Lilly's father, Lorenzo Vale, was far more than just a loving parent or a man burdened by poverty—he was a brilliant research scientist who once held a key role in a covert university project known as Project Alchemy.
Here's the truth about Lorenzo—both what Lilly knew, and what she's only now starting to uncover:
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Lorenzo was a kind, hardworking man who passed away when she was young.
He loved her and her mother deeply, always encouraging Lilly's curiosity.
He worked odd jobs and seemed to avoid talking about the university, despite once being part of it.
He died suddenly under unclear circumstances.
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1. Former University Researcher – Code Name: "Alchemist Zero"
Lorenzo was one of the lead architects of Project Alchemy, a secret research initiative focused on neurological enhancement and genetic memory. The idea was that knowledge, talent, even specific cognitive patterns, could be inherited or activated in descendants.
2. He Quit—and Paid the Price
When Lorenzo realized how dangerous the project was becoming—how the university planned to exploit gifted children—he broke ties and disappeared from the academic world. His departure wasn't clean. Files were buried. Records erased. People started watching his family.
3.
Lorenzo trained Lilly in subtle ways—teaching her to observe, question, and solve under pressure. He also left behind encrypted journals and a fragmented trail that could only be followed if Lilly ever ended up back at the university.
4.
Officially, Lorenzo died of a health complication. But rumors buried in confidential university memos suggest he was "neutralized" for threatening to leak information. The truth of his death remains obscured, but someone is actively hiding it.
The Legacy Grant is a prestigious and secretive scholarship awarded by the university, but beneath its polished exterior, it's far more than financial aid. Here's a detailed breakdown of what it really is:
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The Legacy Grant is believed to be a rare, merit-based scholarship offered to students with outstanding potential and exceptional personal hardship. It's meant to "honor the legacy of the university's founders" by providing a second chance to the overlooked or disadvantaged.
Recipients are:
Given full tuition, housing, and a stipend.
Offered mentorship from top faculty.
Guaranteed research access and career placement.
Only a few are awarded each year—sometimes only one.
💦 LILLY POV💦
By the time I opened the door, I had rehearsed everything I wanted to say.
But then I saw him.
Luca—breathless, disheveled, eyes wide with panic.
"Lilly—" he started, but I cut him off.
"Don't. Just tell me the truth."
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He froze.
"What happened?" he asked, glancing past me like he expected someone else to be inside.
"I had a visitor," I said. "He knew my name. My full name."
Luca's expression darkened. "What did he say?"
"That I was being watched. That people wanted something from me. That you were being used."
"I'm not—" he stepped forward. "I'm not being used, Lilly. I swear to you."
Silence fell.
I turned to the window, needing space.
"The hearing's tomorrow," I said after a moment.
"I know."
"They'll either give me the Legacy Grant or throw me out completely."
He exhaled. "Lilly, we can fight this. I have records. Proof of the manipulation."
"And you think the board's going to listen to you? The son of the man behind all of this?"
His face hardened. "Then I'll burn the board down."
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That made me turn.
"Don't joke about that," I said.
"I'm not."
We stood there, locked in a storm of silence.
Then I broke it.
"I'm tired, Luca. I'm tired of fighting alone. I'm tired of being afraid of people who smile to my face and stab me behind my back. And I'm tired of not knowing what's real with you."
"It's real," he said immediately. "Every part of this—what I feel for you—is real."
I swallowed hard. "Then prove it."
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He stepped forward.
"I'll be in that hearing with you tomorrow. I'll speak. I'll give them the files. Everything. Even if it means taking down my father."
"You'd do that?"
He nodded. "For you? Yes."
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Final Beat:
We stood inches apart. Neither of us moved.
Finally, I whispered, "Okay. Tomorrow, we fight."
But deep down, I couldn't shake the fear.
Because what if the real battle didn't start in the hearing room?
What if it started after?