"Aiden!" his name is the first thing I shout when I step into the penthouse.

My chest is filled with excitement about the quiz I just nailed, and I'm still panting because of running here. I can't wait to tell him the good news.

Ian comes out of the kitchen as soon as he hears my voice. "Aiden hasn't come back from the office."

I totally forgot about that.

I glance at the clock in the living room and notice that it has just reached evening. Ian is right. Aiden might still be busy at work.

I blow a sigh and walk toward my room, thinking about texting Aiden later to thank him.

A giggle escapes from my lips. I can't help but think about the professor's expression when I submitted the paper in front of the class. I remember him nodding his head in approval, like he was satisfied with my answers. In the meantime, I just have to wait patiently until the mark is announced.

I throw my bag and flop myself on the bed, thinking about what I should be doing now. After studying hard, I think I deserve to pamper myself, don't I?

A brilliant idea pops up in my head.

"It's so beautiful," I murmur to myself, leaning back against the edge of the swimming pool as I admire the view of the city lights and skyscrapers at night.

I've been here for half an hour. I stretch my legs, feeling the soothing warm water against my skin. Being here is so relaxing that it cures my fatigue after a long day at the campus. I close my eyes and smile, taking a deep breath.

My phone buzzes on the small table near the pool. I'm thinking about ignoring it, but then my curiosity kicks in.

I get out of the water, dry myself with a towel, and check my phone. The notifications are from my two new friends, and I can't help another smile on my face.

The image of that handsome guy holding my arm and looking into my eyes causes a tingling sensation in me, but I quickly shake it off.

I notice another message from Sienna and open it.

.

I squint at my phone screen. What is she talking about?

I type the answer.

After a few moments, her reply comes again.

I frown. Her message makes me even more confused. Before I can understand what she said, another text pops up.

Guilt washes over me because I'm still hiding the fact from Sienna too. I just can't take the risk of our family knowing everything. Someone else over there can eavesdrop on our conversation.

I chuckle lightly, shaking my head. That bikini is too revealing even though she said that I looked hot in it. I wonder if she chose it to make me attract boys. I'm now wearing the one-piece swimsuit Mom bought for me.

I sigh and put my phone back on the table. It's cold outside the water, so I wrap the towel around my body tightly.

My gaze darts again on the amazing view of the city lights. I'm so lucky that Aiden let me stay here. I've found this place very comfortable that I almost forgot what happened downstairs.

I shouldn't take this for granted and be independent.

Should I just go back to my own place?

But then, as soon as I think about it, the image of someone stalking me and breaking into my room while I was sleeping flashes in my mind again.

The air suddenly feels even colder, and I shiver. My eyes squeeze shut as my trembling hands pull the towel even closer to my body.

After taking a shower and blowdrying my hair, I sit at my dresser and start braiding my hair to one side.

A soft smile touches my lips when I finish the braiding. I stare at my reflection in the mirror, but then my eyes widen in shock.

The butterfly earring. Mom's earring. The one I wear on my left ear is gone.

My fingers are shaking as I touch my ear. It's really gone.

Abruptly, I look around. At the dresser, the carpet, and everywhere around me.

Still, I can't find it.

"Oh, God. No." There's so much fear in my voice.

Panic engulfs me, and that's when I hear a knock on the door.

"Nevaeh." It's Aiden's voice. "Are you there?"

But I can hardly care about that. My mind is only filled with one thought. Where did I drop the earring?

"Nevaeh?" Aiden's voice echoes again, and I snap my head toward the door.

"Come in," I say quickly before rushing to the bed to search for the earring again.

My stomach drops as I don't find it in the towel either.

Aiden steps into the room and approaches me. "I heard from Ian and Ashton that you're looking for me."

Yes, I want to tell him how I nailed the quiz because of him, how grateful I am that he taught me. But now, I can't even find my voice.

I scan the carpet and don't even realize it when I let out a shaky breath.

"What's the matter?" Confusion crosses Aiden's expression.

"It's gone." My voice is shaking.

"What's gone?"

"My earring." I bend down and search under the bed, but it's not there.

How am I going to find it? What if I dropped it while I was on campus? If that happened, I'll never find it again.

"Oh, God. What should I do?" I rasp.

I can't breathe. That earring means the whole world to me.

"Oh, God."

I rush back to the dresser and search under it again, feeling Aiden's steps behind me.

"Calm down," he says in a soothing voice. "Where and when did you last see it?"

I shut my eyes and bury my face in my hands.

Come on, Nevaeh. Think.

I'm pretty sure that I still had the other pair when I looked in the mirror after trying the swimsuit. At least, it's still somewhere in this penthouse.

"What should I do?" I look up at him with worry. "I can't lose it. It's not just an earring. It's a gift from my grandmother to my mom, and it means so much to my parents."

A tear almost slips from my eye. I can't imagine if I really lost it forever.

Aiden touches my chin, surprising me. He tilts my head to the side and tucks a strand of my hair behind my ear to expose the other pair. My breath catches in my throat.

"It's this butterfly earring?" he whispers, taking a closer look. I can almost feel his breath on my skin.

He takes a few moments to take a good look at the earring, and when he pulls away, I see the determination in those amber eyes.

"Don't worry," he says. "We'll find it."

***