The chime of the campus bell echoed in the air, marking the beginning of a new semester at Blackwood University. Allena Carter walked briskly toward her classroom, occasionally taking deep breaths to calm herself. The *Criminal Law and Ethics* course was not the one she was most looking forward to, but the rumors about her new professor had spread faster than wildfire.
Nathaniel "Nathan" Vance—his name resonated through every hallway, whispered among students and faculty alike. No one knew much about him. No LinkedIn profile, no traceable teaching history. He had simply appeared, as if stepping out from the shadows of the past.
Allena entered the lecture hall, which was already nearly full. Some students were whispering among themselves, speculating about what their new professor would be like. She took a seat in the middle row, placed her laptop on the desk, and glanced at the clock on the wall.
That was when the classroom door swung open.
The atmosphere shifted drastically as a man walked in.
Nathan Vance was not the old, thick-glasses-wearing professor many had imagined. He was tall, broad-shouldered, and his perfectly tailored black suit fit him like a second skin. His dark gray eyes swept across the room with a sharp gaze, as if he could see deeper than he should. His black hair was slightly tousled, giving the impression of a man too preoccupied to care about small details like that.
"Allena, look at him. Damn, he looks more like a thriller movie actor than a professor," her best friend, Lily, whispered beside her.
Allena agreed. But there was something about Nathan that went beyond mere attractiveness or his mysterious aura. Something that felt… dangerous.
Nathan stood at the front of the room, quietly closing the door before speaking.
"Good morning," his voice was deep and controlled, carrying a firmness that demanded attention. "I am Professor Nathan Vance. I don't care who you are outside this classroom—rich kids, scholarship students, or corporate heirs. In here, there are only two types of students: those who think fast and those who fall behind."
Silence fell over the room. Some students swallowed hard, while others sat up straighter.
"I don't memorize textbooks," he continued. "I teach from experience. If you're looking for a professor who will give you theories without real-world application, you're free to leave now."
No one moved.
Nathan's gaze locked onto Allena's for a few seconds longer than necessary. For a brief moment, her heart pounded without reason.
"Good," he finally said, shifting his eyes across the room. "Let's begin."
---
Half an hour later, Allena realized that Nathan Vance was no ordinary professor.
He didn't use PowerPoint slides. He didn't write on the board. Instead, he spontaneously threw out complex legal cases and expected students to analyze them within minutes.
"Miss Carter," Nathan's voice suddenly called out.
Allena stiffened.
"A case. A man kills someone under duress, but the evidence suggests premeditated murder. If you were his attorney, how would you defend him?"
All eyes turned to her.
Allena blinked, her mind racing. "I would look for evidence proving that there was a threat forcing my client to act. If there's no direct evidence, I'd use forensic psychology to highlight his mental state before the incident."
Nathan didn't react for a few seconds. Then, the corner of his lips lifted slightly—a subtle smile that could have been either a challenge or approval.
"Interesting," he said quietly. "But not enough."
Allena frowned. "What?"
Nathan stepped closer, placing his hand on her desk, staring at her intently. "The court doesn't care about what you *think*, Miss Carter. They care about *evidence*. And in this case, there isn't a single piece of evidence supporting your theory. What would you do next?"
Allena swallowed hard.
Blood rushed faster through her veins. She could feel her breath hitch slightly as Nathan's gaze locked onto hers. His dark gray eyes seemed to strip away her thoughts, searching for weakness in every word she spoke.
The entire room was waiting for her answer. The silence was deafening.
"I…" Allena tried to think clearly. "I would look for flaws in the existing evidence. If there's no direct proof of duress, I would attack the credibility of the evidence suggesting premeditated murder."
Nathan continued to stare at her, his expression unreadable. Then, with an almost imperceptible movement, he straightened and walked back to the front of the room.
"Could be better," he said casually.
Allena clenched her fists under the desk. She wasn't used to being criticized this way—as if she were a child just learning to walk in the legal world. But when she lifted her gaze, she caught a glimpse of something in Nathan's eyes.
It wasn't indifference.
It wasn't disdain.
It was more like… assessment.
Some students looked relieved that they hadn't been the target of his questions today. But for Allena, this felt like the beginning of something much bigger.
---
As students began to leave, murmuring about how strict and cold Professor Vance was, Lily nudged Allena.
"Wow, he really put you on the spot in front of everyone. Are you okay?" she asked, concern in her voice.
Allena sighed. "I don't know if he wants to break me or test me."
"Well, one thing's for sure—he's interested in you."
Allena turned to her sharply. "What?"
Lily chuckled. "Not in a romantic way—although I wouldn't be surprised if he was." She raised her eyebrows teasingly. "But I think he sees something in you. Maybe he wants to see how far you can go."
Allena wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing.
She packed her laptop into her bag and stood up to leave. But as she was about to walk out, she felt someone watching her.
When she looked toward the front of the classroom, Nathan was still standing there, gazing at her with an unreadable expression.
"Allena Carter."
She stopped. His voice was deep and calm, but there was an unspoken pressure in it that made it impossible to ignore.
"Meet me in my office this afternoon," he said simply.
A mix of curiosity and tension crept through her body.
---
The door to Nathan Vance's office was much heavier than Allena expected. She knocked lightly, and his deep voice immediately responded from inside.
"Come in."
She took a deep breath before pushing the door open and stepping inside.
The room was nothing like any other professor's office she had seen. No messy stacks of papers, no framed family photos. Instead, it felt sterile, almost like an interrogation room. Thick law books were neatly arranged on the shelves, a large wooden desk stood in the center, and there was only one small window overlooking the campus courtyard.
Nathan sat behind the desk, his eyes assessing her as she entered.
"Close the door."
Allena obeyed, though her heart started to race faster.
Nathan leaned back in his chair, his fingers interlocked on the desk. "You're smart."
Allena wasn't sure if that was a compliment or just a statement of fact.
"But you think like an ordinary student."
Once again, his tone wasn't condescending, yet it still made her feel challenged.
"What do you mean, Professor?"
Nathan walked toward the window. "The legal world isn't just about who has the better argument, Allena. It's a game of power. Manipulation. Lies wrapped in law."
Allena frowned. "I don't want to be that kind of lawyer."
Nathan turned to her, his eyes narrowing. "That means you're naive."
There was something in his voice that sounded almost like… a warning.
As if he knew something she didn't.
"But I can teach you," Nathan continued. "If you're ready to see the *real* truth."
Allena gripped the strap of her bag tightly. There was something about the way he spoke—as if he wasn't just talking about law.
As if he was talking about something much darker.
Something he might be hiding.
And for reasons she couldn't understand, Allena felt like she had just stepped into a game far more dangerous than she had ever imagined.
Allena's heart was still pounding as she left Nathan's office. His words echoed in her mind.
"The world of law is a game of power. Manipulation. Lies wrapped in legality."
There was something in Nathan's tone that unsettled her. Was it just his way of teaching? Or was there something deeper—something he didn't want to reveal?
As she walked down the faculty hallway, her phone vibrated.
Lily.
"Are you still on campus? I'm at our usual café. Let's talk for a bit!"
Allena hesitated. She was too restless to go back to her apartment and be alone with her thoughts.
"Okay, I'm on my way."
Lily was already seated in the corner, sipping her coffee casually when Allena arrived. The moment she saw her friend's face, she raised an eyebrow.
"Uh-oh. You look like someone who just got challenged to a midnight duel."
Allena sat down and sighed. "I met Professor Vance in his office.'''
"What! Are you seriously?''