Leo pushed the mop across the hallway floor in steady arcs, the wet strings slapping softly against the tile. His shoulder still ached from the old wound, and his side pulled tight with every bend. The familiar smell of lemon cleaner filled the air as he worked his way toward the admin offices. To the students rushing past with their bags and laptops, he was just another scholarship kid doing his morning shift. No one knew the truth.His phone vibrated in his pocket. He checked the screen quickly. The Dean’s secure line. “Routine meeting in my office. Ten minutes. Board questions coming in.”Leo’s face stayed calm as he finished the section and stored the cart. He walked toward the admin wing like any student called in for a talk. The Dean knew the truth...he had installed the man himself after firing Arthur. But the rest of the university still saw Leo as the janitor.The Dean’s office door was slightly open. Leo knocked once and stepped inside. The Dean, a middle-aged man with neat

Leo pushed the mop slowly across the dusty floor of the old library stacks, the wet strings dragging over cracked tile with soft scraping sounds. The scent of old paper and cleaning solution mixed heavily in the air. Above him, tall shelves stretched toward the dim ceiling lights, packed tightly with aging reference books that most students never touched anymore.His shoulder throbbed again.The old wound always acted up during cold evenings, and the deep pull in his side made every bend feel sharp and unpleasant. Still, his expression never changed. Years of training had taught him how to bury discomfort beneath calm silence.To everyone inside the library, he was invisible.Just another scholarship student working a maintenance shift to cover tuition costs.A nobody.Exactly how he wanted it.Several students sat quietly in the main reading hall beyond the stacks, their keyboards clicking softly in the distance. No one looked twice at him as he moved between shelves.That was why he

Elena sat at the small kitchen table in their apartment, staring at the printed email from the scholarship office. The words blurred together after reading them so many times. Her mother stood at the stove, stirring a pot of thin soup, but her movements were slower than usual. The worry on her face was clear.“Still nothing good?” her mother asked without turning around.Elena shook her head. “The audit is still moving. They flagged my file again. They want more paperwork by the end of the week. It’s like they’re looking for any reason to take it away.”Her mother turned off the stove and came over to sit across from her. Her face showed the same quiet strength she had always had, but her eyes were tired. “This is because of him, isn’t it? Leo. The things he’s involved in.”Elena looked down at the paper. “I think so. He’s trying to fix it, but it’s getting worse. The board is asking questions about ownership records. If they dig too deep, everything could fall apart.”Her mother reac