Losing Control..

William stormed into his house, his jaw clenched as his mother's sharp voice cut through the silence.

"Where were you?" she demanded, arms crossed as she stood in the grand living room. "You disappeared in the middle of the night when you should be studying! Do you realize you are competing with your cousin for leadership? You need to be perfect, William!"

He exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. "I know, Mother."

"No, you don't." Her tone hardened. "You cannot afford to be reckless. You cannot afford distractions."

Distractions.

That was what Sarah was.

And yet, she was the only thing on his mind. He thought about the way she felt in his arms, the way she had looked at him after he kissed her. He had always been in control, always disciplined. But Sarah… she made him reckless. Imperfect. And for the first time in his life, he didn't mind.

His mother sighed. "This is the last time, William. You need to prove you're worthy of the family name."

William nodded stiffly, his thoughts elsewhere.

---

Sarah sat in her room, staring at her reflection in the mirror. Her fingers absentmindedly touched her lips as she replayed the events of the night.

The way William had pulled her close. The intensity in his eyes. The way his voice had sent shivers down her spine when he told her she belonged to him.

And the most shocking part?

She liked it.

She liked the way he dominated her, the way he made her feel small yet protected. It was completely unlike her usual self, and that terrified her. She had always been independent, strong-willed. But with William, she felt something different—something she couldn't explain.

Her thoughts were interrupted when her phone buzzed. It was Olivia.

**Olivia:** "Get ready! We're coming over!"

**Sophia:** "We need details, Sarah. You can't keep us waiting!"

Sarah groaned, but a small smile tugged at her lips. Fifteen minutes later, Olivia and Sophia were sprawled on her bed, watching her closely.

"So…?" Olivia prompted, wiggling her eyebrows. "You and William. What happened?"

Sarah hesitated. "It's… complicated."

Sophia smirked. "Complicated because you liked it?"

Sarah's eyes widened. "What? No! I mean…" She trailed off, heat rushing to her face.

"Oh my God," Olivia gasped. "You totally did."

Sarah buried her face in a pillow as her friends burst into laughter. "Stop it! It's not funny."

"Oh, it is," Sophia grinned. "You, the strong, independent Sarah, liking William's possessiveness? Who would've thought?"

Sarah groaned. "I don't know what's happening to me."

Olivia's expression softened. "Maybe you just like feeling wanted."

Sarah fell silent. Wanted. Was that what it was?

Meanwhile, William sat in his study, gripping his pen so tightly his knuckles turned white. He needed to focus. He needed to remind himself that Sarah was a distraction he couldn't afford.

But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't shake the image of her from his mind.

"She's mine," he muttered under his breath.

And he wasn't going to let anyone take her away from him.

The tension of approaching exams loomed over the entire school, pushing everyone into an intense study mode. Sarah and her friends decided to make the most of their group study sessions, recording snippets and posting them online as a way to capture their last moments of fun before being buried under books. The lighthearted atmosphere in the video showed them laughing over silly mistakes, arguing about answers, and even Lucas trying (and failing) to explain a particularly tricky concept to Olivia, making everyone burst into laughter.

However, the video did not go unnoticed.

William sat in his study, scrolling through his phone when the video popped up. His jaw clenched at the sight of Sarah sitting beside Lucas, their heads leaning close as they looked at the same textbook. He had been trying to stay indifferent, but every time he saw Sarah with Lucas, a strange frustration bubbled within him. He told himself it wasn't jealousy—no, it was concern. Lucas could be unpredictable, and Sarah, being too trusting, wouldn't see the danger.

That evening, William arrived at Sarah's house for dinner. Her mother welcomed him warmly, praising his dedication and how he was a perfect match for Sarah. During dinner, Sarah kept glancing at William, noticing he was quieter than usual.

After the meal, her mother smiled and said, "Sarah, why don't you show William your room?"

Sarah hesitated for a moment before nodding. Leading him upstairs, she opened the door to her room. It was neat yet cozy, filled with books, soft lighting, and a faint scent of vanilla lingering in the air. As soon as she closed the door, William turned to her with a serious expression.

"Sarah," he began, his voice calm yet firm. "I saw the video you posted today."

Sarah blinked in confusion before realizing what he meant. "Oh, the study session? It was just for fun."

William crossed his arms. "You might see it that way, but I don't trust Lucas."

Sarah frowned. "Lucas is my friend, William. You don't even know him that well."

"And that's exactly my point," William countered. "You might consider him harmless, but do we really know his intentions?"

Sarah let out a frustrated sigh. "You're overthinking this. Lucas has always been there for me."

William stepped closer, his gaze unwavering. "That's what worries me. He's always there. Too much, Sarah."

She felt her heartbeat quicken as his presence loomed over her. He wasn't just questioning Lucas; he was asserting his place in her life. There was something possessive about the way he looked at her, the way he spoke as if she was his responsibility. And strangely, instead of resisting it, a part of her liked it.

She met his gaze with determination. "I don't need you to protect me from my own friends."

William sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "I'm not trying to control you, Sarah. But I can't ignore this feeling."

Sarah wasn't sure what to say. The room was silent except for their breathing. She could see the conflict in his eyes—rationality against instinct. And for the first time, she wondered if she was the one making him lose control.

After a moment, William shook his head as if dismissing his own thoughts. "Just… be careful," he murmured before stepping away. "I should get going."

Sarah nodded, watching as he walked out of her room, leaving behind an unspoken tension that neither of them was ready to address yet.

Sarah spotted Lucas near the lockers the next morning, casually scrolling through his phone. Taking a deep breath, she walked up to him and crossed her arms.

"Lucas, can I ask you something?"

He looked up, raising an eyebrow at her serious expression. "Of course. But if it's about my secret talent of making perfect pancakes, I refuse to share my recipe."

Sarah rolled her eyes. "I'm serious. Do you… do you have any feelings for me?"

Lucas blinked, and then—without missing a beat—he smirked. "Oh my my, Sarah, do you have a crush on me? Because I don't."

Sarah groaned. "Lucas!"

He placed a hand on his chest dramatically. "I'm flattered, really, but I must break your heart."

"Can you stop being annoying for once?" she snapped.

Lucas chuckled, leaning against the lockers. "Alright, alright. What's this about?"

Sarah sighed. "William doesn't trust you. He thinks I see you as a friend, but he's not sure about you."

Lucas let out a low whistle. "Ouch. That stings. What did I ever do to your oh-so-wonderful fiancé?"

"That's what I'm trying to figure out!" Sarah huffed.

Lucas smirked again. "Well, if he's so worried, tell him I solemnly swear I have no plans of stealing his precious fiancée."

Sarah narrowed her eyes. "And if I told you he didn't believe that?"

Lucas shrugged. "Then he needs to work on his trust issues."

Sarah sighed, feeling slightly more at ease, but as Lucas walked away, she couldn't shake the feeling that he was hiding something behind that teasing grin.

Sarah couldn't shake the lingering thoughts from her conversation with Lucas. His playful teasing should have been easy to forget, but it wasn't. Maybe it was because William's words had planted something in her mind—something she didn't want to acknowledge.

Shaking her head, she decided to push everything aside. Exams were approaching, and she needed to focus. That's what mattered, right?

After lunch, she made her way to the library, hoping to find some quiet. But just as she stepped inside, her feet halted at the sight in front of her.

William.

Sitting at a table near the window, completely relaxed.

And he wasn't alone.

A girl sat beside him, leaning in slightly as she pointed at something in the book. William chuckled, nodding along as if she had just said the most amusing thing in the world. The sight of him—smiling so freely, so effortlessly—made Sarah's chest tighten in a way she didn't understand.

Her fingers clenched the strap of her bag as she took a step back, her stomach twisting. She had never seen him this comfortable around another girl before. He was always so composed, so controlled. But right now, he looked… different.

And she hated that it bothered her.

William suddenly looked up, his eyes meeting hers.

For a split second, something flickered in his gaze—something unreadable. But then, almost as if he had been waiting for this moment, he smirked and leaned in closer to the girl, pretending to focus on her book.

Sarah swallowed hard, feeling something sharp twist in her chest.

She turned around and walked away before she could make sense of it.