Novels by Manja Kirsch

The Greywick Grand Hall buzzed with elite energy. Crystal chandeliers hung from the vaulted ceiling, illuminating rows of impeccably dressed attendees—professors in tailored suits, medical luminaries with name tags from prestigious institutions, and select highly connected students clutching notepads Darius wore a simple, well-fitted dark suit—elegant, yet entirely unassuming. He navigated the crowd quietly, keeping to the periphery, ignoring the occasional snobbish glances from students who recognized him as the "delivery boy." The highlight of the symposium was the live-case demonstration in the main amphitheater. The room was packed to capacity, the tiered seating filled with the brightest minds in medicine. On the raised stage below, Dr. Rhea Kane, the continent's youngest and most brilliant female cardiologist, was leading the presentation. At just twenty-three, Rhea was a prodigy, having revolutionized non-invasive valve repair. She stood confidently

Morning light spilled across the penthouse in long golden bars, catching on crystal glassware that neither of them remembered owning. Charlie was the first to notice the smell — warm, buttery, impossibly rich — and he was out of bed and down the hallway before his eyes had fully adjusted to being awake. "Darius!" His voice cracked with disbelief as he skidded to a stop at the dining table. "Darius, get out here right now!"Laid out across the marble surface was a spread that belonged in a five-star Michelin restaurant: On the dining table sat a lavish spread: delicate folds of smoked salmon draped over a bed of capers, a platter of imported French cheeses, flaky pastries still warm enough to fog the glass dome covering them, and a silver pot of Blue Mountain coffee releasing slow curls of steam into the air. Crystal glasses held fresh orange juice, and a small bowl of caviar sat elegantly on ice. Charlie spun around, half expecting to find a chef standing sheepishly in the

​"Darius! Darius!" ​A breathless voice echoed down the hallway. Darius stopped and turned to see Charlie scrambling to catch up. Charlie's eyes were wide, practically bugging out of his head, his chest heaving as he finally drew level. He waited until the senior assistant had stepped a respectful distance ahead before grabbing Darius by the shoulder, his voice dropping to a harsh, frantic whisper. ​"What in the actual hell just happened in there?" Charlie hissed, looking around as if expecting campus security to tackle them both to the ground. "Darius, talk to me. How did you do that? How on earth did you afford to clear all of your dues at once? Does this have anything to do with the lady from last night? Because two days ago we were eating toast and beans off a hot plate, and today you just paid off six hundred thousand dollars like it was bus fare." ​ Darius exhaled slowly, placing a hand on Charlie's shoulder. He'd known this conversation was coming. He just hadn't dec

It was around eleven o'clock at the Greywick University. The administrative hall was already crowded by the time Darius arrived, students clustered along the corridor pretending not to stare as he passed. Whispers followed him like a current. *That's him. The delivery guy who broke Mars Bentley's face.* *Did you hear he tried to pay with a fake black card last night to impress his ex-girlfriend who dumped him?* *I think he's going to be expelled, Mr. Bentley is going to ensure that.* Charlie walked beside him, jaw tight, trying to keep a calm composure, but as soon as he sighted Mr. Bentley, his eyes widened with terror. "Darius, Mr. Bentley is here." "I can clearly see that." "Guyyy, you have to apologize. When we get in there, just drop to your knees and beg Mr. Bentley for forgiveness. If you swallow your pride, maybe he’ll drop the criminal charges and let you graduate!" Charlie whispered, his heart hammering against his chest. Darius looked at his roommate, his

The dining room fell into a stunned hush. Every fork stopped mid-air. Every whisper died in throats that had, seconds ago, been eager to mock. Darius turned his head slowly, following the hand that rested on his shoulder up to the face of the woman who owned it. She was striking in the effortless way that only came from never having tried very hard — sharp cheekbones, dark eyes lined with quiet amusement, and a posture that suggested she had never once in her life been told to sit up straight, because she simply already did. "Excuse me?" the waiter stammered, still clutching Darius's declined card. "You heard me." The woman didn't even glance at the waiter. Her eyes stayed fixed on Darius. She reached into her designer clutch, pulled out a sleek, titanium card, and tossed it onto the silver tray without looking. "Put their entire bill on my tab." She tilted her chin slightly, directing a cool, dismissive glance toward the table where Mars and Kimberley sat. "Including their

"Charlie, slow down. What problem?" Darius pressed the phone tighter to his ear, stepping away from Holt and the grandmaster toward the tall study windows. "The university administration has called an emergency disciplinary panel which is going to be held tomorrow!" Charlie stammered, his voice shaking. "Also, Mr. Bentley, just left here with five security men! They’ve torn our room apart looking for you, and they’re threatening to expel me if I don’t tell them where you are. Where the hell are you and what did you do to Mars?" Darius's stomach dropped, the momentary warmth of the last hour evaporating in an instant. "I'm... I'm handling something right now," Darius said carefully, glancing back at the two men watching him with quiet interest. "Just tell them you don't know where I am. If they come back, don't say anything else to the security, Charlie. Nothing. You understand me?" "Darius, they're not playing around. Mars's father is on the board of trustees.