DUMPED BY MY GIRLFRIEND, CHOSEN BY A SUPERSTAR

Chapter 2

Cynthia frowned at his confusion. She checked to make sure her security guards were maintaining a tight perimeter, keeping the whispering onlookers far enough away that no one could hear their conversation.

"I thought my messages to you and your agency were completely clear," Cynthia whispered, her tone turning entirely professional. "A boyfriend is incredible for my public image right now. My PR team insisted on it. We just need to be seen walking around campus a few times so the students can take candid pictures and post them online. It's a strategic  move for social media algorithms. It's nothing real, obviously. I thought my management team already went over the entire contract and timeline with you."

Ethan shook his head quickly, raising his hands. "No. You've got the entirely wrong person. I don't belong to any agency, I don't have a contract, and I already have a girlfriend."

Cynthia froze, her eyes widening as she re-examined his Plain t-shirt. The realization of the mix-up hit her, and she instantly spun around toward her frantic personal assistant standing right behind the guard line.

"Claire!" Cynthia called out, her voice sharp with sudden confusion. "I thought I explicitly told you to have my hired fake boyfriend standing right here at the main entrance the exact moment my car pulled up to this campus! Who on earth is this?"

The assistant, Claire, looked up from her tablet, her face flushing a deep crimson color from sheer panic. "Oh, my God. Cynthia, I am so incredibly, deeply sorry. I got completely sidetracked. I was on the phone with the premium courier service ordering that special herbal tonic for your sore throat. You've been complaining about the severe tightness for a few days now, and I wanted to make absolutely sure it was delivered directly to your dorm before classes ended. I'm so sorry, I completely forgot to finalize the boyfriend's arrival!"

Cynthia let out a soft, defeated sigh, rubbing her temples. "Okay. It's fine." As she spoke, her hand traveled up to the side of her neck. She rubbed the column of her throat gently a few times, her perfect features tightening in a brief flash of discomfort.

Ethan watched her gesture closely. Out of pure instinct, the power within him stirred. His unique vision shifted subtly, bypassing the surface layers of clothing, skin, and muscle. Activating his Argus Vision, his focus pierced deeply into the soft tissue of her throat. What he saw made the air turn completely cold in his lungs.

Nestled deep inside her throat tissue, wrapped dangerously close to her main artery, was a massive, rare, and highly toxic parasitic insect native to tropical regions she had likely visited during her recent overseas modeling shoots. It was burrowing aggressively into the lining, visibly preparing to release a lethal dose of neurotoxin directly into her bloodstream.

Cynthia turned back to Ethan, opening her mouth to offer a quick apology for the awkward confrontation, but Ethan cut her off completely. His voice was suddenly dead serious.

"That's not a sore throat," Ethan stated firmly, his icy blue eyes locked onto hers. "You need to get that checked out in the next ten minutes, or else you're going to die."

Cynthia completely froze, her eyes widening in shock. "What? Why would you say something so horrific to me?"

"Look, I can't explain the medical mechanics to you clearly right now," Ethan pushed, stepping closer, his tone  filled with urgency. "But you have to go to the campus hospital right this second. See a nurse, get an emergency specialist, whatever it takes. Demand an immediate deep tissue scan. You are in life threatening danger, and I am laying serious emphasis on the fact that you will literally die if you choose to ignore this."

Cynthia frowned, trying to understand why he was being so intense. "I have the world's absolute best online doctors and private physicians at my beck and call. Why would I ever go to a standard campus hospital?"

"There is absolutely no time for a private appointment," Ethan insisted. "You really need to go right now. Just trust me and go."

Stunned by the unyielding urgency in his voice, Cynthia found herself nodding quickly. "Okay, fine. I'll go." She spun around to her assistant. "Claire, pull up the campus map. Find our way to where the hospital is, let's head there immediately."

She paused, turning back to give Ethan one last look of complete fascination and bewilderment. "You're weird."

"Please, just go," Ethan responded quietly.

Cynthia hurried away, her heavy security detail moving swiftly around her. As they rounded the grand corridor, Ethan could hear her murmuring to her P.A., "Claire, call Dr. Sarah right now and tell her to drop everything. Tell her to meet me at the school clinic this exact second."

Once the group disappeared, Ethan let out a slow sigh of relief, adjusting the strap of his backpack. Checking his phone, he realized he was already running late for the one person he had crossed the world to see. He quickened his pace, heading directly toward the university cafeteria where he knew Chloe would be spending her free period.