" I'll handle the rest in person this afternoon . You've worked hard tonight - take tomorrow morning off . " " Thank you , boss . Good night . " Vera replied instantly , not a trace of hesitation in her tone . Alessia was more than used to Vera's efficiency . She didn't bother responding , simply closed her laptop . She instinctively reached for the water glass on her nightstand , only to find it empty . With a quiet sigh , Alessia packed up her laptop , stretched , then got out of bed with her glass in hand , ready to refill it . As she pulled back the curtains , she startled - suddenly locking eyes with a pair of dark , gleaming eyes . Goosebumps prickled her skin . It wasn't until she flicked on the light and saw who it was that Alessia breathed out in relief . " Did I wake you ? " The owner of those black eyes was Ivan . He rested one hand on the door handle , his gaze fixed steadily on Alessia . He shook his head , opened the door , and stepped out . Alessia followed him into the hallway . After Ivan ducked into the bathroom , she made her way to the kitchen and poured herself a glass of water . Neither of them exchanged a word as they finished up what they needed to do Alessia switched off the lights , and , finally , this uneasy night drew to a close . Maybe it was sheer exhaustion , but Alessia slept better than she had in ages . When she checked the clock , it was only a little past ten . She stretched , then went to wash up . The whole apartment was silent and empty . The slow cooker was keeping some comforting soup warm , and next to it was a sticky note reminding her to eat breakfast . Once she'd finished her meal , Alessia was about to head back to her room when a steady knock echoed at the door . Three sharp raps , then silence . Alessia opened the front door - a courier stood outside . " Alessia ? Please sign for this delivery . " 1/2 13:49 Chapter 41 The package bore her school's logo and name. Alessia didn't ask questions ; she signed for it , waited for the courier to leave , then returned to her room . She opened the box . As expected , it was her school uniform . Unlike most public schools , theirs provided different uniforms for spring , summer , and winter - plus extra sets for sports , swimming , and even horseback riding . Every year , the school sent out brand - new uniforms to each student just before term began . The school's information network was legendary - any change in a student's home life , and the administration knew about it almost instantly . So Alessia wasn't particularly surprised to get a package from them . Her school had another tradition too : To encourage creativity , on the first day back , all students were required to " design " their own version of the school - issued white t - shirt . At the end of the day , everyone would vote anonymously for the most creative design . The prize changed every year , and while most of the students came from wealthy families and didn't care much about the reward , open - ended competitions like this always drew a crowd . Some went all out , bringing in spray paint for live demonstrations , and the entire school buzzed with excitement and friendly rivalry - while other schools groaned at the start of another dull semester , here everyone was obsessed with making their t - shirt stand out . Of course , a few ultra - competitive types would try to pull strings or get outside help , but most students just enjoyed the chance to express themselves . One year , someone even graffitied the main building , so by now the " canvas " was limited to approved areas only . t , but Alessia eyed the plain white tee and sighed . She'd never been much of an a she did have an eye for color and style . She'd never won first prize , but her designs always managed to spark a brief fashion trend around campus . Her sigh wasn't about the t - shirt itself . She just knew that the moment she set foot on campus tomorrow , she'd be stepping straight into the lion's den .