Chapter 3

Avery May's POV:

Over the following week, campus life gradually returned to normal.

The incident with Diego and Kiana spread like wildfire, becoming the most explosive piece of gossip among the student body.

Most people concluded that Diego was mentally unstable, and Kiana was his equally unhinged accomplice.

I was sitting in the bustling student union building, sipping a matcha latte with my friend Liam.

"Have you heard about Diego Torres?" Liam asked, lowering his voice conspiratorially. "He's been... making the rounds lately."

I raised an eyebrow. "Where, exactly?"

"Everywhere," Liam said, shaking his head. "He's been crashing venture capital pitches and student startup seminars. Last night, he even tried to sneak into an alumni mixer, parading around calling himself a 'visionary' looking for seed funding."

Liam paused, biting back a laugh.

"Word is, he told one of the investors that he's destined to be bigger than Elon Musk. He said they'd be fools not to hand over fifty million dollars right on the spot, no questions asked, just for the absolute privilege of being associated with him."

I couldn't help but chuckle. Fifty million? He was completely detached from reality. "How'd that go for him?"

"Security escorted him out," Liam grinned. "Multiple times. He kept coming back. He even managed to call tech mogul Mr. Henderson at his private residence, demanding a meeting. Henderson had to file a restraining order."

A wave of amusement washed over me.

He was unravelling. Even with his scholarship revoked and a run-in with the police, he was still spewing his "future billionaire" rhetoric, demanding money in a way that was as pathetic as it was creepy.

I remembered how he used to harass my father in our past life, utterly convinced my dad owed him something.

My father, a man who built his empire on his own merit and shrewd deal-making, had simply hung up on him and blocked his number. Then Diego changed numbers, and after a week, my dad let my security detail handle it.

Without the structure and resources I had previously provided, Diego was completely lost at sea.

Now, faced with the harsh reality of starting from scratch, he was flailing, desperate to replicate a past success without understanding a single thing about the foundation it was built upon.

"I think he's convinced you're secretly sabotaging his career," Liam whispered, adding, "He's telling anyone who will listen that your family is 'conspiring to block his inevitable triumph,' and that you're all 'jealous of his genius.'"

I scoffed. "Jealous? Of what, exactly?" I tapped my expensive but understated smartwatch. "I'm building tangible things, Liam. I don't have time for conspiracy theories."

"Oh, look!" Liam suddenly gasped, nudging me gently with his elbow.

I followed his gaze. Diego and Kiana were standing by a food stall, completely oblivious to my presence.

Diego was gesturing wildly, talking a mile a minute to a very confused-looking vendor.

Kiana stood beside him, her face a mix of deep embarrassment and utter helplessness. She looked thinner, her clothes shabbier than before. She seemed to be trying to pull Diego away, but he was riding a wave of manic energy, completely blind to her discomfort.

"Come on, let's watch," Liam muttered, pulling me behind a large pillar. "This is better than any reality TV."

Meanwhile, Diego was holding a greasy little paper tray containing a lukewarm hot dog.

He stared at it with pure disdain. "This is what you call food?" he shouted, loud enough that several nearby students turned to stare. "This is garbage! My palate demands only the absolute best! From now on, I will only consume organic, ethically sourced cuisine prepared by Michelin-starred chefs!"

With that, he waved the hot dog around in a gesture of grand dismissal.

Kiana tugged at his sleeve. "Diego, please. You haven't eaten all day. It's just a hot dog. Just eat it."

He shoved her hand away. "Nonsense, Kiana! I refuse to lower myself to such mediocrity! My body is a temple, a vessel for future innovation! It deserves better!" He threw the hot dog onto the ground. "This establishment is beneath me! It's a disgrace that you sell this inedible slop!"

The food vendor, a burly man, stepped up to the counter, his face flushing red. "Hey, buddy! You got a problem with my food? Pay up and get out! Don't you throw my merchandise on the ground!"

Diego flared with indignation. "Do you have any idea who I am? I am Diego Torres! Soon, I will own a multi-billion dollar corporation! I'll buy this entire university-including your pathetic little stall-and turn it into a five-star dining experience!" He pointed a finger at the vendor. "You will pay for this insult!"

Kiana tried to drag him away again, whispering frantically, "Diego, stop! The police! Remember the police!"

Beside me, Liam snorted, fighting back a fit of laughter. He clamped a hand over his mouth, his shoulders shaking.

Diego whipped his head around, his eyes sweeping the crowd to find the source of the disrespect. That was when his gaze landed on me. His eyes narrowed, blazing with infernal fury.

"Avery!" he roared. Abandoning the bewildered vendor, he began shoving his way through the scattering students, making a beeline straight for me.

"Oh, for heaven's sake," I muttered, rolling my eyes.

I stood up, grabbing my bag to blend into the crowd, but his eyes were locked on me. He was surprisingly fast.

"You can't run away, Avery!" he yelled, grabbing my arm. "You think you can hide? You think you can pretend I don't exist? I know exactly what you're doing! You're trying to sabotage my plans, aren't you? You're jealous! You want me to come crawling back to you!"

I blinked at him. "Diego," I said evenly, "you are living in a fantasy. I have absolutely zero interest in you, your 'empire,' or whatever imaginary plans you've cooked up in your head."

A profound sense of exhaustion washed over me. He was truly pathetic.

He shook his head violently. "No! You're lying! You still love me! You just won't admit it! You want me, you want my genius, and you want to be the woman standing beside me when I reach the top!"

"But I won't let you win! Kiana is my true partner! My muse! She's my one and only love!"

He waved frantically at Kiana, who was standing there looking totally bewildered and terrified by the scene.

"You just want to tear us apart! But it won't work! We're stronger than you!" With that, he leaned in closer. "Stay away from us, Avery. Do you hear me? Or you'll regret it. I'll make you regret it."

He was genuinely sick.

"Diego," I hissed quietly. "You didn't pay for that hot dog. You threw it on the ground and walked away." I pointed to the squashed bun on the floor. "The vendor is staring right at you, and so is half the student union. They're all wondering how a 'future billionaire' could possibly dine-and-dash over a two-dollar hot dog."

His gaze flicked first to the hot dog, then over to the vendor, who was indeed glaring daggers at him.

Then, he noticed a half-empty bag of chips peeking out of Kiana's purse. He had been secretly snacking on them himself, yet earlier he vehemently swore off "junk food," too proud to admit he was starving.

My suspicions were confirmed. He was starving to death, but his ego wouldn't let him confess it.

His face burned bright red. Raw, unadulterated humiliation replaced his prior fury. "I... I just... I'm not hungry!" he stammered, trying to snatch the bag of chips from Kiana's purse.

"Right," I drawled. "I literally just saw you sneaking those chips. Starving, but too proud to admit it. Truly an inspiring visionary."

His fragile, bruised ego shattered completely. He slammed his fist heavily against the wall beside him with a dull thud. "You witch! You did this! You're trying to ruin me!"

I remained perfectly calm, completely unfazed by his outburst. "Punching a wall isn't going to solve your problems, Diego. It's just going to add a property damage charge to your ever-growing list of legal troubles."

He stumbled backward, gasping for air, his eyes swirling with a mix of terror and hatred. "You think this is over? This is just the beginning, Avery! I will rise! And when I do, you'll regret everything!"

I knew him inside and out, so I knew exactly what words would cut him the deepest.

"You've said that before, and nothing changed." I replied, my tone flat and even. "Diego, you were never a genius."