Demented Desire

TWO

CHAPTER TWO : Not so well.

Why was it him? Why him, God? Out of all people in the world, why did it have to be Aaron Ivan? He had already caused me enough pain years ago. I didn’t need him anywhere near me now.

I was doing fine without him—better than fine, actually. My life had been peaceful, calm. I’d buried the past and built a career, climbed up the corporate ladder, and now, after all that hard work, he was going to walk back into my life and ruin it.

I threw myself onto the bed with a frustrated groan, staring up at the ceiling. My mind raced with all the things I wanted to say to him, things I couldn’t say tomorrow. Tomorrow, I had to be professional, calm, and collected. But tonight, my thoughts were chaotic, drifting back to the one person I wished I could forget.

Aaron.

Nine years. It had been nine years since he wrecked my life, turning my high school years into a nightmare. The humiliation, the bullying, the fights—it all came rushing back, vivid as if it had happened yesterday.

“Phew, calm down, Celene. Calm down,” I muttered to myself, trying to push down the anger bubbling up inside me.

Flashback.

It was a regular Tuesday afternoon. Elia and I had just left chemistry class, our bags slung over our shoulders as we chatted on our way to the library. The school library was closed for renovations, but we were determined to sneak in and grab the books we needed for our group project.

The library was eerily quiet, the usual hustle and bustle absent. As we walked through the large, dimly lit space, our footsteps echoed on the polished wooden floors. We headed straight for the chemistry row, moving swiftly between the tall shelves.

“Elia!” I whispered, spotting the books we needed. “Let’s hurry, I don’t want to get caught.”

Just as we were about to grab the books, we heard the unmistakable sound of laughter. My heart sank. Elia grabbed my arm and pulled me behind one of the shelves, her eyes wide with panic.

“Look!” she mouthed, gesturing toward the far end of the library.

I peered through the gaps between the books and froze. It was them—the “golden boys” of our school. The popular, untouchable group of guys who thought they owned the place. Of course, it had to be them. And right in the center of the group was Aaron Ivan.

My heart rate spiked. I’d heard plenty about Aaron. His father was a billionaire, owner of Ivan Hotels, the company that basically had hotels all over the world. Aaron walked the halls like he was royalty, and most people treated him that way.

But behind his looks and charm was a cruel, arrogant heart. I knew that all too well. He and his friends were the untouchable elite of our school, and they got away with everything—pranks, insults, breaking the rules. No one dared to cross them, and if you did, you paid for it.

Elia and I crouched down, staying hidden, but we couldn’t help but listen as they started playing Truth or Dare.

I rolled my eyes. “Seriously? Truth or Dare? Cringe” I muttered under my breath, making Elia stifle a giggle.

They spun a bottle, and it landed on Aaron. His cocky smirk grew wider. “Dare,” he said lazily, leaning back against one of the shelves as if he owned the place.

His friend, Josh, grinned wickedly. “Alright, I dare you to date that girl who won first place in badminton... What’s her name again?”

My stomach twisted. Oh no.

“Oh, you mean Celene?” another friend chimed in, grinning. “Yeah, she’s cute. Bet you can’t get her.”

My heart pounded in my chest. I grabbed Elia’s arm, my nails digging into her skin. “They better not be talking about me.”