chapter 3
1439 Words
Two Years Later – Aldridge University
Boston, Massachusetts
The first thing I did after Westbrook was change my name.
Not legally. Legally, I'm still Casey Rhys. But on every application, every profile, every piece of my new life, I go by C.R Rhys.
Initials only.
It's cleaner that way. No baggage. No history. No search results that lead to a video of a girl in a navy dress getting her heart ripped out on camera.
The second thing I did was stop hiding.
Laser surgery fixed my eyes. A personal trainer fixed my body. A stylist I found on Reddit fixed my wardrobe.
The third thing I did was build Aegis.
A security protocol that predicts and neutralizes cyber threats before they happen. Governments wanted it. Hedge funds wanted it. A man in a black suit showed up at my dorm room and offered me eight figures.
I said no.
Not because I'm noble. Because I'm not finished yet.
Revenge is a dish best served cold.
My mother used to say that. She was talking about my stepfather's meatloaf.
I'm talking about something else.
Present Day – Aldridge University, Main Lobby
The lobby of Aldridge's computer science building looks like a cathedral designed by billionaires.
Marble floors. Chandeliers made of recycled motherboards. A holographic AI greeter that scans your retinal pattern before it says hello.
I walk through the security checkpoint without slowing down. The system flags my ID, runs my clearance, and opens the gate.
C.R Rhys. Graduate Fellow. Level 7 Access.
Level 7 is the highest they give to students.
I earned it.
“Miss Rhys”
A woman in a gray blazer appears at my elbow. Her name is Kaelen. She's the Dean's assistant. She's also, I'm ninety percent sure, a former intelligence operative.
“The Dean wants to see you.”
“I have a lecture in ten minutes.”
“He said it's urgent.”
Nothing is urgent in academia. But I follow her anyway.
Because I have a theory about the Dean's sudden interest in me. His name is Dr. Alistair Donovan. He's a legend in the field. He's also the father of twins who, according to every tabloid and tech blog, are the most dangerous brothers on the East Coast.
Stefan and Liam Donovan.
Twenty-three years old. Billionaires. CEOs of Donovan Industries, a conglomerate that does everything from biotech to defense contracts.
And as of this morning, newly enrolled at Aldridge.
The rumor mill says they're here to “complete their education.”
I think they're here for something else.
The Dean's Office
Dr. Donovan's office is at the top of the building. Glass walls. A view of the Boston skyline that makes my chest ache.
He's not alone.
Two men are standing by the window.
They're identical.
That's the first thing I notice. Same height. Same broad shoulders. Same dark hair that curls slightly at the collar.
But the differences are in the details.
One of them is smiling. Easy. Loose. His hands are in his pockets like he owns the room.
The other one isn't smiling. His arms are crossed. His eyes are fixed on me with an intensity that feels physical.
Stefan and Liam.
I've seen their photos. Every woman in the country or maybe the continent at large has seen their photos.
Photos don't do them justice.
“Miss Rhys.” Dr. Donovan stands. He's an older version of his sons—handsome in a severe way, like a glacier that learned to wear suits. “Thank you for coming.”
“You said it was urgent.”
“It is.” He gestures to the twins. “These are my sons. Liam. Stefan”
The smiling one steps forward. “The C.R Rhys. I've read your paper on adaptive encryption three times. The math is dirty.”
“That's a technical term?”
“For me, it's a compliment.”
He holds out his hand. I shake it. His grip is warm. Lingering.
“Stefan,” he says. “The charming one.”
“I figured”
His smile widens. “She's funny. I like her”
The other twin hasn't moved. He's still standing by the window. Still staring.
“Liam,” Dr. Donovan says. “Aren't you going to say hello?”
Liam takes his time. He walks toward me slowly. Each step deliberate. Measured.
When he reaches me, he doesn't offer his hand.
He just looks.
Up close, his eyes are the color of a storm. Dark gray. Thunderclouds.
“You're not wearing any makeup,” he says.
Stefan groans. “Liam. For God's sake…”
“It's not an insult.” Liam's voice is low. Rough. Like he doesn't use it often. “It's an observation. Most women in this building wear armor. You don't.”
“I wear different armor.”
“What kind?”
“Code.”
Something flickers in his eyes. Approval? Interest? Hunger?
“The Dean said this was urgent,” I say, stepping back. “What do you want?”
Dr. Donovan clears his throat.
“ My sons are enrolling at Aldridge for the semester. They'll be working on a special project. I'd like you to supervise their lab work.”
“No.”
The word comes out before I can stop it.
Stefan raises an eyebrow. “No?”
“I'm a graduate fellow. Not a babysitter.”
“Babysitting implies we're children.” Stefan steps closer. “We're not children, C.R.”
“Don't call me that.”
“What should I call you?”
“Miss Rhys”
Liam makes a sound. Almost a laugh. “She's not going to make this easy, Stefan.”
“Good.” Stefan's smile sharpens. “Easy is boring.”
Dr. Donovan sighs. “Miss Rhys, I'm not asking. This is a condition of your fellowship. You supervise them, or you lose the lab.”
My jaw tightens.
The lab is everything. It's where I built Aegis. It's where I'm safe.
“Fine,” I say. “But they follow my rules. My schedule. My security protocols.”
“Agreed,” Stefan says.
Liam doesn't say anything. He just watches.
The way a predator watches.
The Hallway – Five Minutes Later
I'm halfway to the elevator when I hear footsteps behind me.
Liam
He falls into step beside me. His shoulder almost touches mine.
“You're angry,” he says.
“I'm not angry. I'm calculating.”
“Same thing.”
“It's really not.”
We reach the elevator. I press the button. The doors open.
Liam follows me inside.
The doors close. Suddenly, the space is too small. His presence is too big.
“Why are you really here?” I ask.
“My father asked.”
“Your father asked you to enroll in grad school and work with a stranger?”
Liam turns to face me. The elevator light casts shadows across his cheekbones.
“I read your file,” he says.
“Which file?”
“The one you thought you deleted.”
My blood goes cold.
“The one from Westbrook,” he continues. “The video. The bet. The stepsister who smiled while you bled.”
“Stop.”
“Dylan King.” Liam says the name like it's poison. “He's the reason you changed your name. The reason you don't let anyone close.”
The elevator stops. The doors open.
I don't move.
“What do you want, Liam?”
He leans down. His lips brush my ear.
“Revenge,” he whispers. “We want the same thing. Dylan King's father ruined our mother. Drove her into the ground. Made her death look like an accident.”
I turn my head. Our faces are inches apart.
“You want me to help you destroy a billionaire.”
“I want you to help us destroy an empire.”
“And what do I get?”
Liam's hand comes up. His fingers trace my jaw—the same way Dylan's did, two years ago.
But Liam's touch doesn't feel like a trap.
It feels like a promise.
“You get to watch him burn,” he says. “And you get us.”
“The both of you?”
“We're a package deal, C.R”
I should say no.
I should walk away.
But the video still plays in my head. Sophia's smile. Dylan's silence. The crowd's laughter.
I step out of the elevator.
“Your lab access starts Monday,” I say. “Don't be late.”
Behind me, I hear Liam exhale.
And I swear…
He's smiling.
- Writer
