Chapter 13: The Fundraiser Begins

Lucia had seen Adrian Sinclair in many different versions.

There was the billionaire businessman, always perfectly composed, commanding boardrooms with effortless authority.

There was the annoying yet oddly charming guy who occasionally infiltrated her college life, trying (and mostly failing) to blend in with normal students.

And then… there was this Adrian.

Dressed in a sharply tailored dark blue suit, his usual casual arrogance replaced with a serious, no-nonsense demeanor, he looked every bit the powerful heir of Sinclair Enterprises.

He wasn’t trying to blend in.

He wasn’t trying to be casual.

He was in full CEO mode.

And for some reason, that made Lucia just a little uneasy.

“Stop staring,” Adrian said without looking up from his tablet.

Lucia scoffed. “I wasn’t staring.”

“You were.”

“Whatever.”

Adrian finally looked at her, his dark eyes sharp. “Speaking of whatever, why did you have so much time to pull a prank last night instead of going to your job at the bar?”

Lucia stiffened.

Mia and Ethan, who had been bickering a few feet away, immediately shut up.

Lucia folded her arms. “I—uh—had the night off.”

Adrian narrowed his eyes. “Is that so?”

“Yes,” she said firmly.

He hummed, clearly not convinced. “Interesting how you always complain about being busy, but somehow, you had enough free time to commit what was essentially an act of war on that guy’s dorm room.”

Ethan snickered. “To be fair, it was hilarious.”

Mia smirked. “And totally deserved.”

Adrian exhaled sharply. “Right. And now I’m stuck supervising three chaos goblins at a very important fundraiser.”

Mia grinned. “You love it.”

“I don’t,” Adrian deadpanned.

Lucia crossed her arms. “Okay, boss, what exactly are we supposed to do here?”

Adrian handed her a sleek event program. “You’re assisting with guest management, organizing auction items, and ensuring everything runs smoothly.”

Mia looked horrified. “That sounds… like actual work.”

Adrian smirked. “Yes, Mia. That’s how events function.”

Ethan stretched lazily. “Well, I refuse.”

Adrian shot him a look. “I will have security throw you out.”

Ethan grinned. “You wouldn’t dare.”

Adrian pulled out his phone. “I’m calling them now.”

Ethan immediately grabbed Mia’s arm. “Mia, let’s go be hardworking citizens before I get banned from another event.”

Mia snorted. “Another?”

Ethan grinned. “Long story.”

Lucia shook her head as they walked off, then turned back to Adrian. “So, what’s your big reason for doing all this?”

Adrian looked at her, something unreadable in his expression.

Then, after a moment, he said, “Because you need someone to look out for you, even if you don’t realize it.”

Lucia’s breath hitched.

But before she could respond, Adrian had already turned away, issuing orders to the event staff.

And just like that, the fundraiser had officially begun.

-----

Lucia had always been good at handling difficult customers at the bar, but something about dealing with entitled billionaires in fancy suits made her patience wear thin.

“Ma’am, I’ve told you twice now,” she said, forcing a polite smile. “These seats are reserved for the Sinclair Foundation’s board members.”

The woman—mid-fifties, draped in pearls and an expression that screamed I own the world—arched a brow. “And do I look like someone who takes no for an answer?”

Lucia’s smile tightened. “And do I look like someone who can change the seating chart?”

Adrian, who had been observing from a few feet away, finally stepped in. “Mrs. Lockwood,” he said smoothly, his presence instantly shifting the power dynamic. “I’m sure you understand that we have a system in place.”

The woman pursed her lips, clearly displeased. “Adrian, dear, I watched you grow up. Surely, you can make a little adjustment?”

Adrian’s expression remained polite, but his voice was firm. “I appreciate your support, but I trust my team to handle these matters. I suggest we respect their decisions.”

Lucia tried not to smirk as Mrs. Lockwood huffed and walked off.

“That was satisfying,” she muttered.

Adrian glanced at her. “You handled it well.”

Lucia scoffed. “Well enough that you felt the need to step in?”

Adrian didn’t answer. Instead, he turned slightly, scanning the room with a thoughtful expression. “Not everyone at this event is here just to donate. Some people come for power plays, business politics, or to test the competition.”

Lucia raised an eyebrow. “You say that like you’re used to it.”

Adrian’s gaze flickered toward a group of businessmen standing near the bar.

Lucia followed his line of sight and recognized a few big industry names.

She hadn’t meant to eavesdrop—really, she hadn’t—but as she stepped past them to grab a spare table card, she caught a conversation that made her stop in her tracks.

“Adrian Sinclair? Poor boy is just playing CEO until his father pulls the strings again.”

Lucia froze.

“He’s been desperate to prove himself for years, but everyone knows Sinclair Enterprises will never truly be his. Richard Sinclair would rather burn it down than hand it over.”

“And this little college stunt? Pretending to ‘understand the people’? Laughable.”

Lucia clenched her fists.

They were talking about Adrian like he was some spoiled prince who didn’t deserve his own throne.

Like he hadn’t earned a thing.

And for some reason, it bothered her.

She turned back, expecting Adrian to storm over and shut them up.

But he didn’t.

He didn’t even react.

His face remained unreadable, his posture perfectly composed—as if he hadn’t heard a word.

But Lucia could see it in his eyes.

He had heard everything.

And the fact that he wasn’t fighting back made something in her chest tighten.

Lucia stepped closer, lowering her voice. “Are they always like this?”

Adrian exhaled slowly. “They’re businessmen. They don’t waste time sugarcoating things.”

Lucia frowned. “That doesn’t mean they’re right.”

He gave her a small, unreadable smile. “Doesn’t mean they’re wrong either.”

Lucia wanted to argue. She wanted to tell him he was more than his father’s shadow, that he had built his own reputation, that he wasn’t some placeholder for someone else’s empire.

But she didn’t know how to say it.

So instead, she reached for the reserved seating cards and placed them down with more force than necessary. “Well, if I hear one more rich old man talk crap about you, I’m ‘accidentally’ spilling champagne on them.”

Adrian let out a quiet chuckle.

Lucia blinked, caught off guard by the sound.

It wasn’t his usual amused smirk or sarcastic retort. It was… different.

Softer.

And for some reason, that made her heart do something weird.

Adrian studied her for a moment, then shook his head. “Come on, let’s get back to work before you start a full-scale rebellion.”

Lucia smirked. “No promises.”

But as they moved back to organizing the event, she couldn’t shake the thought that maybe—just maybe—Adrian Sinclair wasn’t as untouchable as he wanted people to believe.

And that terrified her.