Chapter 13: The Unexpected Assignment

“You’re cooking?” she asked, her voice betraying her surprise.

Liam didn’t even look up. “It’s breakfast, not rocket science. Sit.”

Allie hesitated. “I really need to get going—”

“I said, sit.” His tone was calm but firm, leaving no room for argument.

Reluctantly, she sat at the table. The aroma of porridge and freshly brewed coffee filled the air, but she barely tasted

the food as she shoveled it down.

“You’re going to burn your tongue like that,” Liam said, sitting across from her. His gaze was sharp, as though he could see through her facade.

“I’m fine,” she muttered, avoiding eye contact.

Liam leaned back, his eyes narrowing. “Did you remember anything from last night?”

Allie froze, her spoon halfway to her mouth. “Last night? No, why?”

A flicker of disbelief crossed his face. “You’re a terrible liar.”

She stood abruptly, grabbing her bag. “I have to go. Big day at school. Thanks for breakfast.”

“You’re running again,” he said flatly.

Her hand paused on the door handle, but she didn’t turn around. “Some things are better left forgotten.”

Without waiting for his reply, she walked out, her heart pounding.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

By the afternoon, Allie had settled into the familiar rhythm of classes. The campus buzzed with energy, and she almost managed to forget the morning’s tension.

At 3:00 PM, she headed to the journalism club meeting.

The room was packed, and the air buzzed with ideas. The president, Kane Williamson, was in his element, guiding the

discussion about a new column, “Voices of Influence.”

Allie sat on the edge of her chair, the murmur of students filling the meeting room. She kept her gaze low, scribbling in her notebook, half-listening to the chatter.

“Allie, did you eat already?” Chloe leaned in; her voice soft.

“Yeah, had a quick bite at the café,” Allie replied.

The president, Kane, clapped his hands to call for order. “Alright, let’s get started. We’ve got some ambitious plans this semester.”

As Kane ran through the agenda, Allie’s mind drifted back to the morning. Liam had insisted on making breakfast. His calm demeanor and steady hands as he chopped vegetables played over in her mind. It felt surreal, watching someone so composed and enigmatic do something so domestic.

“Hey, Allie, are you with us?” Cheryl’s sharp tone pulled her back.

“Sorry, what?” Allie blinked.

Kane sighed. “We’re brainstorming ideas for our new column, Voices in the Spotlight. Any suggestions?”

“Maybe Adam Sinclair,” Chloe suggested quietly. “He’s popular and approachable.”

Another voice chimed in, “What about an alum like Olivia Parker? She’s a big name in media now.”

“I think we should go bold,” Cheryl interrupted, a sly smile on her lips. “How about Liam Hart?”

The room went silent. Allie froze, her pen hovering above the page.

“Liam Hart? Are you serious?” Kane frowned. “He’s the CEO of Hart Enterprises. He doesn’t do interviews, especially not for a college column.”

“That’s exactly why we should try,” Cheryl argued, leaning forward. “Imagine the impact. If we pull this off, the news

agency won’t just be the best on campus—we’ll make headlines citywide.”

“Great idea, but how do we even reach him?” another student asked.

Cheryl’s gaze shifted to Allie, her smile growing sharper. “That’s where Allie comes in.”

Allie’s head snapped up. “Me? Why me?”

“You’re resourceful,” Cheryl said smoothly. “And you have... connections.”

“I don’t know him like that,” Allie said quickly, her cheeks flushing.

Kane stepped in. “Let’s not put Allie on the spot. We need realistic suggestions.”

Cheryl raised a brow. “Sometimes you need to take risks, Kane. And Allie’s the perfect person for this.”

Allie’s stomach twisted. She hated the attention, especially when Cheryl was steering it her way.

“I’m not comfortable with this,” Allie said firmly.

“But you’ll consider it?” Cheryl pressed.

“No promises.” Allie looked at Kane, silently begging him to move on.

“Alright, let’s table that idea for now,” Kane said, sensing the tension. “Other suggestions?”

The meeting continued, but Allie couldn’t shake the feeling that Cheryl wasn’t done with her yet.