"Please," Rhys said in a calm, tired voice, "go away. And stop following me."
He turned around—and there they were. Three people, dressed in sharp black, their presence impossible to miss. He recognized them instantly.
The same ones from his grandfather's office.
"I don't need your protection," Rhys said firmly, meeting their gaze. "Tell him that."
They didn't respond, just exchanged quiet glances, clearly unwilling to defy their orders.
Rhys exhaled, pinching the bridge of his nose. Of course. They never listen.
His maternal grandfather had hired them—guards, spies, watchdogs, whatever label fit best—to keep him "safe."
Safety. That word never meant much to Rhys.
He came from a world where power was inherited, not earned. His father owned the fourth-largest company in the country, a symbol of wealth and control. His mother, on the other hand, was born into a family that ruled the underworld like royalty.
Two dynasties—both dangerous in their own ways.
And Rhys? He wanted nothing to do with either.
When his parents split up at thirteen, he was forced to grow up between two worlds constantly at war—each side determined to claim him as their successor.
He chose neither.
Rhys had always wanted a peaceful life—something far away from the chaos he'd grown up with. The shouting matches, the bodyguards, the power games—he'd seen enough of that to last a lifetime.
He had his own dreams. Ordinary ones. Ones that didn't involve bloodlines, business empires, or the underworld.
He rushed out of the alley and headed straight for the college gates. By the time he arrived, he was already late. Great start, he thought.
But the moment he stepped in, something felt… off.
Students moved aside as he walked past, whispering quietly. Not one person dared to meet his eyes.
Rhys frowned. What's going on? The kind of respect—or was it fear?—he was getting on his first day made no sense.
He finally reached his classroom, only to find every seat taken—except one.
And of course, it had to be next to her.
The same crazy lady from earlier. Seraphine Calder.
He stared for a moment, then sighed under his breath. "Fantastic. This day just keeps getting better."
Sliding into the seat beside her, Rhys leaned back, already sensing that peace was the last thing he was going to get here.
Rhys sat down quietly, pretending not to notice the stares from the rest of the class. Seraphine didn't even glance his way—she was calmly flipping through a book, completely unbothered, like kidnapping someone was a normal Tuesday activity.
He cleared his throat. "So… this is awkward," he muttered under his breath.
Without looking up, she replied flatly, "You're loud."
Rhys raised an eyebrow. "You kidnapped me, remember? I think I'm allowed to be a little loud."
Seraphine finally turned to him, her expression unreadable. "You're here. You're fine. Stop exaggerating."
He leaned slightly closer, smirking. "You call that fine? You threw a cloth over my head and handed me a contract."
Her lips curved into a faint smile. "And yet, you still showed up."
Rhys blinked. "You think I chose to be here?"
"Of course you did," she said, meeting his eyes. "You could've run."
He opened his mouth, then paused. Okay… fair point.
The teacher walked in, saving him from replying, and the class immediately went silent. Rhys sank back into his seat, but he could still feel Seraphine's gaze flicker toward him every now and then.
He wasn't sure if she was sizing him up, testing him, or just amused—but one thing was certain.
This woman was going to drive him insane.
Whispers started floating from the row behind them—quiet enough to pretend secrecy, but loud enough for Rhys to hear every word.
"Well, I guess we're getting a twist in Seraphine's story," one girl said, giggling. "Her boyfriend just entered the chat."
Rhys froze mid-note. Boyfriend?
He blinked, slowly turning toward Seraphine. Wait, what? When did that happen? No… no way.
"Sera—" he began, leaning closer, but she cut him off without even looking up.
"Does it matter?" she said calmly, her tone almost bored. "It is what it is."
He frowned. "But I didn't even agree to the contract!"
Now she turned, eyes glinting with mischief. "You weren't given a choice," she said, voice low and teasing. "I thought you were smart enough to realize that."
Rhys stared at her, completely thrown off by how effortlessly she turned chaos into control.
Her lips curved into a faint, knowing smile. "Try to keep up, boyfriend."
And just like that, she went back to her notes as if she hadn't just dropped a bomb in front of half the class.
Rhys sank deeper into his chair, muttering under his breath. "Yeah… this is definitely not a normal first day."