News travels fast on a college campus. But fear travels faster.
By the ti I finished my workout and walked out of the gym, the atmosphere had shifted. The whispers weren’t just curious anymore; they were cautious. Guys who used to shoulder-check in the hallway now stepped aside. Girls who looked through were now looking at , their gazes lingering on the new clothes, the posture, the mystery.
Ethan was waiting for outside, bouncing on the balls of his feet.
"Dude," he hissed, falling into step beside . "You threatened his scholarship? seriously? Do you even have that kind of pull?"
I adjusted my gym bag, keeping my face neutral. "Does it matter?"
Ethan stopped, staring at . "You bluffed him. You looked the captain of the lacrosse team in the eye and bluffed him into submission."
"Power is perception, Ethan," I said, quoting a line from one of Sofia’s old interviews. "If he thinks I can ruin him, then I can."
[Social Rank Stabilized: Campus Enigma]
[Intimidation Success Rate: 85%]
My phone buzzed.
Sofia: I hear I have a new consultant on the payroll. Your hourly rate is exorbitant.
I smiled. Of course she knew. She had eyes everywhere.
: You get what you pay for. Besides, it stopped the rumors.
Sofia: Clever. I like it. It gives us cover.
: Cover for what?
Sofia: For tonight. The Art Gala at the t. I need a date, but I can’t bring a student. I can, however, bring a highly promising junior analyst.
My heart skipped a beat. The t Gala. That wasn’t just a date; that was the deep end of the pool.
Sofia: Black tie. A car will pick you up at 7. Don’t embarrass .
: I wouldn’t dream of it.
I spent the afternoon in a state of controlled panic.
The System was helpful, flashing fashion tips and etiquette guides, but it couldn’t fix the fact that I didn’t own a tuxedo.
[Daily Task: Financial Managent II]
[Objective: Acquire Formal Wear]
[Budget: High]
I went back to the upscale district. This ti, I didn’t feel like an imposter. I walked into the tailor shop with the confidence of a man who had a $10,000 retainer in his bank account.
"I need a tuxedo," I told the older man asuring a suit. "Tonight."
He looked over his glasses at . "Tonight? Impossible. Custom takes weeks."
"I don’t need custom," I said, pulling out my debit card. "I need sothing off the rack that you can alter in three hours. I’ll pay double for the rush."
He looked at the card. He looked at .
"Step this way, sir."
At 6:45 PM, I was standing in front of my mirror.
The tuxedo was midnight blue, slim-fit, and looked like it had been molded to my body. The tailor had worked a miracle. I fixed my cufflinks—simple silver knots—and ran a hand through my hair.
I didn’t look like Jake Hart, the scholarship kid. I looked like soone who belonged in a penthouse.
[Charisma Boost: Formal Wear]
[Appearance: 9/10]
[Confidence: 25]
I walked out of my apartnt building just as a sleek black town car pulled up to the curb. The driver, a man with a thick neck and sunglasses, opened the back door.
"Mr. Hart?"
"That’s ."
I slid inside. The interior slled of leather.
We drove through the city, the lights blurring past. I checked my phone. No texts from Ethan. No notifications from The Chirp. Just silence.
For the first ti in my life, I felt ready.
The t was a fortress of light and noise. Photographers lined the red carpet, their flashes popping like strobe lights.
The car stopped. The driver opened the door.
I stepped out, the cool night air hitting my face.
Sofia was waiting at the top of the stairs.
She was wearing a gown that looked like liquid gold, clinging to every curve and pooling around her feet. Her hair was swept up, exposing the long line of her neck. She looked regal. Untouchable.
When she saw , her expression shifted. The professional mask slipped for a fraction of a second, replaced by sothing warr. Sothing hungry.
I walked up the stairs, ignoring the photographers shouting her na.
"Ms. Aldridge," I said, stopping in front of her.
"Mr. Hart," she replied, her eyes scanning from head to toe. "You clean up well."
"I had a good incentive."
She took my arm. "Rember. Tonight, you’re my consultant. You’re brilliant, you’re insightful, and you’re strictly professional."
"Understood."
"Good," she whispered, leaning in close enough that her breath brushed my ear. "Because if you look at the way you did last night, we’re going to be on the front page of every tabloid in the city."
We walked into the gala.
The room was breathtaking—high ceilings, massive chandeliers, art that cost more than entire countries. But the real show was the people. Senators. Tech moguls. Movie stars.
And .
"Stay close," Sofia murmured. "And don’t let them eat you alive."
We moved through the crowd. Sofia introduced as "Jake Hart, a specialist I’ve brought on for the Asian markets."
People were skeptical at first. They saw my age. But then I would drop a statistic about the Singapore tech sector, or a comnt on the volatility of the yen, and their eyes would widen.
[Intelligence Check Passed]
[Respect Gained: 15]
I was holding my own.
Then, I felt a tap on my shoulder.
I turned around.
It was Marcus Thorne.
He looked less smug than he had at the mixer. He looked tired. Angry.
"Hart," he said, his voice tight.
"Thorne," I replied, keeping my tone pleasant. "Enjoying the art?"
"I’m enjoying watching you play dress-up," he sneered. "You think because you got lucky with one tip, you belong here?"
Sofia stiffened beside , ready to intervene. I touched her arm gently—I got this.
"Luck is for people who don’t do their howork, Marcus," I said calmly. "I heard Vanguard’s stock took a hit this morning. Seven percent?"
His jaw tightened. "Market fluctuation."
"Correction," I said. "Investor panic. You over-leveraged, and now you’re exposed. If I were you, I’d be worrying less about my suit and more about your liquidity."
Thorne’s face turned a shade of red that clashed with the drapes. He opened his mouth to retort, but a photographer flashed a cara in our faces.
Thorne forced a smile, turned on his heel, and walked away.
Sofia let out a low breath.
"You," she whispered, squeezing my arm, "are going to be the death of ."
"I thought you liked danger."
"I do," she admitted. "Too much."
She pulled toward a quiet corner, behind a massive marble statue. The noise of the party faded slightly.
"I hate this," she said, her voice dropping. "I hate pretending you’re just an employee."
"It’s part of the ga," I said.
"I don’t want to play the ga right now," she murmured.
She looked around to make sure we were hidden, then pressed back against the cool marble base of the statue. Her hands bunched in my jacket.
"Kiss ," she commanded. "Right now."
"Sofia, there are caras—"
"I don’t care."
I didn’t argue. I kissed her. It was risky, reckless, and completely intoxicating. For a few seconds, we weren’t the CEO and the consultant. We were just two people who couldn’t get enough of each other.
[Risk Level: Critical]
[Adrenaline Boost: Active]
We pulled apart breathless, flushed.
"We should go," she whispered. "Before I do sothing that gets us both banned from the t."
"Your place?"
"My place."
We straightened our clothes and walked back out into the party, composed, professional, perfect.
But as we headed for the exit, I caught a glimpse of soone near the coat check.
A girl in a simple black dress, handing a ticket to the attendant.
It was Claire.
She was working the event. Catering? Coat check?
She looked up as we passed. Her eyes locked onto mine. Then they shifted to Sofia, who was holding my arm.
Recognition dawned on her face. The rumors. The photo. The "consulting" lie.
She put it all together in a second.
She didn’t wave. She didn’t smile. She just stared, her expression a mix of shock and... betrayal?
I didn’t stop. I couldn’t.
I walked out the door with Sofia, the flashbulbs blinding .
[Social Complication Detected]
[Claire knows.]
[Secret Status: Compromised]
The car door closed, shutting out the noise. Sofia leaned her head on my shoulder, sighing contentedly.
But I stared out the window, my mind racing.
I had conquered the boardroom. I had conquered the gala.
But I had a feeling my problems on campus were just getting started.
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