1 chapter 1 The Pretense

Chapter 1: The Pretense

Being the only son of the mafia's leader was an exhausting and perilous existence for Damien. Countless people were constantly plotting to eliminate him, and the battles and drama of his life seemed never-ending. However, his father expected him to inherit his position, despite Damien feeling unprepared for such a role.

In an act of desperation, Damien devised a plan—to pretend to be a girl and attend school. He had always dreamed of experiencing high school, but due to his father's enemies, he had been confined to the safety of his home. Damien knew that his father's adversaries had individuals his age who attended school, making it impossible for him to go outside without putting himself at risk.

Luckily, Damien possessed somewhat feminine features after months of isolation. His hair had grown long, and his skin had become paler due to the lack of exposure to the sun. His father's overprotective nature kept him confined, obeying his every command. Although his father had a grumpy appearance with a tall stature and a scarred face, Damien knew that he cared for his safety.

Damien approached his father with his plan, and surprisingly, his father agreed, as long as he remained unharmed. His father even bought him a girl's uniform, though he maintained his grumpy facade, secretly pleased inside. Damien tried on the uniform, which fit perfectly, except for the absence of breasts. He decided to pass it off as a delayed development.

However, his height and attractive face presented a challenge. Damien hadn't expected to appear so beautiful as a girl. Upon closer inspection, he noticed his legs were hairy, a stark contrast to his feminine image. Therefore, he reluctantly decided to undergo the painful process of waxing with the assistance of his maids. Finally, his hairless legs resembled those of a typical girl, a trait he had inherited from his beautiful mother, who was renowned for her looks.

Once his transformation was complete, Damien transferred to a school located far from his home. His father hired a chauffeur to ensure his safety, but Damien insisted on using public transportation to remain undetected. His father complied and provided him with a collection of expensive wigs to choose from. Cheap wigs would not only look unconvincing but also draw attention.

For the first time in what felt like an eternity, Damien ventured outside his house, using the secret door to avoid potential lurking enemies. As he made his way to the bus stop, he noticed people staring at him. Nervous thoughts crossed his mind—had he made a mistake? Was something amiss with his wig? But unbeknownst to him, people were merely too shy to approach him. Both boys and girls found him enchanting, resembling a blend of beauty and handsomeness. However, Damien felt awkward in his unfamiliar guise, believing he looked strangely out of place in his girl's attire.

After a thirty-minute wait, the bus finally arrived, and Damien boarded, attracting everyone's attention. He tried to remain calm and composed, suppressing any signs of discomfort. Upon arrival at the school, he observed the impressive surroundings. However, he couldn't shake the feeling of being scrutinized, exacerbating his social anxiety. He proceeded to his locker, retrieved his supposed books, and headed to his designated classroom.

Out of nowhere, a girl approached him and introduced herself as Angelica. Damien refrained from speaking to avoid risking his true identity and simply waved and smiled in response. This gesture caused Angelica to blush lightly, but Damien dismissed it, convincing himself that he mustn't entertain any misconceptions. After all, he would be living as a girl for an entire year. "I just wanted to say that I think you're really pre—" Angelica

began but was interrupted by the bell. "I guess that's it. I have to go to my class," she said, running off.

Damien found himself thoroughly perplexed by the encounter but quickly pushed the thought aside. He proceeded to his classroom, where he saw Angelica again. He waved at her, causing the entire class to gaze at him in awe, further puzzling Damien. Being homeschooled made attending a real school a novel experience, and he struggled to understand why he garnered such attention.

Taking a seat next to Angelica, Damien handed her a piece of paper and a pen, silently expressing his thoughts.

"Does everyone hate me? They were all glaring at me :(," he wrote.

Angelica's expression showed surprise as she read the note. She promptly responded, passing the paper back to Damien.

"Wait, is it your first time? It's going to be alright. They don't hate you; they stare at you for another reason," her message reassured him.

"Ohhh," Damien replied, giving the paper back to Angelica discreetly.

"What's your name, by the way?" he inquired.

"Alex Damien (Monte-----)," he wrote, intentionally excluding the Montefalco part.

"Sounds manly, but that's alright. It's not our fault our parents named us that way," Angelica replied, handing the paper back to Damien.

A smile emerged on Damien's face as he read Angelica's note. The teacher entered the classroom, starting the lesson, but Angelica interrupted, drawing attention to the fact that Damien hadn't been mentioned. Damien stepped in front of the class, approached the blackboard, and wrote his name, omitting the Montefalco surname. He whispered to the teacher in his deep voice, explaining that he couldn't reveal his full name due to his father's orders.

During lunch break, Damien found himself surrounded by boys who bombarded him with requests, rendering him unable to speak for fear of exposing himself. Angelica came to his rescue, shouting, "Stop! Can't you see she's overwhelmed?" She pulled him away from the commotion, acting as his savior.

"Hah, you're just jealous because no boys want to talk to you," Angelica retorted, rolling her eyes in response.

Damien couldn't help but appreciate Angelica's support, grateful for her presence in his new life.