Chapter 1
**Title: Shadows of Youth** "Hey, have you heard about the scandal going down at Greenwood Academy? I heard it's pretty wild!" The boy leaned in closer, his eyes gleaming with mischief. "You won't believe the details. It's just... juicy!" He shifted in his seat, lowering his voice conspiratorially, "So, let me spill the tea—" **The First Scandal:** It involved a pair of siblings, and rumor has it, there's some pretty unusual stuff going on between them. Seriously, it's bizarre! **The Second Scandal:** And then there's Elijah Bright. Picture this: a brooding guy who's sworn off relationships, and suddenly, there’s someone trying to change that! Just imagine the chaos! **The Third Scandal:** And finally, there's Lady Rhea, who's got a taste for adventure. I mean, come on, looking for love in all the wrong places? Classic! These stories have escalated tensions, as students all around the academy gossip and speculate about what’s really happening behind closed doors. It’s like something straight out of a drama series, and everyone’s tuning in. Each scandal unfolds like a separate chapter of a book—1v1 conflicts, mysterious romances, and the thrill of secrets lurking around every corner. And guess what? The main story is free to read, while the extras come with a price for those who can’t get enough. This could be the ride of a lifetime for these students, and who knows what twists and turns are waiting just around the corner. And there’s much more to discover in this saga; brace yourself for the unexpected.
Chapter 2
“Hey, Harper! Your sister…” A voice shouted from the classroom door, echoing through the space. Jonathan Harper was slumped in the back row, casually leaning back in his chair, one leg draped over the other as he gazed out the window. Upon hearing the shout, he lazily turned his head, his casual tone pitched just right for everyone to hear, “Your sister.” The caller shrugged off any offense, raising his voice, “I’m serious, man, your sister’s looking for you…” Jonathan ignored him, refocusing on the group of kids playing basketball on the field outside. The bell had just rung and the classroom buzzed with chatter. A few girls entered, and the one who’d been standing in the doorway slid into the seat beside Jonathan. “I’m not joking! There’s a girl outside looking for you. She says she’s your sister.” She grinned mischievously, “Seriously, Jon, how come you always have girls coming to find you? Who knew you were such a smooth operator?” Jonathan nonchalantly kicked his chair back, shooting her a sidelong glance. “Victor Crowe, get lost. Don’t sit so close.” A stylish girl in front spun around, curious. “So what’s she look like?” Victor furrowed his brow, shooting her a glare. “Lucy Fairchild, why do you care? Jealous much?” His words caused Lucy’s cheeks to flush as she shot up a book from her desk, tossing it at him. Victor ducked, but hilariously, the book sailed right into Jonathan’s lap. “Whoa, you’re rebelling against Lucy, huh?” Victor exclaimed. As if on cue, several of the guys around them erupted in laughter, turning the chaos up a notch. Even Lucy, who’d been pouting a moment ago, lost it and started laughing. “Victor Crowe, you’re all talk! Just wait till I—” Everyone knew Lucy Fairchild had a crush on Jonathan, having been subtly chasing him for a year while he paid her little attention. It was a running joke among students, one that everyone enjoyed except Jonathan himself. The classroom’s ruckus grew, so much so that when Mr. Craven, the math teacher, walked in, he paused mid-step. “Didn’t you hear the bell?” At that, Jonathan suddenly stood up with gusto, knocking his chair over. This action brought instant silence as everyone turned to gawk. Lucy stopped laughing, worried if she had offended him, while Victor, quick to read the room, jumped in with a nervous laugh. “Whoa, man! I didn’t mean to upset you!” Jonathan ignored the group, heading straight for the door. “Where do you think you’re going?” Mr. Craven, now at the front of the class, watched Jonathan leave, his expression caught between confusion and irritation. “To the restroom,” Jonathan replied, eyebrows raised. “Stomach issues, sorry.” With that slight concession, Mr. Craven huffed but didn’t pursue him further. Greenwood Academy, located in Aldergrove City, was a prestigious private school known for its steep tuition, attracting the wealthy elite, rich kids wanting to flaunt their status. Yet the Academy had a council mandate— to maintain an impressive enrollment rate. Thus, they made an exception: admitting a group of middle school scholars with excellent grades who hadn’t been able to secure a place in top high schools. They created two new classes, cutting tuition fees, and even hired retired teachers from renowned schools to nurture this fresh talent.
Chapter 3
Clearly, Elijah wasn't a top-tier candidate to nurture. Aside from the first and second classes, the remaining ones were all heirs of wealthy families. Each had to prove their worth and the third and fourth classes were notorious for being difficult to handle, filled with students who weren't easy to push around. The teachers turned a blind eye to these troublemakers, since most were just there to earn some pocket money or were genuinely passionate about teaching. It wasn't worth the hassle to engage with these unruly kids. At that moment, the hallway was mostly empty. Jonathan Harper was heading toward the stairwell when he paused just before the corner. He turned back and spotted a young girl standing against the wall. She had two long black braids and a neat, cropped haircut. Her skin was pale, complemented by delicate, almond-shaped eyes that swept elegantly to her temples, a tall nose, and thin lips. She wore a white shirt and a blue checkered school skirt that exposed her bare legs, showcasing her strikingly luminous skin. She had on black knee-high socks and shiny black shoes. Although her outfit was stylish, it didn’t align with those of Greenwood Academy’s uniforms or the trends of local high schools. Jonathan furrowed his brows and asked gruffly, “What are you doing here?” Noticing him, the girl seemed a bit flustered; she opened her mouth, hesitated, and chewed on her lip as if trying to find the right words. Growing impatient, Jonathan stepped closer. He towered over her, blocking the rays of sunlight streaming in. With hands shoved in his pockets, he scrutinized her. “What's going on?” “Um…” she whispered, then switched to a hesitant tone, “Brother…” Jonathan quickly interrupted her, “Hey, hey! I told you not to call me 'Brother' at school. How many times do I have to say it? In school, don’t mention our relation to anyone, got it?” Seeing her cheeks flush as she stared at her shoes, he decided not to press her further. Instead, he added, “And hey, try not to come to the third floor so often. Stick to your own class…” Just as he turned to leave, he felt a warm tug on his arm. It was early autumn, and he was in a short-sleeved black t-shirt and jeans. With her soft hands gripping him, he felt an electrifying jolt. He spun around, about to snap at her, but was caught off guard by her tearful eyes that looked as if she was about to cry, her lips turned a bright red from biting them. “Onii-san…” “Ugh,” Jonathan shuddered at the thought, feeling as though he’d been touched by something sinister. “Brother…” she desperately corrected herself, her voice cracking as she added, “Brother… could you please help me with something?” “What do you need help with?” He still found it hard to adapt to her jumbled way of speaking and felt his irritation rising. “Um… buy something… please help me, for a young lady…” As she spoke, her face flushed pink, and her gaze dropped as if she couldn’t meet his eyes. Jonathan raised his brows in surprise, pondering her words for a moment, but quickly grew annoyed again. “Damn, I’m just a guy…” She fidgeted, nervously tugging at her skirt, then reaching for his hand, attempting to guide it to her midsection, which startled Jonathan. He yanked his hand away quickly. “Hey, don’t get all touchy-feely with me! Don’t you have any classmates? Where are your teachers?”
Chapter 4
Clara looked puzzled, unsure whether to respond to Jonathan's earlier remark or the one that followed. Harper remembered that she had only just transferred to Greenwood Academy less than three days ago, still struggling to find her words. If she wasn’t coming to him for help, who else could she turn to? After a brief pause, he said, “Why don’t you wait by the bathroom door? I’ll go get it for you…” Upon hearing this, Clara's frown lifted, and her smile broke wide, like a kid in a candy store. She took a step back, then suddenly bowed deeply, saying, “Thank you… Brother.” Jonathan couldn’t help but chuckle, waving his hand in dismissal, muttering about how inconvenient this all was as he hurried toward the back of the school to the store. The thought of the school's top bully running to buy feminine products was enough to make him cringe in embarrassment. As he hurried along, his mind couldn’t shake off the memories of the past few days—specifically, the prior weekend's incident. His mother had just come back from a visit to Japan after over a decade. Upon their reunion, she brought this unexpected guest, introducing her with a flourish. “Jonathan, this is your sister, Rhea… It’s your first time meeting her, right?” Right, indeed. But he was already aware of his half-sister from Japan, courtesy of his mother’s past with a man named Percy Swift. Granny Willow had always warned him about the Swifts—there was something sinister about them, the way they spoke and moved. She’d claimed they were always up to no good, especially regarding American folks. Jonathan eyed her, then turned his attention back to the video game he was playing. “Jonathan…” his mother sounded exhausted, turning back to Rhea and speaking in Japanese. Rhea responded in fluent English, calling out, “Brother…” Grandma Willow interjected, “Don’t make things difficult for him, Jonathan. You've made a good living in Japan for these years, living with the Swifts, never even thinking of bringing Jonathan over to visit or showing him his sister. As if we didn’t exist to you anymore! Now that your husband has passed, you suddenly want to reach out? Look at these two kids; how are they supposed to bond instantly like siblings?” He heard his mother sigh, “You’re right. I should have arranged for them to meet sooner… It’s my fault they feel so distant now… I’m really at the end of my rope, losing one husband, burying another. This whole marriage thing never seems to end well for me…” She didn't shy away from showing her emotions; in front of the two kids, she began to sob. Rhea moved closer, comforting her in gentle Japanese whispers. His mother continued, “So… for now, I'll let you and Jonathan take care of Rhea. Once I’m settled back in Japan, I promise to return promptly…” Granny took Rhea’s hands, examining her with keen eyes, saying, “Talking to her is no different than talking to one of the Swifts. What do you mean temporary care? You raised one child well—what’s one more but an extension of family? Jonathan is her real brother; taking care of her is as much his responsibility as it is yours…” “I just worry about Rhea falling behind in school. That’s why I rushed back for the school season, so I could send her to the same academy and let them watch over each other…” Jonathan overheard his mother say to him, “Jonathan… I can’t be in the country for long. Once school starts, you need to look out for Rhea—she's still not familiar with American culture…” Gunshots rang out, blood splattering as Jonathan's character in the game fell. The screen faded to black. Rhea watched him toss aside his mouse, then curiously reached for the lighter on his desk, angling her head slightly as she lit it. In the thin haze of smoke, he could only offer her his back.
Chapter 5
**Chapter 2: Demon’s Tooth – The Pain of Womanhood** Jonathan Harper was rummaging through the aisles of the school store, looking for something specific. The attractive woman running the shop, who was glued to her phone as she watched a K-drama, immediately perked up when she saw Jonathan enter. Everyone knew about Jonathan at Greenwood Academy; he was the sole heir of Harper Realty and the pride of the powerful Harper family, with his father, Samuel Harper, being one of the major investors in the school. But more importantly, Jonathan was the quintessential rich kid—standing tall at 6'1" with a strikingly handsome face. However, he seldom smiled, his furrowed brows only emphasizing his brooding demeanor. When his temper flared, his dark eyes became imposing, cold glints warning others of his undisguised fury. His aura was a mix of fierce power and raw attraction, simultaneously intimidating and captivating. In that moment, Jonathan stood there with his hands in his pockets, deep in thought. The store owner, hoping to strike up a conversation, hesitated, then blurted, “What kind of sanitary pads do you usually use?” “Uh…” The woman blushed at the unexpected question. Jonathan clicked his tongue and frowned slightly. “Never mind.” He grabbed a random pack of pads and walked toward the cashier. Just as he was about to pay, he paused, looking back up. “Do you have any hot drinks?” “Uh... Yes! We have red date tea and coffee, both served hot,” the shop owner replied quickly, her curiosity piqued by his strange combination of purchases. “I’ll take the red date tea,” he answered promptly. As Jonathan strolled across the playground, a basketball suddenly whizzed past him. Reacting instinctively, he flicked his wrist to block it, bouncing the ball once before catching it smoothly. With a flick of his wrist, the ball spun on his fingers before he slammed it back to the ground with a bang. A player on the other side caught it, bouncing it twice before shouting, “Hey, Jon!” Ignoring him, Jonathan continued on his path. The guy jogged up to catch up, “Aren't you supposed to join us for the game?” “Not now, I have something to handle,” Jonathan replied curtly. “Is that idiot from last week looking for trouble again?” Jonathan paused briefly, then said, “Not yet.” “Dude, what a loser! He can't look after himself and comes to blame you for ditching him! Should we go mess with him when he shows up?” This was Elijah Bright from Class Four, another privileged kid; his father was also an investor at Greenwood Academy. Tall and well-built, Elijah shared the same sense of authority as Jonathan. “If he doesn’t come, we don’t engage. If he dares show up, we'll handle it,” Jonathan stated decisively. Elijah smiled knowingly and continued dribbling the ball. “You better come down soon; the rest of us are waiting to wipe the floor with that loser team from Class Five and Six!” “Got it.” With quick strides, Jonathan made his way back to the school building. He flew up the three flights of stairs and reached the fourth floor in no time. As he approached the restroom, he suddenly realized something wasn’t right. Faint moans echoed down the hallway. His senses heightened, Jonathan sprinted toward the sound. To his shock, he found Lady Rhea Blackwood curled up in pain against the wall, clutching her stomach drenched in sweat as she breathed heavily. “What happened to you?” he rushed forward, instinctively going to help her. But instead of just lifting her, he effortlessly scooped her up into his arms; she was as light as a feather to him. Lady Rhea’s face was pale, and her lips trembled. “Bro… it hurts.” Jonathan found himself surprisingly understanding her discomfort even without her finishing. Cursing under his breath, he noticed an unfamiliar stickiness seep out from under her skirt. He guessed it was blood but didn’t dare look closely. Instead, he continued carrying her and rushed out of there.
There are limited chapters to put here, click the button below to continue reading "Bound by Blood and Secrets"
(It will automatically jump to the book when you open the app).
❤️Click to read more exciting content❤️