Janaya woke up expecting something.
A message.
A call.
Anything.
But her phone rang with something else entirely.
"Mom?" she said, still half asleep.
"Janaya—you need to come home. Immediately."
Her mother's voice was shaking.
Not normal.
Not controlled.
Fear.
Janaya sat up instantly.
"What is it? Mom, you're scaring me."
"It's your fiancé… Ethan. He was hit by a car on his way to see me. We're at the hospital now."
Silence.
Then,
"…what?"
Janaya blinked.
"Mom… who is Ethan?"
A pause.
Too long.
"And how is he my fiancé?"
"You'll understand when you get here," Mrs. Voss said quickly.
The line went dead.
"Is this some kind of joke?" Janaya muttered, already out of bed.
But something didn't sit right.
Her mother dosent joke like that.
Not with that voice.
Within minutes, she had thrown her essentials into a small box.
No planning.
No thinking.
Just movement.
The journey felt longer than it ever had.
Three hours.
Three hours of questions.
"Fiancé?" she whispered to herself.
Her fingers tightened slightly.
"Not when I'm just starting to…"
She stopped herself.
Starting to what?
Her mind flashed briefly—
A rooftop.
A voice.
A kiss.
She shook her head immediately.
"No."
"Who is Ethan?"
By the time she arrived, her patience was gone.
She rushed into the hospital, breath uneven.
"I'm looking for someone—Ethan Cole."
The receptionist barely looked up.
"Who are you to him?"
Janaya froze.
The question hit harder than expected.
Who am I to him?
She opened her mouth
Nothing came out.
"Are you Ethan's fiancée?" a nurse asked, walking past.
Janaya hesitated.
Just for a second.
Then—
"Yes."
She followed quickly.
Her heart pounding.
Not from fear.
From confusion.
Then she saw her.
"Mom!"
She rushed forward, pulling her into a tight hug.
It had been eight months.
Eight long months.
"You look different," Mrs. Voss said softly, holding her face. "Worried."
"Mom, stop," Janaya said quickly. "Who is Ethan? And why am I his fiancée?"
Her voice cracked slightly.
No patience left.
Mrs. Voss looked away.
That was the first sign.
Guilt.
"Mom."
Silence.
"A lot happened while you were away…"
"I want to know now."
Her tone was firm.
Sharp.
Unyielding.
Mrs. Voss sighed deeply.
Then—
"Your father… got into debt."
Janaya frowned. "Debt?"
"He borrowed money. From people. From families. From the Levand family."
Janaya's expression hardened.
"And?"
"He couldn't pay it back."
A pause.
Then the words dropped.
"He signed an agreement."
Janaya's chest tightened.
"…what kind of agreement?"
Mrs. Voss finally looked at her.
"The kind that involves you."
Silence.
Heavy.
Unreal.
"Ethan… stepped in to clear the debt."
Janaya's voice came out almost as a whisper.
"And in return…?"
Mrs. Voss didn't answer immediately.
She didn't need to.
Janaya already knew.
"No."
She shook her head slowly.
"No, no, no—this is not happening."
"Janaya—"
"He used me?" she snapped, her voice rising. "My own father used me to pay off his mistakes?!"
"Calm down—"
"How much?" she demanded. "How much is this debt?"
Mrs. Voss hesitated.
Then quietly—
"Seventy-five million."
Janaya laughed.
But it wasn't funny.
"Seventy-five… million?"
Her voice cracked.
"How did he even—"
"Betting," her mother said. "He kept borrowing to recover losses. It spiraled."
Janaya stepped back slowly.
"So I'm… payment?"
Her eyes stung.
"I have my own life," she said. "I have someone …"
She stopped again.
Because suddenly—
She wasn't sure what she had.
"The surgery was successful."
A doctor's voice cut through the tension.
Both of them turned.
"Dr. Knight," the nurse added respectfully.
"You can see him," the doctor continued. "But he needs rest. It was a minor procedure."
Janaya barely heard the rest.
Her mind was elsewhere.
Still stuck.
Still spinning.
"Mom…" she said, her voice lower now. "If I find a way to pay the money back…"
Her eyes locked onto her mother's.
"…will I be free?"
They entered quietly.
Ethan was asleep.
Machines steady.
Breathing calm.
Too calm for someone who had just entered her life like a storm.
Janaya stood there, staring.
Trying to imagine it.
A life with him.
A name.
"Janaya Cole…" she muttered unconsciously.
Her face twisted slightly.
"It doesn't even sound right."
Her mother glanced at her but said nothing.
Then—
"Mom… if I find a way to pay the debt… will I be free?"
Her voice was low.
But not low enough.
"No."
The voice came from the bed.
Janaya froze.
Ethan's eyes were open.
Watching her.
Awake.
"Well…" he said slowly, his voice calm but heavy, "I don't think that will be possible."
Janaya's shock turned to anger almost instantly.
"Well, I won't get married to you," she snapped. "No matter what you do."
Ethan didn't react immediately.
Didn't raise his voice.
Didn't argue.
"That's fine," he said quietly. "It doesn't have to be willingly."
A pause.
"The papers already say you're mine."
Janaya clenched her fists.
"My boyfriend wouldn't agree."
It came out fast.
Sharp.
Protective.
Even though—
It wasn't real.
Ethan's gaze sharpened slightly.
"Boyfriend?" he repeated.
"I'd like to see what he can do."
Janaya scoffed.
"You won't even get past his driver."
That did it.
A flicker of irritation crossed Ethan's face.
Brief.
Controlled.
"You're only bold because I'm lying here," he said softly.
Then—
"Who is he?"
Silence.
A second.
Two.
Janaya didn't think.
Didn't calculate.
Didn't plan.
"Damian Carter."
That changed everything.
Ethan went still.
Not shocked.
Not confused.
Recognizing.
"Damian… again," he muttered.
His expression darkened slightly.
Then—
He smiled.
Slow.
Dangerous.
"Thank you," he said.
Janaya frowned. "For what?"
But he didn't answer.
He simply closed his eyes again.
Like the conversation was over.
But it wasn't.
Not for him.
Inside—
A decision had already been made.
If Damian was involved…
Then this wasn't just business anymore.
It was personal.
And Janaya?
She would come back.
Willingly or not.
Two days later, Janaya couldn't take it anymore.
The hospital walls.
Her mother's silence.
Ethan's presence.
It was all too much.
She needed something normal.
Something that reminded her of her life before everything became… complicated,
So she left.
The journey back felt different this time.
Not confused.
Not shocked.
Just heavy.
Her mind replayed everything—
The debt.
The forced marriage.
Ethan's voice.
And somehow…
Damian.
She shook her head slightly.
"This is not the time," she muttered to herself.
Back at school, everything looked the same.
Students moving around.
Laughter.
Noise.
Normal life continuing like nothing had changed.
But for Janaya—
Everything had.
She walked into class.
And immediately,
"JANAYA!!!"
Maya rushed her first, pulling her into a tight hug.
"Where did you disappear to??"
"I thought you ran away with a billionaire," Daniel added dramatically.
"Or got kidnapped," Timothy chipped in.
Jason just stared at her.
Quiet.
Observant.
"You guys are so unserious," Janaya said, dropping her bag with a small smile.
But it didn't reach her eyes.
Maya noticed.
But didn't push.
Not yet.
They all settled into their seats, but of course
No one was ready for lectures yet.
"So…" Maya started, leaning forward. "Let's talk about that night."
Janaya sighed.
Here we go.
Maya flipped her hair slightly, smiling.
"First of all—Tan and I have been talking."
"Oooohhh," Timothy dragged.
"And," she continued, ignoring him, "we both agreed to take things slow."
She paused.
Then smiled softly.
"I think I like him."
"Awwww," Daniel teased. "Love is sweet when money is involved."
"Please shut up," Maya rolled her eyes.
Jason leaned back in his chair.
"That reminds me," he said, turning to Janaya. "My brother asked for your number."
Janaya blinked.
"What?"
"I didn't give him though," Jason added quickly.
Maya's eyes widened instantly.
"Wait—the cold CEO??"
She leaned closer.
"He could literally find anything about anyone. Why is he asking you?"
Then her expression changed.
Slowly.
"Wait…"
She narrowed her eyes.
"What happened on that rooftop?"
Silence.
All eyes turned to Janaya.
"It was Damian," she said.
"What?!" they all shouted at once.
"Wait—you met Damian?" Daniel leaned forward.
"At the rooftop??" Timothy added.
"Jane sent you to meet someone and it was HIM?" Maya looked like she might faint.
Jason sat up now.
Fully alert.
"When did all this even happen?"
Janaya raised her hands.
"Okay—who am I answering first??"
"JUST ANSWER!" they all shouted.
She exhaled.
"Jane didn't know i had met with Damian before," she said. "And yes… I met him at the rooftop."
A pause.
Then—
"We… kissed."
Dead silence.
Maya blinked slowly.
"You're joking."
Janaya shook her head.
"I'm not."
Jason froze.
"My brother… kissed you?" he said slowly.
"Why??"
Daniel leaned in like this was the best entertainment of his life.
"What happened after??"
Timothy didn't even hide it.
"Did he—"
"Nothing happened," Janaya cut in quickly. "He left."
The room was still buzzing with shock.
But Janaya's expression changed.
Slightly.
Her tone dropped.
"This should stay between us," she said. "I have bigger problems right now."
Jason frowned.
"This is MY own bigger problem," he said. "I can't imagine anything happening between you and my brother."
He shook his head.
"Please don't ever tell me things like this again."
Maya gasped.
"Excuse you??"
She turned to Janaya immediately.
"Always tell me things like this. I want full updates."
Then she turned back to Jason.
"And give him her number."
Jason scoffed.
"No."
"Yes!" Maya insisted.
"Let her take her love life seriously for once."
Janaya almost laughed.
Almost.
If only they knew.
Timothy clapped his hands once.
"Honestly, this group is becoming too expensive for me."
Daniel nodded. "We now have connections to billionaires, people who are lying to take things slow and secret rooftop kisses."
Janaya's smile faded slightly at that last part.
"I think I am overthinking Damian"
It echoed in her head.
Before anyone could say anything else,
The door opened.
And the professor walked in.
Instant silence.
Everyone straightened up like nothing had happened.
But Janaya?
She wasn't listening.
Not really.
Because for the first time—
Her worlds were starting to collide.
And she had no idea…
Which one would win.