Chapter 2: Whitmore Siblings

CHAPTER 2

The Whitmore Mansion stood like a fortress of elegance, its towering pillars and sprawling gardens reflecting generations of wealth and sophistication. Sunlight danced across the polished marble floors of the grand dining hall, where Sebastian Whitmore sat upright at the head of the table. Responsible, disciplined, and ever precise, he was already ready for college, his notes neatly arranged, waiting patiently for the chaos to catch up.

Across from him, Alexander Whitmore, his father, sipped his morning coffee, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "Sebastian," he said, his voice warm but tinged with concern, "these are your last months at college before you leave for London. Are you ready for it?"

Sebastian's eyes sparkled with excitement, a wide grin spreading across his face. "Yes, Father. I've been waiting for this moment for so long. I can't wait to get started."

Alexander's chest swelled with pride. "I know you'll make the family proud."

Just then, a burst of shouting and laughter echoed from the upper floors, shattering the calm of the morning. Both father and son exchanged a knowing look and shook their heads.

"These two," Alexander muttered, shaking his head with a mix of exasperation and amusement, "will never grow up. Julian is supposed to be focused on medicine in a few years, yet look at him—acting like a child. And little Marissa… she's still so mischievous."

Sebastian chuckled softly, a playful glint in his eyes. "It's alright, Father. Julian is my younger brother. Let him be. After all, next year he'll come to London for further studies. Things will settle soon enough."

Alexander's smile softened but carried a hint of sadness. "Yes… you leaving this year, Julian next year. The house will feel so empty without you both

Upstairs, chaos ruled Julian's room. Papers scattered across the floor as Marissa chased her older brother, swatting him with a rolled-up notebook.

"Julian! Give me my notes back, or else!" she shouted, her cheeks flushed with anger.

"Hey, hey! Calm down, my little firecracker," Julian said, holding the notes just out of reach. "I just need them for a day… I like a girl—she really needs them!"

Marissa crossed her arms, glaring at him. "Oh really? And how many girls have you liked this week? You make a new one every day, and then you annoy me—and Senorita too!"

Julian held up his hands, panting. "Last time, I promise! I'll do anything you want… just don't stay mad."

Marissa huffed, tapping her foot impatiently, her eyes narrowing. "Fine. But only if you bring me and Senorita for lunch and shopping. And don't even think about annoying me on the way!"

Julian groaned, pretending to be tortured. "Ugh… okay, fine. Done."

At that moment, Yonika appeared at the door, arms crossed. "Come on, you two! Stop bickering and get moving—you're going to be late for school!"

The siblings dashed downstairs, still bickering, but the energy was lighter now. Breakfast was lively, full of Julian's jokes and Marissa's sharp retorts. By the time they finished, laughter filled the mansion, the earlier tension already melting. They left for their own journey after breakfast.

Bella was already waiting for Mia, her eyes sparkling with mischief as she spotted Mia's sleek car pulling into the sprawling Space campus. The institution wasn't just a school—it was a massive complex combining school, college, and university, with multiple buildings connected by wide, tree-lined pathways, sprawling lawns, and pristine courtyards. Students from elite families moved purposefully between the departments in their crisp uniforms, their footsteps echoing against the polished walkways their conversations a mix of laughter and hurried footsteps. Uniforms were mandatory at Space—casual clothes were strictly forbidden before graduation. Bella ducked behind one of the tall pillars lining the science building entrance, planning to startle Mia and Julian the moment they stepped out.

Mia, Julian, and Sebastian climbed out of the car, their uniforms impeccable, collars straight, shoes polished to perfection. What Bella didn't notice was that Sebastian was with them too. Being in a different department, he rarely came to the science wing and had no idea Bella existed. Likewise, Bella had never seen Sebastian before—her only knowledge of Mia and Julian's older brother was vague, thinking of him simply as "my elder, angry brother," a mysterious figure whose name she didn't even know.

Sebastian, however, knew only Senorita because Mia and Julian mentioned her constantly in almost every conversation.

.Sebastian started walking toward his department, which was on the opposite side of the sprawling Space campus from the science building

Mia kept glancing toward the parking area, expecting to see Bella's usual sleek black car, but it wasn't there. Today, Bella hadn't come with her driver,so her car remained at home. Julian noticed this too, and the two decided to wait for Senorita in the parking area. They sat on the stairs near the science building, chatting quietly, their crisp uniforms slightly rumpled from the ride.

Inside his building, Sebastian's classmate jogged up to him. "Hey, Sebastian, today's the last day to submit the assignment. Professor Sharma is in the science department."

Sebastian nodded, tightening his grip on his bag. "Got it. I'll head there now." Responsible and focused, he strode toward the science building. As he approached, he spotted Mia and Julian sitting on the stairs, chatting instead of heading to class. His expression hardened slightly.

"What are you doing here?" he called out, his tone firm. "Only fifteen minutes left for class—are you trying to skip?"

Mia stiffened, knowing exactly who was speaking. Sebastian's presence always carried authority, and his serious gaze made her shrink back. Julian, used to his elder brother's demeanor, looked less worried but still straightened up. Both knew there was no escaping Sebastian when he was in one of his stern moods.

Julian glanced at Sebastian nervously. "Brother, we're waiting for Senorita. She'll be here any minute. Without her, we can't go to class—after all, we're best friends."

Sebastian's eyes narrowed, his jaw tightening. "Your best friend, Senorita, is very careless. She doesn't even know the timing of her class. Such a spoiled brat."

Mia's eyes blazed, and her voice rang out sharper than usual. "Brother! You have no right to say anything about my Senorita. She's never late for her classes. Maybe she's stuck somewhere or not feeling well. What are you doing here? Go to your class! We're not kids—we know our timings. And let me make this clear: not a single word against my Senorita, ever!"

Sebastian froze, stunned. Mia had never spoken to him in such a high pitch before, and the fierce possessiveness in her voice made him even angrier. His glare bore down on her, his eyes dark with warning, while her face flushed bright red from fury.

Julian swallowed hard, glancing between his sister and their elder brother. Seeing Mia so angry, he instinctively grabbed her hand, trying to calm her. Mia immediately realized what she had done, and the fire in her expression melted into sudden fear. She had learned long ago that Sebastian's anger was not something to test.

Sebastian's gaze softened slightly as he noticed the time on Julian's wristwatch. His stern expression didn't change, but he recognized they were already running late. Without another word, he strode toward science department, still fuming but knowing there was nothing more he could do at the moment.

Mia and Julian exhaled in relief, their shoulders relaxing slightly.

Meanwhile, Bella, hidden behind the pillar in the science corridor, noticed movement nearby. Her lips curled into an evil, playful smirk, her eyes gleaming with mischief. Carefully, she pulled the small can of snow spray from her bag, ready to launch her prank. The moment she had been waiting for had arrived, and she was fully prepared to create chaos.

Sebastian strode down the corridor, his face rigid as always, focused on reaching the professor to submit his assignment. His mind was a maze of responsibilities and schedules—everything perfectly in order.

"Baaaom!"

The sudden, loud sound echoed through the corridor. Sebastian froze mid-step, his usually stiff face cracking into wide-eyed shock. He hadn't expected it—at all.

Before he could process what was happening, a mist of snow sprayed over him Bella's laughter rang faintly behind it. She didn't even look at him as she unleashed her playful chaos, fully intent on scaring Mia and Julian.

But Sebastian—rigid, disciplined, and always in control—was completely caught off guard.

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