“Cole.”

At the sound of his name, Cole finally looked up.

“Alessia, breakfast.”

Every morning before training, Cole would wait for her downstairs with breakfast in hand.

“I’ll pick you up for dinner tonight.”

Thanks to their grueling training, they hadn’t had a proper meal together in over two weeks. Even when they saw each other, it was always in passing.

“Okay.” Alessia took the breakfast from him, waved, and said goodbye.

Although Alessia was double–majoring, her second program wouldn’t start until sophomore year. That meant, for the rest of this year, their schedules wouldn’t overlap–unless they happened to pick the same elective.

“Sorry for making you wait. Let’s go.”

“Having a boyfriend does have its perks,” Esme teased, all envy and good humor.

“It’s not bad,” Alessia admitted, smiling without a hint of embarrassment.

The group chattered and laughed as they walked away, their voices fading into the distance. Only then did Cole turn and head down a different path.

Backpack slung over his shoulder, he made his way to class. As soon as he sat down, someone dropped into the seat beside him.

newcomer, pulling out his

“What a coincidence, Cole.”

greeting him with a

was still plenty of time before class, and the lecture hall was mostly empty. Of all the available

the edge in his voice, he didn’t show it; his expression

replied, still smiling. “You’re the CEO

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as squashing a

gaze darkened, flicking over to

raised his hands in mock surrender. “Just kidding, Mr. Whitley. No need to get all worked up–l

his words, the amusement never

I were you, I’d pick another seat. Unless you want people talking, I could always pay a visit to your family patriarch for a little

as ever.

Fortune’s smile faltered. He bit down on his lip, trying to keep

leave you to

moved to the front row, not looking

to his notes. Fortune, for his part, gripped his pen so tightly it looked as if he might snap it in

the rest of

off about Fortune,” Alessia commented later, frowning. His behavior was strange, to

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