Chapter 1

The low hum of the university cafeteria was a familiar backdrop to Ethan' s life. He sat alone at a small table, his focus entirely on the screen of his phone. He wasn't scrolling through social media or watching videos, he was reading a dense academic article, his brow furrowed in concentration. The prestigious scholarship he was aiming for required this level of dedication, and he had no time to waste.

A tray slammed down on his table, making him jump.

"Hey. You."

Ethan looked up. A girl he vaguely recognized from around campus stood there, her arms crossed. She had a polished look, from her perfect hair to her designer handbag. Her name was Brittany, he thought, a self-proclaimed "influencer" who always seemed to be filming herself.

"Can I help you?" Ethan asked, his voice calm.

"Yeah, you can," she said, pointing a long, manicured nail at the cash register. "My card got declined. It' s a stupid bank issue. You' re going to pay for my lunch."

It wasn't a question, it was a demand. Ethan stared at her for a second, confused. He had never spoken to this girl before in his life. He glanced at her tray, piled high with expensive salads and a fancy coffee. It was easily over twenty dollars.

"I' m sorry, but no," he said simply.

Brittany' s perfectly made-up face twisted. "What did you just say?"

"I said no," Ethan repeated, his voice still level. He wasn't trying to be rude, just factual. "I don't know you, and I' m not paying for your food." He turned his attention back to his phone, hoping that would be the end of it. He had to finish this article before his next class.

He was wrong.

"Are you serious right now?" she snapped, her voice rising and attracting the attention of students at nearby tables. "I can't believe this. Some guys would be thrilled to buy a girl like me lunch."

Ethan looked up again, a flicker of annoyance breaking through his calm. "I' m a student, just like you. I' m on a budget. I can' t just buy lunch for strangers."

"Unbelievable," she muttered, her eyes narrowing. She looked him up and down with disgust, from his simple t-shirt to his worn-out backpack. She picked up her tray with a dramatic sigh. "You' ll regret this."

She turned and walked away, not back to the counter, but straight out of the cafeteria, leaving the unpaid-for food on his table. Ethan watched her go, a strange feeling of unease settling in his stomach. He pushed the tray away and tried to focus on his reading, but the odd encounter had broken his concentration. He eventually shook his head, deciding it was just a weird, one-time thing. She was entitled and he had said no. That was the end of it. He packed up his things and headed to class, the incident already fading from his mind.

Later that afternoon, as he was leaving the library, his phone buzzed. It was an email with a subject line that made his heart skip a beat: "Urgent Meeting Request." It was from his academic advisor, Professor Davies, the head of the scholarship committee.

His mind raced. Did he forget to submit something? Was there a problem with his application? He opened the email quickly.

"Ethan, please come to my office tomorrow morning at 10 AM. We need to discuss a serious matter that has been brought to my attention. Regards, Professor Davies."

A serious matter. The words echoed in his head. The scholarship, the one he had poured every ounce of his energy into, suddenly felt fragile and uncertain. He had no idea what it could be about, but the formal, cold tone of the email filled him with a deep sense of dread. The strange incident in the cafeteria was completely forgotten, replaced by a much bigger, more terrifying worry.