But the seed of doubt had been planted, and it was growing.Outside the Red Dragon, the cool night air hit them like a slap. The valet had already been notified of their expulsion and stood pointedly away from them, making no move to retrieve their car.Helen stood on the sidewalk, her designer heels clicking against the pavement, her face a mask of barely controlled fury. Charlie stood beside her, his phone still in his hand, staring at it as if he could will it to make sense."This is humiliating," Helen hissed under her breath. "Absolutely humiliating.""It's a mistake," Charlie insisted, though his voice lacked conviction. "It has to be. The Spencer family doesn't even know who we are—""Then why did they kick us out?" Helen snapped. "Why did your supposed contact's number stop working? Explain that, Charlie!"Before Charlie could respond, the restaurant's main doors opened and two figures emerged, laughing like they didn't have a care in the world.Ethan and Julian.Helen felt he

The memories came flooding back as Ethan looked at Susan standing at the front of the lecture hall. Three years ago, she'd been one of the brightest students in their undergraduate program—sharp, driven, and genuinely kind beneath her intimidating intelligence. She'd also made her interest in Ethan abundantly clear, in the subtle ways smart people do: study sessions that ran late, coffee invitations, the way her eyes would linger on him during group discussions.But Ethan had been completely blind to it all, utterly consumed by his infatuation with Helen Morrison.He remembered the night Susan had finally asked him directly to dinner—not as classmates, but as something more. He'd turned her down gently, explaining that he was serious about someone else. Susan had smiled, wished him well, and never brought it up again. But he'd seen the hurt in her eyes, the quiet disappointment she'd hidden behind professionalism.Everyone in their program had been baffled by his choice. Susan White w

Ethan had dealt with entitled bullies before—three years with the Morrison family had given him plenty of practice. But Peter Morgan's aggressive territorial display was so juvenile, so transparently insecure, that Ethan couldn't even muster the energy to be annoyed."This conversation is over," Ethan said calmly, moving to step around Peter.Peter's hand shot out, gripping Ethan's shoulder hard enough to leave marks. "I'm not done talking to you.""But I'm done listening." Ethan looked down at the hand on his shoulder, then back up at Peter's face with cold precision. "Remove your hand. Now.""Or what?" Peter sneered, his confidence bolstered by the four other students who'd positioned themselves around them—clearly his regular entourage, guys who followed Peter around campus like he was some kind of celebrity. "You going to fight me? You and what army?"Ethan had left his security detail at home deliberately. The whole point of returning to school was to live something approaching a

Across campus, in one of GBI's upscale study lounges, Peter Morgan sat surrounded by his usual group of followers, his phone in hand and his expression darkening by the second."What did you find?" he demanded, looking up at Marcus—a grad student who specialized in information gathering and who owed Peter several favors.Marcus consulted his tablet. "Ethan Carter. Age twenty-five. Dropped out of GBI three years ago during his undergraduate senior year. Reason cited was 'personal circumstances.' He was engaged to Helen Morrison, CEO of Morrison Industries.""Engaged," Peter repeated with satisfaction. "So he's taken.""Was taken," Marcus corrected. "They broke up recently. Publicly, actually—it's all over social media. There was some scandal involving theft accusations that got retracted, a bunch of messy family drama."Peter waved that away impatiently. "I don't care about his relationship drama. What else?""Financially?" Marcus scrolled through his notes. "That's where it gets inter

He'd spotted them too. And where Helen felt confusion and creeping horror, Charlie felt pure, venomous fury at seeing Ethan not just present, but apparently connected to the Spencer family's inner circle.Before Helen could stop him, Charlie was already moving, cutting through the crowd with jerky, aggressive strides, his face flushed and his hands clenched into fists."Charlie, wait—" Helen hissed, but he was beyond listening.Ethan and Jolie had just reached the main floor when Charlie positioned himself directly in their path, his posture confrontational, his voice loud enough to carry."Well, well, well," Charlie sneered, his words dripping with malicious satisfaction. "Look who it is. Ethan Carter, the professional freeloader. Found yourself a new meal ticket already?"The conversations around them died instantly. Dozens of eyes turned to witness the confrontation, curiosity and scandal-hunger written across elegant faces.Jolie's expression went ice-cold. Ethan's jaw tightened,