So, Who's The Culprit? (completed)

PROLOGUE

Huge buildings surrounded by towering walls, students scattered across the campus chatting with their friends, and teachers and school personnel in their uniforms—these were the first things I saw as I stepped through the Academy’s gate.

Good old days, I must say.

As I continued ambling forward, my gaze shifting from one familiar sight to another, countless memories came crashing back into my mind. It had been three years. Yet, every time my eyes landed on students wearing the same uniform I once wore, I was reminded of the fear and the unease that settled over us whenever the school announced that another student had gone missing—without reason, without explanation.

There is no such thing as magic. To be more specific, and just as everyone had always suspected, they didn’t just vanish into thin air. They were killed.

It was traumatizing—suffocating, even. The kind of fear that forced you to measure every step, calculate every move, and be meticulous about every decision.

But if you ask me how I survived?

The answer is simple.

Be invisible.

If only I had an invisibility cloak like the one James and Lily Potter gifted their son, Harry, it would have been easy to keep my name and my business hidden from my classmates. But the invisibility I’m referring to isn’t about magic—it’s about minding your own business and maintaining a low profile.

This Academy was built for young entrepreneurs. A school where gangs thrived, and dealing drugs was legalized. Here, it was all about making money. Whether it was legal or not, no one cared. The process was irrelevant as long as you achieved success. The outcome was all that mattered.

However, success came at a cost.

The more popular you became, the wealthier you got, the higher the threats you attracted.

But don’t get me wrong—this Academy isn’t just about the darkness lurking beneath its luxurious, well-manicured surface. It’s also a place where true friendships are forged. In an environment filled with greed, wrath, and deception, bonds of loyalty still managed to bloom.

I didn’t have many friends here, but as I looked around, I saw evidence of strong relationships everywhere. Alliances born out of necessity had turned into genuine friendships. If you weren’t an introvert like me, this was a place where you could find true friends—the kind who would help you bury a corpse if needed.

But why did an introvert like me come back?

The answer is just as simple.

I am no longer an introvert.

Silence is crucial. Knowing when to stay quiet is a skill. But three years ago, I remained silent about something that should have been heard.

This Academy's educational system was—and still is—a mess.

This school tolerates crime.
This school normalizes murder.
What’s worse? They believe that killing is just business.

And maybe, to some extent, it is.

But once you lose someone—someone more than a friend, someone you consider family—because of those twisted beliefs, anger becomes inescapable.

That’s why I’m here.

I am no longer the Amara that people used to know. I am no longer a naïve girl who bows to anyone.

I have spent years building my empire, accumulating billions without the need to flaunt my wealth. Now that I have everything I need—where I can literally buy almost anything—it’s time for a little change. It’s time to step into the light.

My power is worth more than my money.

The richer I became, the more respect I commanded.

And now, my name alone is enough to serve as a warning—messing with Amara Velasco is suicide.

After graduating from this Academy, I dedicated my time to studying international law. With my background in business, I passed all my requirements with ease.

I even tried to buy this school.

After all, it’s a private institution, meaning it operates outside of the government’s control. Unfortunately, I failed. The least I could do for now was to become a teacher.

Losing a friend is never easy.

Especially when that friend was more than just a friend—when she was your sister in everything but blood.

Thalia Sandoval, my best friend, is gone. There was never an accurate explanation for her disappearance, but we all knew the truth: she’s dead.

I’m not here to investigate. I’m not here for revenge. There is no justice to be found in accusations without proof. I have accepted that she is gone.

I’m here for the students who might end up just like her.

Silence is fine. But if you have the power to change the system, to break the cycle, why would you stay silent?

I was once a girl afraid of interaction. A girl who preferred books over people.

But I am no longer that girl.

And whether this change will help me or destroy me, it no longer matters.

Dying is terrifying.

But do you know what’s worse?

Dying without doing anything—knowing you could have made a difference.

Money is just paper. It can buy happiness, but at the end of the day, that happiness is temporary.

And I refuse to settle for that.

It took a lot of courage to come back here. I faced endless interrogations because, of course, it was suspicious—why would someone like me want to become a teacher in this school?

Their doubts were understandable.

But in the end, money solved everything.

A girl who was forged in fire.

I’m Amara.

And I’m back.