May stormed into the mansion, Berry and Amanda trailing behind her excitedly.
They had practically begged her to hang out at her place — and more importantly, to finally see her mysterious uncle closely enough.
The Jones estate was massive, elegant, intimidating.
May was halfway up the staircase when a voice stopped her.
"you are home."
She turned.
"Uncle!" she sighed dramatically, immediately changing her expression.
Dylan sat in the grand living room, calm and composed, a glass of wine resting in his hand.
May signaled the butler.
"Take them upstairs," she ordered softly.
Berry and Amanda were quickly escorted away.
May walked toward Dylan and wrapped her arms around him.
"Your teacher called," Dylan said smoothly. "What did you do this time, Princess?"
He had spoiled her rotten since childhood.
And he knew it.
"I didn't do anything!" May pouted. "Just a little argument with that psycho girl."
After the incident with Isolde, May had secretly paid some group of men to harass Isolde.
She sniffed lightly, forcing tears into her eyes.
"I was bullied today…"
Dylan studied her face carefully.
"I know you weren't entirely innocent, May."
"I swear, Uncle!" she insisted quickly. "Even Jackson followed her and intimidated me."
Dylan's expression sharpened slightly.
Jackson Smith?
Interesting.
He stroked her hair gently.
"Don't worry. As long as you are a Jones you will never be wronged."
May's lips curved faintly.
"Tomorrow, I'll send Mr. Ken to your school."
"I think her name is…" May pretended to think. "I can't remember."
"You don't have to—"
"Wait!" she snapped her fingers lightly. "I remember. Isolde Vayn."
The name landed heavily.
Dylan went still.
Isolde Vayn.
That was the name the homeroom teacher had mentioned last week.
A name that had already been under quiet investigation for a while now.
"Would you prefer if I went personally?" Dylan asked calmly.
May's eyes brightened.
"Will you? I love you, Uncle!"
She hugged him tightly before going upstairs to meet her friends.
The moment she disappeared—
Dylan's face darkened.
The warmth vanished.
"Sir."
Mr. Ken approached quietly from the side.
"Did you get the information I requested?" Dylan asked.
"Yes, sir."
Ken handed him a folder.
"But there is something… unusual."
Dylan opened it slowly, scanning the contents.
He smiled faintly.
"I knew it."
Ken hesitated.
"She has no official birth records before a certain age. No hospital data. No proper lineage tracing."
Dylan closed the file.
"She isn't human."
Ken swallowed.
"I suspected the same."
Dylan's eyes turned cold.
"That means the man housing her is not human either."
A flicker of hatred passed through him.
"So the vampire princess has left her coven… and stepped into the human world."
He leaned back.
"I wonder why."
His lips curved slowly.
"Seems things are about to get interesting."
"It's been a long time since I've hunted."
Inside the Vayns mansion, the air was tense.
"I told you to remain as invisible as possible," Kael said, his voice calm but edged with displeasure. "Yet you created a scene."
Isolde lowered her gaze.
"I'm sorry."
Her voice was soft, but not weak.
"They were trying to bully me. I couldn't just stand there and let them humiliate me."
Thankfully she was able to escape those taunt that May hired to harass her without exposing her identity.
Kael exhaled slowly.
He understood her.
Isolde had always been kind — painfully so. Back in the kingdom, her compassion was legendary. She could not watch a maid being mistreated without intervening. She could not ignore injustice talk more when the injustice is directed at her.
But this was not their world.
Here, stubbornness could expose them.
Here, power attracted hunters.
"We cannot afford attention," Kael said more gently. "Not now."
He stepped closer and pulled her lightly to look at him.
"It's alright, my princess," he murmured. "I will look into the matter tomorrow."
She nodded.
Kael's eyes darkened slightly.
The year was already halfway through.
He only needed to endure this school life drama for a little longer.
Once she graduated, they would completely focus on their mission and return home soonest.
He repeated it to himself like a vow.
Just a little longer.
The next morning, chaos erupted at the school.
Students crowded the hallways, whispering excitedly.
Phones were out.
Eyes were wide.
Two men stood at the entrance of the administrative building — and the entire school seemed to orbit around them.
On the right stood Dylan Jones.
Head of the Jones Group.
Young. Powerful. Untouchable.
He stood tall, shoulders broad, posture commanding. His skin held a subtle bronze tone, his sharp jawline emphasized by hair slicked neatly backward. His expression was serious — almost intimidating — like a man used to control.
He did not smile.
He did not need to.
Power radiated from him effortlessly.
On the left stood Kael.
Tall and lean, his presence quieter but far more unsettling.
Where Dylan's aura was authority—
Kael's was elegance.
His dark hair rested slightly over his forehead, softening features that were almost too beautiful for a man. His skin seemed flawless under the morning light. His posture was relaxed, yet dangerous.
If Dylan looked like a king of men—
Kael looked like something not entirely human.
The contrast between them was striking.
Human dominance.
And ancient immortality.
Students whispered uncontrollably.
"Why are they both here?"
"Is this about yesterday?"
"Is that the Vayns guardian?"
"Why is the Jones CEO personally here again?"
The tension in the air thickened.
And then—
Their eyes met.
Across the courtyard.
Dylan's gaze sharpened slightly.
Kael's expression remained unreadable.
Predator recognizing predator.
And neither man intended to yield.
Dylan's lips curved into a slow, deliberate smirk as he held Kael's gaze.
It wasn't friendly.
It was a warning.
Without another word, the two men stepped into the principal's office.
Inside.
The air felt suffocating.
Principal Johnson sat stiffly behind his desk, sweat forming at his temples. He had never hosted two men of such status in his office at the same time.
It felt less like a meeting—
And more like a negotiation between empires.
"So," Dylan began smoothly, crossing one leg over the other. "You're suggesting that my niece should apologize to Isolde?"
His voice was calm.
But the undertone was sharp enough to cut.
Principal Johnson swallowed.
"That's not exactly what I'm saying, Mr. Jones—"
"Oh?" Dylan tilted his head slightly.
Kael spoke next, his tone colder.
"Are you implying that my princess should be the one to apologize?"
His eyes flickered briefly toward Dylan.
A silent challenge.
"N-no, that's not what I mean either," Mr. Johnson stammered, nearly rising from his chair in panic. "I'm only trying to resolve this peacefully."
"Peacefully? Kael said. May Joans hired some taunt to harass my lady and you are saying peacefully. Kael said not satisfied.
" If that is true how could a young girl like her be able to escape group of taunt with no harm? Dylan asked
Silence.
Heavy.
Both men stared at each other with anger.
The principal wiped his forehead.
"Since… since neither young lady is willing to accept the blame or apologize," he continued shakily, "perhaps we can settle this differently."
Dylan leaned back slightly.
Kael remained still.
"How?" they both asked at the same time.
The principal blinked nervously.
"A competition," he blurted out. "The inter-school showcase is next week. Let the two young ladies compete. Whoever wins… will be the one to receive the apologies
Silence again.
Dylan's eyes glinted with interest.
Kael's expression did not change.
Finally—
"Very well," Kael said calmly.
Dylan's lips curved slightly.
"Agreed."
Kael turned his head slightly toward Dylan.
"Let's make this quick," he added. "Or is the princess of the Jones family… incapable?"
The insult was subtle.
Intentional.
Dylan's gaze hardened.
"My princess does not lose."
The air between them grew sharp.
Principal Johnson released a silent breath of relief.
For once—
They agreed on something.
Outside, students were still gathered, waiting.
Whispers filled the hallway.
The office door opened.
Both men stepped out.
Instant silence.
"What happened?" Isolde asked as she approached Kael. Jace stood beside her.
Kael's eyes briefly shifted to Jace.
Cold.
Warning.
Then he looked back at Isolde.
"If you want an apology," he said simply, "win the competition coming up next week during the inter showcase."
Her brows furrowed slightly.
"A competition?"
He nodded once.
"I will explain later. I'll be heading home now."
He took a step away—
Then paused.
"And you," he said, looking directly at Jace, his voice lowering. "Keep your distance."
The message was clear.
Not a suggestion.
A command.
Kael walked away without another glance.
Across the courtyard, May clung to Dylan's arm, her expression confident.
"Don't worry," she said softly. "We won't lose."
Dylan's gaze drifted past her—
Toward Isolde.
Standing at a distance.
Unmoving.
He smiled faintly.
"This will be interesting."