The library was silent except for the soft scratching of Vaelis’ pen against paper. Sunlight filtered through the tall windows, casting long shadows over the wooden tables.

Four months.

That was all the time she had before the final exams—before she left this place behind for good.

She wasn’t just aiming to pass. She needed to rank at the top. A scholarship wasn’t a choice; it was a necessity.

Her planner was filled with a precise study schedule—subjects color-coded, time slots blocked down to the minute. Morning: mathematics and literature. Afternoon: economics and science. Evening: foreign languages and mock tests. Every hour was accounted for, every weakness targeted.

She would not fail.

Vaelis flipped to the next page of her notebook, pausing when a shadow loomed over her desk. She glanced up.

Sienna Hale.

A girl with perfect grades, sharp eyes, and an even sharper tongue. Sienna had always been one of the top students, carrying an effortless air of confidence. She never openly competed with Vaelis, but there was an unspoken tension between them. A silent battle of who would emerge first.

Sienna slid into the chair across from Vaelis, crossing her legs. “You’ve been locking yourself in here every day. It’s almost obsessive.”

Vaelis didn’t bother looking up. “And yet, you’re here. Watching.”

A soft chuckle. “Can’t help but be curious. You never used to care about rankings.”

Vaelis turned a page. “People change.”

Sienna rested her chin on her hand, studying her. “You’re aiming for the scholarship, aren’t you?”

Vaelis didn’t confirm or deny it. Instead, she met Sienna’s gaze with a slow, deliberate smile. “Are you worried?”

For the first time, Sienna hesitated. It was subtle, but Vaelis saw it.

Then, Sienna smirked. “I like a challenge.”

“Then you’re welcome to try.”

Sienna leaned back, watching her for another moment before standing. “Let’s see how far you get.”

With that, she walked away, but Vaelis didn’t miss the way her fingers drummed against the table—Sienna was thinking, calculating.

Good. Let her.

Vaelis had bigger things to focus on.

---

The Meeting

It was late when Vaelis finally left the library. The city was quiet, the night air cool against her skin as she walked through the dimly lit streets. Her mind was still occupied with formulas and essay outlines when she noticed it—

A presence.

The kind that sent instincts flaring, a silent alarm ringing in the back of her mind.

She didn’t stop walking, but her steps slowed slightly, fingers subtly tightening around her bag. The alley ahead was empty, save for a single figure leaning against the wall near the streetlamp.

He wasn’t dressed like the elites she was used to. No expensive suits or polished shoes. Just dark jeans, a black button-up rolled at the sleeves, and an air of effortless control.

His face was partially obscured by shadows, but even in the dim light, she could see the sharp lines of his jaw, the cold, assessing gaze watching her approach.

She didn’t slow as she passed him, but the moment she did—

“You work too hard, princess.”

Her steps halted.

The voice. The way he said that word.

Something in her mind clicked.

Slowly, Vaelis turned to fully face him, the glow of the streetlamp finally illuminating his features.

Tall. Dark hair, slightly tousled. Sharp, chiseled features that could be mistaken for beauty if not for the lethal edge in his eyes.

The realization slammed into her like a wave.

Him.

The villain.

The one person she knew would rise to power and destroy everything in his path.

Ezra

The name hadn’t been mentioned in Eclipsed by Summer until much later in the original plot, but Vaelis knew exactly who he was. The boy who was meant to be nothing. The one everyone overlooked—until he built an empire from the ashes. Until he became a force no one could control.

Her fingers twitched, but she kept her expression composed. “You should mind your own business.”

Ezra smirked, pushing off the wall. Up close, his presence was suffocating, like a predator toying with its prey.

“Oh, but I find yours fascinating.”

Her heartbeat remained steady, but her mind was already spinning, analyzing.

Why was he here?

He wasn’t supposed to be anyone yet. He was still unknown, just a boy scraping by.

Yet, somehow, he was here. Watching her.

“You should stay in your lane,” she said, her tone cool.

Ezra's smirk didn’t falter. “Funny. I was just about to tell you the same thing.”

She didn’t react, but her mind was already making calculations.

He wasn’t a threat to her yet. He had no wealth, no connections—only a ruthless ambition and a mind sharp enough to carve his own path.

But she had the advantage.

She knew his future.

And if he thought she was someone he could toy with—

He was gravely mistaken.

Ezra took a slow step forward, the space between them shrinking. “Just a warning,” he murmured. “Be careful where you step, princess.”

Her lips curled into a smirk of her own.

“I don’t take warnings,” she said. “I give them.”

Ezra ’s eyes flickered with something unreadable. Amusement? Curiosity?

Then, he stepped back, his expression settling into something more guarded. “We’ll see.”

And just like that, he disappeared into the night.

Vaelis exhaled, fingers clenched at her sides.

She didn’t know why fate had thrown him into her path earlier than expected.

But one thing was certain.

Ezra was supposed to be the villain of Eclipsed by Summer.

But in her story—

He would be nothing more than an obstacle to crush.