The campus buzzed with the chaos of a new semester sleek black cars lined the circular driveway, each a silent statement of wealth and status. Chauffeurs opened doors for students wearing designer sunglasses and carrying bags worth more than some people's rent. At Saint Clarisse University, this wasn't unusual. It was a kingdom, and every student here was royalty in their own right.
Aria Lancaster stepped out of her matte-black Porsche Taycan, the sun bouncing off its polished surface. Her long, dark hair cascaded over her shoulders as she adjusted her sunglasses, her diamond-studded bracelet glinting in the morning light. She didn't even flinch at the whispers forming around her she was used to it. The Lancaster name was practically stamped in gold across the city. Her father owned half of it real estate, luxury hotels, tech investments. Power was the family business, and she was their perfect heir.
She inhaled sharply, letting the crisp September air settle her nerves. Another year, another routine. Or so she thought.
"Aria! Over here!" Chloe's familiar voice rang out from the entrance steps, her blonde curls bouncing as she waved. Chloe was wearing a pastel Prada set and oversized sunglasses that covered half her face. Aria smiled faintly and started walking toward her, her Louboutin heels clicking softly against the pavement.
Then she saw him.
It was like the world had slowed down just to mess with her. Leaning against a sleek silver Aston Martin parked under the shade of an old oak tree was a boy no, a man like a living contradiction of danger and elegance. Tall, broad-shouldered, wearing a tailored white shirt with the sleeves rolled up, exposing strong forearms. His dark hair looked effortlessly styled, like he'd just run his fingers through it. And his eyes… storm gray, sharp and cold, but somehow burning.
He was laughing at something one of his friends said, his head tilted back slightly, and for a moment, Aria felt something strange twist inside her chest. Heat. Interest. Something she wasn't supposed to feel for a stranger.
Then, as if pulled by an invisible thread, his gaze shifted and collided with hers.
The world stilled.
Those stormy eyes locked onto hers like they'd been looking for her all morning. There was something in them challenge, curiosity, and something darker, something that made her pulse quicken. Aria swallowed, trying to look away, but couldn't. Her heels clicked louder in her ears as she forced herself to keep walking, pretending like her heart wasn't racing.
"Aria Lancaster," Chloe squealed, pulling her into a hug. "You look amazing! God, summer in Monaco has done wonders for you."
Aria smiled automatically, murmuring thanks, but her mind wasn't on Chloe. It was on the man leaning against the car who was still watching her. His lips curved slowly, like he knew exactly what she was thinking.
"Who's that?" Aria whispered as casually as possible, nodding toward him.
Chloe's eyes flicked over and widened. "Oh. That's Dante Valenti. You… don't know him?"
Aria frowned. The name sounded familiar. Too familiar. "Valenti as in…?"
"Valenti as in Valenti Enterprises. Old money. Italian roots. Basically, royalty in the business world." Chloe leaned in conspiratorially. "Also, totally bad news. His family… well, you know the stories."
Aria's stomach tightened. She did know the stories. The Valentis weren't just rich they were powerful in ways the Lancasters couldn't touch. Their empire stretched into industries Aria's father had always warned her about. For years, there had been silent wars mergers snatched away, boardroom betrayals, lawsuits buried under billions. Her father never spoke of them without venom.
Dante Valenti wasn't just any guy. He was the enemy.
Before she could process that, movement caught her eye. He was walking toward her.
Each step was unhurried, controlled, as if the entire world moved around him. His friends called after him, but he ignored them, his eyes never leaving hers. The air seemed to charge with something hot and electric, and Aria hated how her breath hitched.
When he finally stopped in front of her, he was close enough that she could smell him a warm, intoxicating blend of cedarwood and something darker. He tilted his head slightly, his lips curling into a smile that wasn't really a smile at all more like a challenge disguised as charm.
"Aria Lancaster." His voice was deep, smooth, laced with the kind of arrogance that made your spine tingle. "Didn't think I'd see you here."
She blinked, startled. "Do I… know you?"
A slow, wicked smile tugged at his mouth. "Not personally. But our families… let's just say they're not exactly sending each other Christmas cards."
Her stomach dropped. There was only one family her father hated that much the Valentis.
"You're—"
"Dante Valenti." He said it like a king introducing himself to a queen. "Pleasure's all mine."
Something unspoken passed between them sharp, magnetic, dangerous. She should've turned away, walked off, ignored him. But she didn't. She stood there, caught in his storm, her pulse thundering in her ears.
Dante's gaze swept over her slowly, deliberately, like he was memorizing every inch. When his eyes met hers again, something inside her trembled.
"Well," he said softly, voice edged with something dark. "This year just got interesting."
And then he walked away, leaving her breathless, furious… and wanting more.