Chapter 2 Collision Course

The elevator's mirrored doors slid open with a soft chime, revealing a hallway lined with polished wood paneling and soft, gold-toned lights. My new dorm - or, as the academy called it, the residential wing - looked more like a five-star hotel than student housing.

I found my room, unlocked the door, and stepped into a space that made my stomach knot. High ceilings, a bay window overlooking Central Park, crisp white linens, a glass desk with a leather chair. It was too much. Too polished. Too close to the life I'd sworn to leave behind.

I unpacked quickly, stacking clothes in neat piles just to keep my hands busy. Every movement was deliberate, calculated, a thin layer of control over the chaos churning inside.

When I finally allowed myself to collapse onto the bed, my phone buzzed. A new text.

Unknown number again.

You're in the lion's den now. Don't forget who owns it.

I swallowed hard, powered the phone off, and shoved it into the drawer.

By the time I changed into jeans and a fitted black sweater, my mind was already working through contingencies. If Victor Kane was in New York, if he had access to me here, then the scholarship cover might not last. I'd have to keep my head down. Avoid unnecessary attention.

Which was exactly what I failed to do an hour later.

The welcome orientation was being held in the main atrium - an expanse of white marble, gold chandeliers, and an enormous skylight that let in the cold gray daylight. Dozens of students clustered in small groups, talking in a low hum that seemed to echo off the walls.

I hovered near the refreshment table, pretending to study the brochures laid out beside trays of sparkling water and miniature pastries.

"Marina Vale."

The voice came from directly behind me, smooth as glass.

I turned to find Damian Sterling standing there, hands in the pockets of his tailored navy suit, gaze locked on mine with the same unblinking focus as before.

"I didn't give you my name," I said, forcing my voice to stay steady.

A faint smirk touched his lips. "I make it my business to know who's in my building."

I lifted my chin. "You own the dorms?"

"I own the academy," he said simply. "And everything in it."

The words landed with a weight I couldn't ignore.

Before I could reply, another voice - warmer, teasing - slipped between us.

"Damian, you're going to make her think we're all control freaks." Adrian Sterling appeared at my side, hands in the pockets of a black coat that somehow looked more expensive than most cars. His grin was easy, but his eyes flicked to his brother with something sharper.

"She's capable of thinking for herself," Damian said, not looking away from me.

Adrian's gaze lingered on me too, but with an entirely different energy - playful, curious, edged with something almost conspiratorial. "Have you eaten? First day here, you should at least let someone give you the grand tour."

"I was-" I started, but Damian cut in.

"She has orientation."

Adrian ignored him, tilting his head toward me. "The view from the rooftop garden is better than anything they'll show you in here. Trust me."

I hesitated, caught between the cool, commanding presence of Damian and the reckless pull of Adrian's invitation. Both of them watched me, waiting for my choice like it was a silent test.

Finally, I stepped back. "I should stay for orientation."

Damian's expression didn't change, but something like approval flickered in his eyes. Adrian's smile didn't falter, but I caught the quick shift in his gaze - a measuring look, as if filing away my decision for later.

"Then I'll see you around, Marina," Adrian said lightly, and slipped into the crowd.

Damian stayed a moment longer. "Be careful who you follow here," he said quietly, before turning and walking away.

---

The rest of orientation was a blur - speeches from the dean, tours of the library and lecture halls, the hum of whispered gossip in every corner. I caught the Sterling brothers' names more than once, always in the same tone: admiration laced with fear.

By the time I escaped into the cold evening air, my head was throbbing. The street outside the academy was quieter than I expected, the wet pavement gleaming under the streetlamps.

I was halfway to the dorm when I felt it - that prickling sensation between my shoulder blades. Someone was behind me.

I didn't turn right away. I adjusted my bag, quickened my pace, listening. The footsteps matched mine, slow at first, then faster.

At the next intersection, I glanced back.

Victor Kane.

He stood half in shadow, the glow from the streetlamp catching the edge of his sharp cheekbones.

"Evening," he said, voice carrying easily through the damp air.

My stomach clenched. "You shouldn't be here."

"I go where the board sends me." His smile was faint, almost polite. "They wanted to make sure you arrived safely."

I gritted my teeth. "Why?"

"Because the founder's blood is worth more than gold," he said softly. "And because soon, you'll have to decide who gets to keep it."

I took a step back, my pulse pounding in my ears.

Victor's gaze swept the empty street, then returned to me. "Enjoy your time here, little heiress. It won't last."

He turned and melted into the shadows before I could respond.

---

Back in my room, I locked the door and leaned against it, my breath coming fast. The city lights glittered beyond the bay window, cold and distant. Somewhere out there, the Sterling brothers ruled over an empire my father had once been a part of.

And somewhere in those same streets, Victor Kane was waiting.

I pressed my forehead to the cool glass, my reflection staring back at me.

No attention. No mistakes. No trust.

But in the span of a single day, I'd already broken all three rules.