The morning light slipped through the gap in the curtains and landed right on Kai's face.
He blinked once. Twice. Then groaned.
Monday.
His first day at a new school in a country he had tried to forget.
He sat up slowly, running a hand through his messy dark hair. The room was still quiet. No alarm. No shouts. Just the soft hum of the air conditioner and the distant sound of birds outside the window.
For a moment, he forgot where he was.
Then the memory of last night came crashing back. His father's cold voice. The whiskey glass clicking against the table. "Welcome home, son. Try not to destroy everything this time"
Kai swung his legs off the bed and stood up.
He walked to the window and pulled the curtain aside. The sun was still low, painting the garden in shades of gold and green. The pool looked calm. The flowers his mother loved so much were blooming in rows of red and pink.
Beautiful house. Beautiful morning.
And he had never felt more trapped.
---
The bathroom was bigger than his old dorm room back in California.
Marble floors. A shower with too many buttons. A mirror that stretched across the entire wall. Kai stood in front of it, staring at his own reflection.
Messy dark hair. Stormy grey eyes. Sharp jaw.
He looked like trouble. He knew it. Girls knew it. Teachers knew it.
He turned on the shower and let the cold water hit his chest first. Then his shoulders. Then his face. He stood there for a long time, letting the water wash away the sleep and the weight of everything waiting for him downstairs.
When he finally stepped out, he grabbed a towel and dried off quickly.
The uniform was laid out on the chair near the closet. His mother must have put it there while he was sleeping.
Navy blue blazer with the school crest stitched on the pocket. White button-up shirt. Grey trousers. A tie that matched the blazer.
Kai picked up the tie and stared at it.
He hadn't worn a tie since... he couldn't even remember.
He dressed slowly. The shirt fit perfectly across his shoulders. The trousers were the right length. The blazer made him look older.
He left the top button of his shirt undone. No tie.
He ran a hand through his hair until it looked messy on purpose. The same stormy grey eyes stared back at him. Handsome, yes. But rough. Dangerous.
The bad boy vibe was still there.
He liked that.
---
Downstairs, the smell of breakfast filled the air.
Eggs. Toast. Something sweet that reminded him of his childhood.
His mother stood near the stove, wearing a soft yellow dress, her hair pinned up neatly. She turned when she heard his footsteps and smiled brightly.
"Kai! You're up early. Sit, sit. I told the cook to make everything you like."
She rushed toward him and straightened his blazer collar even though it didn't need fixing. Her hands lingered on his shoulders for a moment.
"You look so handsome," she said softly. "So grown up."
"Mom.."
"I know, I know. You're too old for me to fuss over." She stepped back but her eyes stayed on his face. "Just... try to have a good day, okay? Ignore what your father said. This is a fresh start."
Kai nodded. He didn't have the heart to tell her that fresh starts didn't work for people like him.
He sat down at the table. The food was good. The coffee was strong. But his father sat at the head of the table with a newspaper in one hand and his own coffee in the other. The older man barely looked up.
"Morning," Kai muttered.
His father folded the paper slowly. The sound was loud in the quiet room.
"You will go straight to school," he said. "No detours. No trouble. The driver is already waiting outside."
"I know."
"Do you?" His father's eyes lifted. Cold. Skeptical. "Because last time I trusted you, you were on the news."
Kai's jaw tightened. He didn't answer.
His father took a slow sip of his coffee. "Remember what I said, Kai. One mistake. One scandal. And you're done."
The words hung in the air like smoke.
Mia bounced into the room before anyone could say another word. Her school bag was slung over one shoulder. Her hair was in a high ponytail. She grabbed a piece of toast from the table and bit into it.
"You ready, big brother?" she asked, mouth half full.
"For what?"
"To scare all the girls on your first day." She grinned. "I heard the seniors are pretty. Maybe one of them will fall for that bad boy face of yours."
Kai smirked. "I'm not making you any promises."
"See? That's exactly what I mean." Mia laughed and headed for the door. "Don't be late. Mr. Lim hates waiting."
Kai stood up. He looked at his mother. She smiled again, but her eyes were wet.
"Call me if you need anything," she said.
"I will, Mom."
He gave her a quick hug. Then he walked out the door without looking at his father.
---
Outside, two black cars waited in the driveway.
The engines were already running quietly. Mr. Lim stood beside the first one, holding the door open. Kai slid into the back seat. The leather was cool against his hands.
Through the window, he saw his father standing on the front steps. Arms crossed. Eyes still skeptical.
The cars pulled out of the compound, one after the other. Mia's car turned left at the gate. Kai's continued straight toward the elite district where his new school waited.
The ride was quiet.
Tall buildings and green trees blurred past the windows. The sun was higher now, burning through the morning haze. People crowded the sidewalks.students in uniforms, businessmen in suits, old women pulling carts of vegetables.
Kai stared out the window, watching Singapore wake up around him.
Part of him felt restless. The same wild energy that had gotten him expelled was still there, burning under his skin. Another part of him wondered how long he could last without causing another mess.
His father's warning echoed in his head.
One scandal. And you're done.
Kai leaned his head back and closed his eyes.
---
The school looked more like a university campus than a high school.
Modern glass buildings. Wide green lawns. Students in navy and white uniforms walking in groups, laughing and chatting. Some rode bicycles along the paths. Others stood near the fountain, checking their phones.
The car stopped in the parking lot. Kai stepped out and slung his bag over one shoulder.
He had no idea where his classroom was.
But he refused to look lost.
Kai Voss doesn't get caught off guard.
He kept his face blank. Shoulders straight. Eyes scanning everything like he owned the place. His footsteps were slow and steady as he walked toward the main courtyard.
Students glanced at him as he passed.
A group of girls near the fountain stopped talking mid-sentence. Their eyes followed him. One of them whispered something behind her hand. The others giggled.
Kai didn't look at them.
He kept walking, searching for any sign that pointed to the senior block.
That was when three boys stepped into his path.
The tallest one had messy brown hair and a confident grin. His blazer was unbuttoned, his tie loose around his neck. He looked like the kind of guy who never got in trouble because teachers were too scared to call him out.
The second boy was shorter but built. broad shoulders, thick arms, like he spent more time in the gym than in class. His uniform looked too small for him.
The third had sharp eyes and a silver chain around his neck. He was leaner than the other two, quieter. His eyes moved across Kai's face like he was reading a book.
They had clearly been watching him since the moment the expensive car dropped him off.
"Hey, new guy," the tall one said, blocking his path casually. "Saw you roll up in that sweet ride."
Kai stopped. He sized them up in one quick glance.
Tall one — confident, probably the leader. Big one — muscle, not brains. Silver chain — observer, maybe the smart one.
"And you are?"
The tall boy laughed and stuck out his hand. "Name's Jax. This is Rico and Nathan."
Kai looked at the hand. Then at Jax's face. Then back at the hand.
He shook it. Once. Firm.
"I'm looking for the senior block."
"Then you're lucky." Jax dropped his hand and grinned wider. "We're in the same class. Come on. We'll show you the way before you waste the whole morning wandering around."
Kai hesitated for half a second.
He wasn't stupid. These guys had spotted the car and the money behind it. They wanted to be the first ones to claim him — the new rich kid before anyone else could sink their teeth in.
But right now, he didn't have a better option.
"Lead the way," he said, keeping his voice cool.