Chapter 1: The Routine

The Monday morning buzz hummed through the halls of Business College as students filed in, eyes bleary from too little sleep and too many deadlines. Olivia Brooks, seated at her favorite corner table in the student lounge, sipped her coffee, her eyes scanning over a stack of notes. It was the same table she always picked—the one just far enough from the windows to avoid distractions but close enough to give her a glimpse of the campus lawn where groups gathered between classes. It gave her comfort, a spot she could rely on in a schedule that rarely wavered.

Olivia wasn’t one for spontaneity. She knew her routine down to the hour: an early-morning coffee, a full day of lectures, afternoons in the library, and nights spent revisiting her notes until her eyelids drooped. It wasn’t thrilling, perhaps, but it was stable. Reliable. And stability was something Olivia valued more than excitement.

“Olivia! You’re here early,” a familiar voice called from across the lounge. Her best friend, Emily, bounded over, a grin on her face as she pulled out the chair beside her.

“I have a presentation this afternoon,” Olivia replied with a faint smile, her eyes drifting back to her notes. “Just making sure I’ve got everything covered.”

Emily rolled her eyes, settling in with a bag of pastries. “Olivia, you’re always covered. That’s why you’re the star student. You could probably recite that whole presentation without looking.”

“It’s not about being a star student,” Olivia murmured, brushing a stray hair behind her ear. “I just like… certainty.”

“And yet you’re missing out on the most exciting event of the semester!” Emily’s eyes sparkled as she leaned in closer, barely able to contain her enthusiasm. “Rumor has it that the speaker this afternoon isn’t your average corporate type. Apparently, he’s young, absurdly successful, and—get this—a complete heartthrob.”

Olivia raised an eyebrow, mildly intrigued despite herself. She’d read the emails about the visiting businessman but hadn’t paid much attention. Just another successful entrepreneur here to deliver a motivational talk to students hoping to make their mark.

“I heard he’s the CEO of some new investment firm,” Emily went on. “He’s probably twice our age, but apparently, he has this… presence.”

“Presence,” Olivia repeated, a slight smirk playing on her lips. She couldn’t imagine someone her father’s age holding the sort of charm that would have her classmates buzzing.

“I’m telling you, Liv. Just wait till you see him,” Emily insisted, her grin widening. “He’s nothing like the old suit-and-tie types we usually get. Everyone’s talking about him.”

Olivia shrugged, returning to her notes. “I doubt he’ll make much of an impression. Most of those talks are just self-promotion. Besides, I’m here to focus on my degree, not get distracted by some businessman’s charisma.”

Emily chuckled. “Fine, Miss Practical. Just don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

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The hours drifted by, and before Olivia knew it, the auditorium had filled up, every seat occupied by students hoping to catch a glimpse of the “mysterious guest.” She found a spot near the middle, settling in with her notebook and pen, ready to jot down anything that might actually be useful for her studies.

The crowd murmured with anticipation as a man stepped up to the podium. He was tall, lean, and dressed in a sharp, dark suit that seemed to have been tailored specifically for him. His hair was dark, neatly styled, and his gaze was intense, scanning the room before he even began to speak. Olivia noticed an almost electric shift in the room’s energy as he looked out over the audience, his mouth curling into a faint, confident smile.

“Good afternoon, everyone,” he began, his voice rich and smooth, with a hint of amusement. “My name is Alexander Cross. I’ll keep this short. I know your time is valuable—and so is mine.”

A few students chuckled, though Olivia remained skeptical, her pen poised over her notebook. She tried to focus on his words, but there was something unsettling about the way his eyes lingered on her side of the room. She brushed it off as coincidence, willing herself to concentrate.

Alexander launched into his speech, but it was unlike any business lecture she’d heard. He spoke not of profits or statistics but of “the thrill of risk,” of seizing opportunities no one else saw. His voice, smooth and mesmerizing, made every idea seem tantalizing, dangerous even. Despite herself, Olivia found her attention slipping from her notes. His words struck a chord she didn’t fully understand—a longing for something she couldn’t name.

“Opportunity,” Alexander was saying, his gaze sweeping over the audience, “comes at unexpected times, in unexpected places. And it doesn’t wait for you to be ready.” His eyes locked on Olivia’s for a split second, and she felt a chill run down her spine.

She looked down, her heart pounding as she scribbled something random in her notebook, forcing herself to break eye contact. Ridiculous, she thought. He was just some businessman, charismatic and charming, sure, but why should he affect her?

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After the talk, Emily was buzzing with excitement. “Did you see the way he looked at you?” she squealed as they exited the auditorium. “I swear, Liv, his eyes were glued to you. He didn’t even try to hide it!”

Olivia waved her off, though her cheeks flushed. “You’re imagining things, Em. He was looking at everyone.”

“Oh, please.” Emily nudged her with a knowing smirk. “The rest of us were practically invisible. You should’ve seen your face when he looked your way. I think you might have blushed!”

Olivia rolled her eyes, brushing it off with a laugh, but inwardly, she felt unsettled. There was a feeling lingering, one she couldn’t quite name—something between fascination and apprehension.

As they parted ways for their next classes, Olivia wandered across the quad, her mind drifting back to the talk. She hadn’t believed in “presence” until today, but there was something undeniable about Alexander Cross—a confidence and allure that felt both captivating and unsettling. She couldn’t shake the feeling that something had shifted in her life, something that wouldn’t let her go back to the quiet stability she’d once known.

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That night, Olivia lay in bed, her mind still tangled in the events of the day. She closed her eyes, willing herself to forget about Alexander Cross. He was just a passing presence, she reminded herself. Her life was perfectly fine without such distractions.

Yet as she drifted into sleep, his image lingered in her mind—the intense gaze, the faint smile. And somewhere, far from her knowledge, a shadow waited, watching, biding its time.

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