The Resurgence of the Past: Liam Foster
The campus, still buzzing with the undercurrent of the Thorne Foundation scandal, was about to introduce a new kind of drama into Elisa's life. The subtle, evolving truce with Felix had started to feel almost… comfortable, a quiet understanding growing between them amidst the chaos. But comfort, as she was about to learn, was a fleeting luxury.
It happened during a casual campus concert on the quad. The music was upbeat, and students mingled freely. Elisa was laughing with Lisa and Caleb when a familiar voice, one that sent a cold shiver down her spine despite the warmth of the evening, cut through the air.
"Elisa? Is that really you?"
She turned, slowly, dread pooling in her stomach. Standing there, a smirk playing on his lips, was Liam Foster. Liam, her high school crush, the boy she'd poured her heart out to, only for him to spectacularly humiliate her during their senior year, broadcasting a deeply personal secret to their entire class for a cheap laugh. He was still tall, still conventionally handsome, with dark, artfully styled hair and eyes that used to charm her but now just held a calculating glint. He had transferred to the university this semester, a fact she had managed to blissfully ignore until now.
His presence immediately soured the evening. He moved closer, acting as if no time had passed, no betrayal had occurred. "Wow, you look… different. College agrees with you, I guess." His tone was laced with an insincere casualness that made her skin crawl.
Just as Elisa struggled to find her voice, paralyzed by a mixture of shock and rekindled anger, a shadow fell over Liam. She felt a familiar presence, a sudden shift in the air. Felix had appeared, seemingly out of nowhere, his posture unusually rigid, his eyes narrowed as he assessed the scene. He'd been nearby, talking to Seraphina and Leo, and clearly hadn't missed the sudden tension around Elisa.
Liam, oblivious or perhaps deliberately provocative, extended a hand to Felix. "Liam Foster. You must be Thorne. Heard a lot about your family." His smile didn't reach his eyes.
Felix didn't take his hand. His gaze was fixed on Elisa's pale face, then on Liam, a protective, almost possessive, glint hardening his features. "Felix Thorne," he stated, his voice a low growl, radiating an intensity that made the air crackle. "And Elisa here is… busy." His implicit dismissal of Liam was stark, unwavering.
The tension was immediate, palpable. Liam's smirk wavered, replaced by a flicker of annoyance. Elisa felt a strange mix of relief and alarm. Relief that Felix was there, cutting off Liam's condescending act. Alarm at the possessive edge in Felix's voice, and the unspoken challenge in the air between the two men. The campus was suddenly too small, and her past, present, and a very unexpected protector had just violently collided.
Elisa's POV: The Resurgence of the Past
The music at the campus concert, which had moments ago felt carefree, now felt like a taunting soundtrack to my worst nightmare. "Elisa? Is that really you?"
Liam. Just hearing his voice made my stomach clench. The boy who had charmed me, drawn out my secrets, and then weaponized them for a public laugh in high school. I turned, slowly, and there he was, same easy smirk, same dark, calculated eyes. He hadn't changed. He still radiated that deceptive charm that had once fooled me.
"Wow, you look… different," he said, his gaze lingering. "College agrees with you, I guess." The insincerity in his tone was like sandpaper on my skin. All the old hurt, the humiliation, the feeling of being utterly betrayed, rushed back. I wanted to disappear. I wanted to scream. But my voice was stuck in my throat.
Just as he took another step closer, that sickeningly familiar scent of his cologne filling my space, a dark presence overshadowed him. I knew it was Felix before I even looked up. The air itself seemed to shift, growing colder, sharper. He was there, standing between me and Liam, his posture stiff, his eyes narrowed, scrutinizing Liam with an intensity that could curdle milk.
Liam, ever the oblivious or perhaps deliberate provocateur, tried to introduce himself. "Liam Foster. You must be Thorne. Heard a lot about your family."
Felix ignored his outstretched hand, his gaze boring into me for a fraction of a second, an unreadable flicker there before it snapped back to Liam. "Felix Thorne," he bit out, his voice low, dangerous, "And Elisa here is… busy."
The dismissal was brutal, absolute. Liam's smirk finally faltered, a flash of something ugly crossing his face. A strange wave washed over me – a potent mix of relief that Felix had cut off Liam's insidious charm, and a sudden, sharp awareness of the possessive, almost territorial way he'd said it. He had stepped in, but in doing so, he had also drawn a line. My past and my unexpectedly complicated present had just collided, and Felix was suddenly, fiercely, on my side. It was alarming, powerful, and utterly bewildering.
Felix's POV: The Resurgence of the Past
The campus concert was exactly the kind of noise I usually avoided, but Seraphina had insisted. I was talking to her and Leo, my mind still half-engaged with the ongoing Thorne Foundation crisis, when I noticed Elisa stiffen, her laughter dying on her lips. Her face went pale, a look of dread I hadn't seen since the article incident settling over her.
I followed her gaze. A guy. Tall, dark hair, too-easy smile, oozing exactly the kind of fake charm I despised. He was moving towards her, a predatory glint in his eyes that made my blood boil. Her past, my brain supplied, connecting the dots to something Caleb had once vaguely mentioned. This wasn't just a random annoying frat boy; this was personal.
I didn't think. I just moved. Stepped in, cutting off the access, putting myself between him and Elisa. My gaze locked onto his. He tried to play it cool, extending his hand. "Liam Foster. You must be Thorne. Heard a lot about your family." The arrogance in his voice was sickening.
I ignored his hand. My eyes darted to Elisa. She was still pale, her body language screaming distress. That flicker of vulnerability, that wounded look I'd seen after my careless words – it was back. And this bastard had caused it. A surge of protective anger, fierce and unexpected, consumed me.
"Felix Thorne," I growled, my voice low, dangerous, a deliberate warning. "And Elisa here is… busy." The implicit message was clear: Back off. She's not yours to bother. My gaze drilled into his, daring him to challenge me. His smirk wavered, replaced by a flash of impotent fury. Good.
I could feel Elisa behind me, a mix of relief and surprise radiating from her. She probably thought I was being my usual arrogant self, making a show. But this wasn't for show. This was about her. About that bastard hurting her. The anger didn't dissipate. Liam Foster had managed to do what few others could: unite my calculated indifference with genuine, primal protectiveness. The lines were blurring, fast. And I didn't like how much I didn't like this guy being anywhere near her.