Lucien Beaumont never planned to notice her.
But once he did, it became impossible not to.
Anna Reyes — the quiet scholarship student with ink-stained fingers and a habit of walking too fast — had started appearing in places he didn't expect: the library steps, the economics wing, the small café by the quad. Always alone. Always focused.
He told himself it was curiosity. Nothing more.
Now, sitting at the corner booth of The Pavilion — the rooftop bar where he and his friends spent their evenings — Lucien tried to drown that curiosity with a glass of whiskey.
Alonzo "Alon" Vargas leaned back in his chair, his smirk lazy. "You've been quiet lately. What's up with you?"
Lucien looked up from his drink. "Nothing."
"Nothing," Theo Grant repeated, chuckling. "That's a lie if I ever heard one. You've been spacing out in class. Even Marcus noticed."
Marcus Reed raised his brows from behind his glass. "He's been looking at someone."
Theo snapped his fingers. "The girl. The library one."
Lucien's jaw ticked. "She has a name."
Alon grinned. "So you do know her name. Reyes, right? The scholar everyone talks about. Top grades, part-time library assistant, lives off-campus."
"She's focused," Lucien said evenly. "Dedicated."
"Pretty," Theo added with a grin. "Let's not forget that part."
Lucien didn't reply, but that silence was answer enough.
The group burst into knowing laughter.
Alon leaned forward, elbows on the table. "So, Beaumont. The perfect gentleman of the economics department… you interested in the scholarship girl?"
Lucien met his gaze coolly. "I'm interested in talent."
"Come on," Theo said. "Don't give us that corporate answer. You've never gone out of your way for anyone. Why her?"
Lucien shrugged, feigning indifference. "Maybe I just respect hard work."
Marcus watched him quietly. "Or maybe she's the first person who doesn't care who you are."
That made Lucien pause. Maybe Marcus was right. Maybe that was what drew him in — the fact that Anna looked right through him, like his last name meant nothing.
Alon clapped his hands once. "Alright then. Let's make this interesting."
Lucien frowned. "No."
Theo laughed. "You don't even know what we're suggesting yet."
"I can guess," Lucien said dryly.
Alon smirked. "Relax. It's harmless. You've got a reputation for being untouchable, Lucien. Let's see if you can make someone else break that rule for once."
Lucien exhaled. "You're talking about a girl, not a business deal."
Theo's grin widened. "Exactly. Think of it as a challenge."
Alon leaned closer, voice dropping. "We'll call it… a gentleman's wager."
Lucien stayed still, his glass halfway to his lips. "What kind of wager?"
"The scholar," Theo said. "Anna Reyes. Make her fall for you. Just a little. Nothing cruel. Just enough to prove you can."
Lucien's brow furrowed. "That's ridiculous."
"So is turning down a challenge," Alon replied smoothly. "Come on, Beaumont. Don't tell me you're afraid of losing."
Marcus sighed. "You're all idiots."
But no one paid him attention.
Theo leaned forward, eyes gleaming. "Winner gets the Verdan & Co. recommendation. My dad's on the board — I can get it arranged."
Lucien's grip on his glass tightened. Verdan & Co. — the most coveted mentorship in their program. A door straight into the corporate world.
It was supposed to be based on merit, not influence. But influence always found its way in.
He hesitated.
"You're not seriously considering it," Marcus muttered.
Lucien didn't answer.
"Come on," Alon pressed, his grin sharp. "What's the harm? A little fun, a little pride on the line. You always win anyway."
Lucien set his glass down carefully. "And if I lose?"
Theo smirked. "Then you treat us to the Beaumont beach house for a weekend. Simple."
Silence lingered for a beat. Then Lucien said quietly, "Fine."
Marcus groaned. "You're all out of your minds."
The others burst into cheers, laughter echoing off the glass walls.
Lucien didn't join them. He leaned back, eyes half-closed, mind already somewhere else — back to the image of Anna Reyes, arms full of books, muttering apologies under her breath as she bumped into him.
He told himself it was nothing. Just curiosity. Just another game among friends.
But even as he thought it, something uneasy stirred in his chest — the faintest whisper that this was one line he shouldn't cross.
Still, he ignored it.Because Lucien Beaumont didn't believe in fate.He believed in control.
And that was how every tragedy began.