The black car stopped quietly in front of the university gate.
It was early morning, yet the elite campus was already filled with noise—luxury cars, whispered greetings, and students dressed in designer clothes as if attending a fashion show instead of class.
Inside the car, Aria Vale rested her chin on her hand, staring out the window with calm, unreadable eyes.
"So this is it," she muttered.
Australia had always felt like home, but this—this was where her family's roots truly lay. An elite university known for producing leaders, geniuses, and heirs of powerful families.
Her phone vibrated.
Brother #3: Behave yourself.
Brother #5: Call if anyone annoys you.
Brother #1: Remember, you're here to study. Not to cause chaos.
Aria smiled faintly.
"Like I ever cause chaos," she said under her breath.
The door opened, and a tall man in a black suit bowed slightly. "Miss Vale, we've arrived."
Aria stepped out of the car.
The moment her feet touched the ground, conversations around the gate slowed.
Then stopped.
She wore a simple uniform—nothing flashy. Yet somehow, she stood out effortlessly. Her long hair, tied loosely, shimmered with a subtle purple hue under the sunlight. Her expression was calm, confident, almost lazy.
Beautiful—but not in a fragile way.
More like someone who knew exactly who she was.
Whispers spread instantly.
"Who is she?"
"She's not from our year, right?"
"That aura… she's scary."
Aria walked through the gates as if she couldn't hear any of it.
She was used to eyes. Cameras. Crowds.
This was nothing.
Class A-3 was already noisy when she arrived.
Known across the university as the most troublesome class, A-3 had gone through five teachers in one week. Yet somehow, despite the chaos, every student ranked within the top fifty.
No one knew how.
No one dared to ask.
The classroom door slid open.
The chatter died instantly.
A girl stood at the front, holding a transfer form.
"I'm Aria Vale," she said calmly. "Nice to meet you."
For a moment, no one spoke.
Then—
"That face…"
"She looks familiar."
"Is she a celebrity?"
At the back of the classroom, a boy lifted his head slowly.
Lucien Cross.
Ranked first in the entire university. Cold. Untouchable. The heir of a powerful family.
He had never been interested in transfer students.
Until now.
Their eyes met.
Just for a second.
Aria felt it—something sharp, observant, and impossibly calm.
Lucien felt it too.
Her gaze wasn't shy. It wasn't curious.
It was steady.
As if she were measuring the room.
As if she already belonged there.
"Take the empty seat," the temporary teacher said nervously, pointing beside Lucien.
A ripple of shock went through the class.
"Next to Cross?"
"Is the teacher crazy?"
"No one sits there!"
Aria walked down the aisle without hesitation.
Lucien watched her every step.
When she sat beside him, he caught a faint scent—clean, subtle, unfamiliar.
"You're not nervous," he said quietly.
Aria glanced at him. "Should I be?"
He paused.
Then, for the first time that day, Lucien smiled.
Just slightly.
"No," he replied. "I don't think you should."
By lunchtime, Aria's name was already spreading across campus.
Transfer student. Calm. Confident. Too composed.
In the cafeteria, students whispered openly now.
"That's her."
"She sat next to Cross and didn't even react."
"Who is she really?"
Lucien watched from across the table as Aria ate with effortless ease, ignoring the attention like it was background noise.
"You don't care what people think," he said.
Aria shrugged. "Caring is exhausting."
Something about that answer stayed with him.
Later that afternoon, as classes ended, a group of girls blocked Aria's path.
"You're getting too close to someone you shouldn't," one of them said sharply.
Aria looked at them calmly. "Move."
Before the situation could escalate, a shadow fell between them.
Lucien.
"She's with me," he said simply.
The girls froze.
Aria blinked, surprised.
Lucien didn't look at her. "Go."
She did.
And as she walked away, she realized something.
This school wasn't going to be quiet.
And neither was her life anymore.
From the classroom…
To the stage…
To the powerful families watching from the shadows—
Aria Vale had just stepped into a world that would never let her stay hidden again.
End of Chapter 1