The next day, the weight of the unknown pressed down on Louisa. Every well-dressed student felt like a potential owner of the missing crimson dress, every hushed conversation a possible discussion about the "charity case" who might have ruined something priceless.
She'd spent the morning replaying Jayden's unsettling words, his veiled warning adding another layer to her already considerable anxiety. The owner… who were they? What kind of trouble was she truly in?
Lost in these increasingly dire thoughts, she barely registered the quiet presence beside her in the library until a voice, calm and unexpected, broke through. "That's a rather… intense passage you're studying."
Louisa looked up, startled. Standing beside her table was a boy she recognized from the periphery of the elite circles. Finn Powell. He was tall and had a perpetually thoughtful expression, usually seen with headphones on or disappearing into the direction of the school's broadcast room.
He wasn't smirking like Christopher, or carrying the usual air of entitled indifference. He was just... observant.
"Uh, yeah," she stammered, clutching her history book like a shield. "The French revolution. Lots of.... intensity."
Finn didn't move, he leaned slightly against the bookshelf beside her, his thoughtful eyes fixed on her. A beat of silence stretched between them, amplifying Louisa's unease. He seemed to be observing her, assessing her reaction. The silence felt heavy with unspoken questions.
Finally, Finn spoke, his voice low and even. "Jayden seemed… rather focused on you yesterday. Down in the cafeteria."
Louisa's heart hammered against her ribs. She forced herself to meet his gaze, trying to project an indifference she didn't feel. "He just… asked a question."
Another lingering silence. Finn's gaze didn't waver. He seemed to see right through her flimsy attempt at nonchalance. The air in the quiet corner of the library felt thick with unspoken understanding. Louisa's mind raced. What did Finn know? Why was he approaching her?
Finn's gaze was steady, his eyes holding a surprising depth. "Jayden doesn't usually have questions for students on the main floor. Especially not with that particular… focus."
He paused, then added, almost casually, "That crimson dress was quite something at the Welcome Party, wasn't it?"
Louisa's breath hitched. How did he…?
Louisa froze. Her breath caught in her throat. It felt like the library had suddenly gone silent, all other sounds fading into a dull hum. Her blood ran cold. How could he know about the dress?
Had Christopher already started spreading rumors? Was this the beginning of the unravelling she had so desperately feared? Her eyes widened, a silent plea for an explanation.
Finn held her gaze for another long, drawn-out moment, letting the shock register on her face. Then, his voice dropped, barely above a whisper, delivering the blow.
"Limited edition Louis Vuitton. Only three in the world, as I recall. Jayden has… excellent taste. He bought it for Cassia back when they were dating."
The words hit Louisa like a physical blow. Louis Vuitton? Only three in the world? And Jayden… bought it for Cassia? The implications crashed down on her, painting a vivid picture of the immense value and the powerful connections involved.
The worst-case scenarios she had imagined suddenly seemed terrifyingly real.
Louisa's mind struggled to process the information, the pieces clicking into place with terrifying clarity. Louis Vuitton. Limited edition. Jayden and Cassia. The sheer weight of it threatened to crush her. The dress wasn't just expensive; it was practically a priceless artifact with a direct link to the school's elite royalty.
Her voice, when she finally managed to speak, was barely a whisper. "How… how do you know all this?"
Finn's gaze softened slightly, a hint of something unreadable – perhaps empathy, perhaps just detached observation – in his eyes. "I pay attention. People talk. And some things… some possessions… leave a distinct impression. Especially when they're gifts between the King and his… queen, even a former one."
He paused, then added, "The appearance of something that rare wouldn't go unnoticed for long, Louisa."
The use of her first name, so casual and yet so knowing, sent another shiver down her spine. He knew her name. He knew about the dress. He knew about Jayden and Cassia. What else did he know?
"Cassia… she's the owner?" Louisa asked, the realization solidifying the knot of dread in her stomach. It all made a horrifying kind of sense. The expensive taste, the fury someone like that would feel at its destruction…
Finn nodded slowly. "It's highly likely. She was quite fond of it. Wore it to several significant events. Its absence… would be felt."
Louisa's breath hitched again. "And Jayden… he knows it's missing?"
Finn's expression became slightly more guarded. "Jayden… observes. He saw your interaction with Christopher yesterday. He saw Christopher looking towards the upper lounge. He's not oblivious." He hesitated, as if choosing his words carefully. "Whether he knows you have it… that's another question."
A sliver of hope, fragile as it was, flickered within Louisa. Maybe Jayden just suspected something was amiss, not directly linking it to her.
"Why are you telling me all this?" Louisa asked, her voice trembling slightly.
Suspicion warred with a desperate need for information. Why would an elite student, a friend of Jayden's, be revealing such potentially damning information to her?
Finn finally pushed himself off the bookshelf, his gaze sweeping across the quiet library.
"Let's just say… I find the unfolding drama… intriguing. And sometimes, a little perspective can be… helpful." He turned back to Louisa, his eyes holding a strange intensity.
"Be mindful, Louisa. Jayden's warning wasn't just empty words. And Christopher… he's like a rat with a scent of blood. He won't let this go."
He paused again, a beat of silence hanging in the air. Then, he added, almost as an afterthought, "And Cassia… when she realizes what's happened to her dress… well, let's just say her reaction won't be… pleasant."
With that, Finn gave her a curt nod and walked away, disappearing silently amongst the towering bookshelves, leaving Louisa alone with the crushing weight of his revelations.