, his tone leaving absolutely no room for hesitation or argument.

"Oh. Okay." Serena blinked, adjusting her grip on her phone. She smoothly shifted her path and slid into the plush, custom leather interior of the back seat.

The driver swallowed hard, quietly shutting the heavy door before hurrying behind the wheel. The powerful engine purred to life, and the luxurious car pulled away from the curb, merging into the morning traffic.

The cabin was incredibly spacious, yet the man's imposing, masculine presence seemed to swallow all the oxygen in the confined space. Serena offered a polite, sweet smile, wanting to make a good impression. "Thank you for picking me up, Zane."

Kaelen leaned back against the headrest, his broad shoulders relaxing into the leather. He didn't correct her mistake. Instead, he simply watched her. His sharp, calculating eyes traced the delicate lines of her face, assessing her with the focused intensity of a predator cornering its chosen prey.

Serena shifted awkwardly in her seat. The heavy, suffocating silence and his unblinking stare made the fine hairs on her arms prickle. Is there something wrong with Zane? she wondered, glancing down at her pristine, ruffled white dress. Did I spill something on myself? Why does he keep staring at me like that? Finding nothing out of place, she folded her hands in her lap and forced herself to sit perfectly still.

"You're welcome," Kaelen finally drawled, his lips curving into a faint, amused smirk. "You can return the favor by buying me lunch."

Serena's breath hitched in genuine surprise. We're cousins, she thought, her brows knitting together in confusion. He was just doing a simple family favor by dropping her off at school. Asking for a meal in return seemed oddly pushy for a relative she had just met for the first time. Does he think we're close already?

"Sure," she replied, keeping her tone light and agreeable. "Let's grab lunch together later."

"You're in the theatrical arts department?" he asked, his voice smooth, deep, and probing.

"Yes."

"I'll come find you at noon."

"Okay," Serena answered flatly, pronouncing the single word with finality. She didn't want to drag this strange conversation out any longer than necessary.

Kaelen wasn't known for making idle small talk anyway. Seeing her brief, clipped responses, he dropped the subject. He pulled his phone from his tailored pocket, his long fingers tapping out a quick message to the actual Zane.

Kaelen: Your cousin is quite impressive.

A moment later, his screen lit up with a rapid reply.

Zane: Kael, did you get her? I haven't seen her since she got back to the family. What does she look like?

Kaelen shifted his gaze back to Serena, taking in the way the morning sunlight danced across her flawless skin and the graceful, elegant curve of her neck. He typed a single word.

Kaelen: Stunning.

Across the city, Zane stared at his glowing screen in absolute horror. Stunning? What the hell does that mean? Stunningly ugly? Damn it. No wonder there are endless rumors about her being too hard on the eyes, which is exactly why the Sterling family refuses to present her publicly!

Zane frantically typed back: Kael, she's my cousin! You have to be nice to her! Please don't ditch her on the side of the road just because she's ugly. How am I supposed to explain that to my old man when I get home? Damn it!

Kaelen scoffed silently and locked his phone, shoving it back into his pocket. He ignored the desperate texts flooding his screen, having zero intention of clarifying the misunderstanding.

The Bentley glided smoothly down the bustling streets, eventually slowing to a halt near the sprawling, wrought-iron gates of Cranston University. The morning rush was in full swing, with massive crowds of students swarming the grand entrance.

Serena grabbed her bag, preparing to step out into the chaos. She glanced back at the man sitting beside her. "Zane, are you coming in with me?"

Before Kaelen could answer, the driver spoke up from the front seat, his tone cautious. "Ms. Sterling, he doesn't like entering through the main gate. The crowds are too noisy..."

"I'll come with you," Kaelen interrupted smoothly, cutting the driver off before he could finish his sentence. Acting on a rare, spontaneous whim, Kaelen wanted to step out of the vehicle and walk through the prominent school gates alongside her.

The driver choked on his own breath, staring at the rearview mirror like he had just witnessed a ghost. What is wrong with him today? Why is he suddenly breaking all of his own rules?

Serena frowned. The conflicting statements made her supposed cousin seem bizarrely erratic and unpredictable. Still, she didn't argue the point.

Kaelen stepped out of the car, his towering, dominant frame immediately drawing attention. Serena followed, her white dress fluttering in the gentle breeze. Standing before the familiar, towering university gates, a strange wave of emotion washed over her. It felt like a lifetime since she had last walked these very grounds.

As they moved toward the bustling entrance side by side, the ambient chatter of the crowd suddenly morphed into a frenzied, echoing buzz. Eyes darted in their direction. Loud whispers erupted, spreading like wildfire across the sprawling brick courtyard.

"Ah! It's Kaelen!"

"Kaelen Hawthorne is actually at the main gate. Oh my god."

"Is that really him? Am I hallucinating right now? Who is that next to him?"

"Damn, the girl beside him is gorgeous. Is she his girlfriend? No way. You've got to be kidding me. I'm heartbroken."

"Impossible. Kaelen has never had a girlfriend. I thought the rumors said he swung for the other team! That girl has to be a relative, right?"

Piercing gazes locked onto them from every conceivable angle.

Serena's footsteps faltered. The names floating through the charged air hit her ears with startling clarity. Kaelen? Kaelen Hawthorne?

She snapped her head up, turning a deeply suspicious glare on the tall man walking calmly beside her.

Serena stopped dead in her tracks, confronting the unavoidable question. "Who are you?" she demanded, her voice tight with confusion. "Aren't you Zane?"

Kaelen slipped his hands into his tailored pockets, stopping in the middle of the crowded pathway. He looked down at her. She was a full head shorter than him, her delicate frame fitting perfectly into his field of vision. If he reached out, she was the exact right height to pull into a seamless hug.

"No, I'm not," he replied, his tone infuriatingly casual.

Serena's jaw dropped. "You're not Zane?!" A massive surge of panic and indignation flooded her chest. "Then who are you?!"

Did I just get into a random man's car? Did I agree to buy lunch for a total stranger? What did those students call him? Kaelen? She was utterly shocked and flabbergasted.

"Did I ever tell you I was Zane?" Kaelen countered, a faint, amused smirk playing on his lips.

"I called you Zane!" Serena shot back, her cheeks flushing with mounting irritation. "Why didn't you say anything to correct me?!"

"I thought it would be better for me to play along."

Serena stood there, utterly dumbfounded. She stared at his sharp, handsome face, unable to comprehend the sheer audacity of his words. He sounded so justified in his deception. So arrogant. She had never met someone so blatantly shameless in her entire life.

"So where is Zane?" she pressed, her patience snapping like a brittle twig. "Why did you come to pick me up instead of him?"

Kaelen shrugged, his dark eyes gleaming with unfiltered indifference. "Who knows? He might be dead for all I know."

Meanwhile, miles away, Zane sprinted desperately toward the campus, completely oblivious to the casual curse his supposed best friend had just cast upon him.

Serena gritted her teeth. She couldn't believe this guy. He was just shooting his mouth off, treating the whole situation like a highly entertaining game. She couldn't be bothered to pay him any more attention.

"Forget it," she muttered. She spun on her heel and stormed through the university gates in sheer frustration. Kaelen trailed lazily behind her. As another gentle breeze blew past, it lifted the hem of her dress, revealing her slender, fair calves. The smirk on Kaelen's face deepened into a genuine, lingering smile.

Serena strode down the bustling campus pathways, deliberately ignoring the arrogant stranger trailing her. Having spent four grueling years at Cranston University in her past life, she navigated the winding roads and grand brick buildings with practiced ease. She swiftly found the enrollment office, sorted out her necessary paperwork, and grabbed her class schedule.

A young lecturer guided Serena toward the main lecture hall. As she walked the painfully familiar corridors, the vibrant energy of the campus faded into a chilling, suffocating memory.

This was the exact place where her life had unraveled.

Vivid flashes of her past life hit her like physical blows. She remembered the relentless bullying, the daily torment, and the isolating whispers. An intense, burning hatred surged within her chest. She used to blame herself for her miserable fate. She thought she just wasn't smart enough, not hard-working enough. She believed that was why Marcella had repeatedly snatched away every single opportunity that should have belonged to her.

But now, standing in this new life, Serena knew the brutal truth. It had nothing to do with her effort. Marcella was reborn too. Marcella knew the future, anticipating Serena's every move, stealing every chance, and destroying her reputation with calculated, malicious precision.

A dark hostility overwhelmed Serena as she thought about her enemy.

Her phone suddenly buzzed in her hand, breaking her bitter train of thought. She glanced at the illuminated screen. A notification from the dark web popped up. The complex coding challenge she had initiated earlier that morning had been officially accepted. The digital duel was set to take place over the weekend.

A cold, sharp smile graced Serena's lips, making her feel infinitely better.

I have a chance to start over. This time, I will make all the wishes from my past life come true before Marcella can even formulate a plan. She likes to compete? Fine. I will go all out against her this time. Watch your back, Marcella Voss. You won't know what hit you.

Serena pushed open the heavy wooden doors and entered the massive lecture hall.

The room was packed. Dozens of classmates milled about, chatting animatedly about the upcoming afternoon freshman orientation. The moment Serena stepped through the doorway, the loud chatter died down, quickly replaced by furious, overlapping whispers as they scrutinized her from head to toe.

"Is that her? She looks just like the person on the forum."

"It's her! She looks exactly like the girl in the picture. Who else could it be? She is really blessed with her beauty. I thought the photo was edited, but she looks even prettier in person!"

"Unbelievable. Kaelen actually looks compatible with her."

Serena kept her face blank, sweeping her gaze across the room. She spotted multiple familiar faces scattered among the tiered rows. These were the exact same people who had formed tight cliques with Marcella in her previous life. The same people who had deliberately left her out and mocked her.

In her past life, Serena had foolishly tried to build good relationships with them. She had smiled, offered constant help, and bent over backward to fit in. In return, they spread nasty rumors behind her back, treated her like a naive fool, and viewed her as cheap labor who could be paid off with a simple smile.

Upon remembering this bitter reality, Serena discarded any desire to be cordial.

She checked the time on her phone, noting with grim satisfaction that Marcella hadn't arrived yet. Without offering a single greeting or forcing a polite smile, Serena marched straight past the gawking groups. She claimed a seat in the back row, dropped her bag, and began playing with her phone, completely ignoring every single person in the room.