The morning air was crisp as Evelyn hurried down the school corridor, her thoughts still a haze from waking up late. She turned a corner sharply— and crashed into something solid.
No, not something. Someone.
The scent of cologne—warm, smooth, with a hint of spice—filled her senses as she stumbled back. A hand caught her wrist before she could fully regain balance.
> "Whoa, careful there, sweetheart."
Evelyn looked up, blinking. The man standing in front of her was tall, strikingly handsome, with a devil-may-care smirk on his face. His hair was slightly messy, but in a way that looked effortlessly styled. His uniform was loosely worn, the top button undone, sleeves lazily rolled up.
His golden-hazel eyes watched her with amusement.
> "Late morning rush? Or did you just want to throw yourself into my arms?"
Evelyn blinked, momentarily thrown off by the smooth confidence in his voice.
> "Excuse me?" she frowned, pulling her wrist free.
> "No need to be shy. I don't mind catching you anytime," he said, flashing a lazy grin.
Evelyn scoffed, rolling her eyes. Who does this guy think he is?
> "You should watch where you're going."
> "Noted. But if it means running into someone as beautiful as you, I might just keep being careless."
Evelyn felt a mix of annoyance and amusement, but before she could respond, a voice interrupted.
> "Tch. Of course it's you."
She turned— Lucien stood a few steps away, his sharp blue eyes locked onto the man with an unreadable expression.
For the first time, Evelyn noticed something odd.
Lucien wasn't just looking at the guy—he was analyzing him. The same way he looked at people he didn't trust.
---
The handsome stranger turned to face Lucien, and for a brief moment, something flickered in his gaze.
Then, he smirked.
> "Ah, Lucien Falkner. I was wondering when I'd run into you."
Evelyn raised an eyebrow. They know each other?
Lucien's posture remained calm, but his jaw tightened slightly.
> "Caius Lancaster."
The way Lucien said his name—it wasn't friendly, but it wasn't hostile either. It was acknowledgment.
Caius placed a hand on his chest, feigning surprise.
> "Oh? You remember my name? I'm honored."
Lucien didn't respond, his gaze cool and unreadable. But Evelyn could tell something was off.
Caius glanced at Evelyn, then back at Lucien. His smirk widened, as if he had just discovered something very interesting.
> "So this is where you've been hiding, huh?"
Lucien's eyes darkened slightly. Evelyn didn't understand what Caius meant—but Lucien clearly did.
---
Caius turned his attention back to Evelyn, his smirk softening into something more charming.
> "Forgive me. I got so caught up in seeing an old acquaintance that I forgot to introduce myself."
> "Caius Lancaster. New student. And you are?"
> "Evelyn Mercer."
> "Ah. Evelyn." He repeated her name, as if testing how it sounded. "Beautiful name for a beautiful girl."
Lucien exhaled through his nose, subtly annoyed but refusing to react.
Evelyn crossed her arms.
> "Flattery doesn't work on me."
Caius chuckled. "Good. I like a challenge."
Lucien finally spoke, his voice calm but firm.
> "Don't waste your time, Caius."
Caius tilted his head slightly, as if amused by Lucien's words.
> "Waste? Now, Lucien, that hurts. I'm just being friendly."
His golden eyes gleamed with mischief.
> "Or… does this bother you?"
Lucien's jaw tightened, but he remained silent.
Caius chuckled softly, then leaned in slightly— not towards Lucien, but towards Evelyn.
> "Tell me, Evelyn. Is he always this grumpy?"
Evelyn blinked. Why does it feel like he's purposely trying to get under Lucien's skin?
---
Before Evelyn could respond, Lucien's voice cut through, lower this time.
> "Stay away from her."
Caius's smirk didn't fade, but his eyes sharpened slightly, as if he understood the real message behind those words.
> "Is that a request, or a threat?"
Lucien's expression remained unreadable, but the intensity in his gaze made the air feel heavier.
For the first time, Evelyn felt a strange tension between them—as if something deeper was going on, something she wasn't aware of.
After a moment, Caius chuckled, stepping back with a carefree shrug.
> "Relax, old friend. I'm just getting to know my new classmates."
His golden-hazel eyes flickered toward Evelyn one last time.
> "See you around, Evelyn."
And just like that, he walked away, hands casually in his pockets—as if he hadn't just left an invisible mark in the room.
Evelyn turned to Lucien, frowning.
> "Okay. What was that about?"
Lucien was still looking in the direction Caius had left, his gaze cold and distant.
> "Nothing you need to worry about."
But his tight grip on his bag strap told a different story.
---
As the day went on, Evelyn couldn't shake the feeling that Lucien and Caius had a history—one that Lucien wasn't telling her.
Lucien, on the other hand, knew exactly who Caius was.
> He wasn't just another new student.
He wasn't just some flirtatious troublemaker.
Caius Lancaster was trained to be his equal.
And if he was here… then something bigger was coming.
End of Chapter 42