LOGINThe room was too quiet.Pat sat at her desk, staring down at her phone lying face up on the smooth wood. The screen was completely dark. No notifications. Nothing.She leaned back in her chair and let out a slow breath.“Keep it together,” she whispered.She couldn’t afford to get reckless or let her mind wander into wild fantasies. George wasn’t some campus boy, and he certainly wasn’t like Brother Alex or Pastor Timothy from her past, men whose approval she could easily manipulate or play with. This was a completely different level. Senator George was a heavy hitter, a dangerous, powerful man who operated in the shadows of high society. If she let him see how eager she was, she would lose before she even started.But waiting was beginning to test her patience.She picked up her phone and stared at the screen again.“Should I call him?” she murmured, her voice carrying softly across the quiet space. “Should I text?”She immediately shook her head, answering her own question.“No. Tha
The heavy wooden door to Professor Churchill’s office was shut tight, but a warm strip of light shone from underneath it out into the quiet hallway. Pat stood there for a second, smoothing down her skirt and taking a steady breath before she knocked softly.“Come in,” Churchill’s deep voice called from inside.Pat pushed the door open and stepped in. The room still had that familiar smell of old paper, leather, and cedar. Churchill was sitting behind his big desk, looking over a stack of student papers. As she walked toward him, he reached for his glass of water to take a sip. His eyes drifted over the rim of the glass and locked onto her.He froze mid-motion.For a brief moment, something in his expression shifted.It was not the same look he usually gave her in class. Before Saturday night, Pat had been nothing more to him than one of his bright second-year students, the quiet newbie who listened carefully, answered intelligently, and rarely drew unnecessary attention to herself.Bu
The moment the car doors slammed shut and they pulled away from the estate, Beatrice and Chloe erupted.The backseat was a whirlwind of excited chatter, both girls talking over each other and practically blowing Pat’s ears off as they dissected every single detail of the night—the sheer extravagance of the mansion, the staggering collection of high-profile guests, the older dignitaries carrying real authority, and the heavy-hitting politicians mingling effortlessly with the elite.“And did you see how down-to-earth Dennis is?” Chloe babbled, her eyes wide as she shook her head. “Coming from a family with that kind of extreme wealth, status, and power, you’d expect him to be arrogant. But he’s actually so humble!”They kept chattering all the way back to campus, their excitement refusing to cool down even after they piled out of the car and walked up to their dorm room. Once inside, they kicked off their heels, but the conversation didn’t skip a beat.“Seriously,” Beatrice laughed, dro
When Pat slipped back into the grand living room, Dennis was already pacing slightly, his eyes scanning the crowd with obvious anxiety. The moment he spotted her, relief flooded his face as he hurried over.“Where have you been?” Dennis asked, slightly breathless. “We’ve been looking everywhere for you. I checked the restroom and a few other places, but you were nowhere to be found.”Pat offered him a calm, reassuring smile. “Oh, yes. I’m fine.”Dennis immediately slipped back into protective host mode. “Do you need another drink? Something to eat? Are you sure you’re okay?”“Just another drink,” Pat replied smoothly, waving off the food. “Nothing else to eat.”Dennis hurried away to have her champagne refilled. When he returned, handing her the fresh flute, he looked at her with a hint of longing. “I would have loved to show you around the estate properly, but it’s far too crowded tonight. Maybe another time… if you’d do me the honor of coming back again.”Pat simply smiled and gave
Back inside the grand living room, Pat sat comfortably on the plush velvet sofa with Beatrice and Chloe, sipping her champagne while quietly observing the high-society crowd around her.The atmosphere was unlike anything she had experienced on campus. Conversations flowed effortlessly between influential guests, expensive perfumes filled the air, and every corner of the estate seemed to carry an unspoken sense of power and importance. Without making a sound, one of the smartly dressed ushers passed their seating area and smoothly slipped a folded piece of paper onto Pat’s lap. She blinked in surprise, barely noticing the quiet movement until the usher had already disappeared back into the crowd. Keeping her movements hidden, Pat unfolded the note and read the neat handwritten lines:*If you have a moment, I’d appreciate the opportunity to introduce myself. East Wing corridor.*There was no name signed at the bottom. For a few seconds, Pat simply stared at the message. It was not the k
The evening air was thick with the hum of conversation and expensive perfume as Dennis led Pat deeper into the heart of the estate, keeping her arm firmly linked with his. Spotting an usher gliding by with a silver tray, Dennis plucked a flute of champagne and handed it to Pat, his eyes softening as he looked at her."I thought you wouldn't come," Dennis murmured, a hint of genuine relief in his voice. "I was almost ready to give up on you showing up at all."Pat took a slow, casual sip of the champagne, letting her gaze drift over the sparkling crowd before meeting his eyes. "Girls just take their time dressing up, Dennis. You know how it is."Across the crowded, brilliantly lit courtyard, Joan stood by a marble pillar, holding a glass of wine. Her eyes locked onto the pair the second they stepped into view, watching them with a sharp, venomous intensity while her grip tightened around her glass until her knuckles turned white.Beside her, another senior girl leaned in, whispering in







