After the class ended, I caught sight of Raven walking out of the lecture hall. Without wasting a second, I followed him, weaving through the crowd. He was already far ahead, chatting with a friend, and I had to quicken my pace. My breath grew shallow—I was practically jogging at this point.
"Raven!" I called out, loud enough for him to hear.
He paused and turned around slowly, his friend still talking beside him until he noticed Raven's attention had shifted. When our eyes met, I felt a strange flicker in my chest. He was… handsome. By our country's standards, he was someone girls would swoon over.
But not my type.
Still, I could understand why Rachel—naïve, dreamy Rachel—might fall for someone like him. Maybe she loved him too much. Maybe she trusted him too much. Maybe that's what killed her. Maybe she agreed to something foolish, something dangerous—something he asked of her.
And if I could stop their marriage…Maybe I could stop her death.
Raven looked at me with a puzzled expression, eyebrows raised slightly as he asked, "Umm, do you need something from me?"
Yes.I need answers.I need the truth.I need to know if you're the reason Rachel ended up dead.
But instead, I forced a steady voice. "Are you… Raven Blaine?"
He blinked, caught off guard. "Yeah. I am."
A sigh of relief left my chest. So it really was him. This was Rachel's future husband.
"I'm Oakley," I said quickly. "You probably don't know me. We're in the same class. I was wondering… I could really use your help with the project. Would you mind meeting at a café sometime to talk about it?"
His expression shifted—wary, guarded. "We could just talk in class…?"
I almost panicked. "No! I mean… no. Please. It won't take much of your time, I swear. I just… I really need your help. Please."
I cringed inwardly at the desperation in my voice. I never begged anyone—especially not a guy. That was one of the reasons I'd been single for all 34 years of my life. But this wasn't about pride.
This was about Rachel. About truth. About life.
He hesitated, studying me like I was some kind of puzzle.
"…Fine," he finally said. "I guess I have a bit of time later today."
"Thank you," I replied, trying to sound casual, though I felt like collapsing. "Really."
As he walked off again, I stayed rooted in place, staring at the back of the boy who would one day be Rachel's husband.
Should I really break off their wedding?
Maybe.
But first, I had to know who Raven Blaine truly was.
Who really was this guy?
That question kept echoing in my mind as I watched Raven disappear down the hallway. A typical businessman-in-the-making? Cold, calculated, emotionally unavailable? Or was there more beneath the polished surface?
"Hey."
I turned to find Hannah standing beside me. She was one of the few people I genuinely trusted. We'd been close since the early days of college, and even ended up landing jobs at the same company later. It was like fate had glued us together.
"What are you doing?" she asked, eyeing me suspiciously. "Did you… get a crush on that guy or something?"
I stared at her, incredulous. "Are you serious?"
She grinned. "I know that's unlike you. Which is why I had to ask. I mean, talking to Raven? Did you even know he existed before this? And wasn't that project you asked him about supposed to be an individual one?"
"Dude, you ask too many questions," I muttered, crossing my arms. Then I added casually, "Anyway, do you know anything about him?"
Hannah blinked. "Why are you suddenly so interested in him?"
I sighed. Not the time for honesty, Oakley. "Just answer the damn question, madam."
She gave me a long look before finally replying. "Well… he's considered a decent guy. Polite. Keeps to himself. And definitely not the type to flirt with every other girl in class, if that's what you're wondering."
I nodded slowly. Totally opposite from Rachel. She was the kind of girl who caught feelings easily. Fell too fast. Trusted too much. And maybe that's why she—
"He also loved someone, I heard," Hannah continued, cutting into my thoughts. "Like, deeply. But that girl left him."
My eyes narrowed. "Really?"
So Rachel wasn't the first girl in his life. That shouldn't have surprised me, but it still did. Raven Blaine—son of a wealthy businessman, future heir to a massive company—of course he had a past. A pretty one, no doubt. But what had happened with that girl?
"So what happened between him and that girl?" I asked Hannah, trying to sound casual.
She shrugged. "I don't know the full story. But from what I've heard through the grapevine, there was some family drama involved. Like… his family didn't approve or interfered somehow."
Typical. The rich always thought love came with a price tag.
"And," she added, lowering her voice, "rumor is they still might have something going on."
I nodded, pretending it didn't faze me, but my mind was already racing. Still something going on? Rachel clearly wasn't the first. But was she the second? Or just the backup?
Before I could ask more, Hannah glanced at the time and winced. "I've got another class—different course. Catch you later?"
"Yeah," I muttered, already half-lost in thought.
As she walked away, I leaned against the hallway wall, eyes unfocused. Maybe… maybe I shouldn't waste time investigating piece by piece. Maybe I should just jump straight to the core.
The wedding.
I never got to attend it. She begged me to come. I promised. And then my stupid flight got canceled, and everything spiraled. By the time I got the next one, it was too late. The ceremony was over. Rachel had already signed her life away.
But not this time.
I dashed back to my dorm, barely registering the path. My heart pounded. This time, I'd see it with my own eyes. Watch her. Watch him. Figure out what really happened.
I crashed onto my bed, pulled the tablet up, and opened the calendar.
The date?
I didn't remember the exact day. Just that it was in June. Sometime around 2034.
Close enough.
I tapped: June 1, 2034.
Eyes closed. Breath steady.
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