When Two Worlds collide

Aiden hadn’t left the male dormitory in days. He skipped classes, ignored messages, and avoided everyone — even his closest friends. A soft knock at the door broke the silence. “Who is it?... The door’s open,” Aiden muttered, his voice flat. Justine pushed the door open, frowning. “Bro, what’s going on? You’ve vanished. Are you okay?” Aiden forced a laugh. “I was offline for one day, not a week.” Justine crossed her arms, unconvinced. “Yeah, right. You look like death warmed up. Come on, spill it.” Aiden exhaled, his gaze dropping. “She broke up with me.” “Wait… Liner?” Justine asked, eyebrows raised. “Yeah. She didn’t tell me why. I guess she’s seeing someone else.” Justine sank onto the couch and scooped up Aiden’s puppy, Lan. “Man, you need a distraction. Let’s hit that club I told you about.” “I’m good. I’ll just go to the café later,” Aiden replied quietly. “Come on, one night won’t kill you. Besides, you might meet someone who cheers up my cute little buddy.” “I’m not cute,” Aiden muttered, swatting Justine’s hand away. --- Later that evening, Aiden reluctantly followed Justine into the club. Flashing lights, pulsing music, and couples everywhere made him uneasy. “Where have you brought me?” he hissed. “This place is… disgusting.” Before he could protest further, Justine had vanished into the crowd with a woman. Aiden sighed and made his way to the bar. “What’ll it be?” the bartender asked. “Something strong,” Aiden said, sliding onto a stool and staring at the glass. --- Across the club, Damien was being escorted to his office. Through the transparent walls, he noticed a blond man sitting alone at the bar. Something about him drew Damien’s attention. “Find out who that person is… the blond guy,” he told his assistant quietly. Meanwhile, Rex waited impatiently in the office. “You’re late. That’s really unfair.” “I didn’t plan on coming here,” Damien replied, eyes still on the blond stranger. “So, what’s the deal?” Rex sighed. “It’s about the Lawsons…” Damien’s thoughts wandered back to the bar, to the quiet man who looked like he carried a thousand unspoken stories. He couldn’t shake the feeling that their lives were about to change. --- Mini Cliffhanger: Who is the blond stranger, and why does Damien feel drawn to him?