Tangled with the billionaire

Chapter Seven; Shattered calm

The morning sun barely pierced through the curtains when Alex's phone buzzed incessantly on her nightstand. Groggy and half-asleep, she reached for it, only to freeze at the headline flashing on the screen:

*"URGENT: Brick City University Under Investigation — Student IDs Frozen."*

She blinked, sat up quickly, and clicked into the link. The news article detailed a possible embezzlement scandal involving the university's administration. Funds meant for student programs had allegedly been mismanaged. The article claimed that several students might be unknowingly involved.

Alex's heart pounded. She quickly texted Max.

*Alex:* *"Did you see the news?? What's happening?!"*

*Max:* *"Yeah. Just woke up. Heading to the admin office now. Meet me there?"*

Throwing on a hoodie, Alex sprinted across campus. Students were gathered in groups, some panicking, others making calls. The air buzzed with anxiety.When she reached the administration building, police cars were parked outside. Officers stood at the entrance, preventing anyone from entering. Max found her near the fountain, his expression tense.

"They're locking down all student accounts," he said. "No one can access their fees, scholarships—nothing. And apparently… someone used student profiles to launder the stolen money."

Alex felt dizzy. "That's insane. Who would do that?"

"I don't know," Max said quietly. "But it gets worse. Someone created a fake student profile using my name and details. They're calling me in for questioning tomorrow."

Her stomach dropped.

"What? That's impossible, Max! You didn't—"

"I know," he interrupted. "But someone used my personal information to fabricate a student identity. They're linking me to the embezzlement."

Alex stared at him, trying to process the situation. Her mind raced with a hundred questions and fears.

As if that wasn't enough, her phone rang again — this time, from home.

"Alex," her mother's voice came through, panicked. "Your father… he collapsed at work. He's in the hospital. We need you to come home."

Alex felt the ground shift beneath her.

Between the investigation threatening Max's future and her father's sudden illness, her world began to spin out of control. Tears welled in her eyes, and Max reached for her hand.

"I'll come with you," he said.

She shook her head. "You have your own mess to deal with."

"Then let's deal with it together," he replied firmly.

And in that moment — surrounded by uncertainty, fear, and chaos — Alex realized that the connections she'd built weren't just romantic or academic. They were the threads that would help hold her life together… even as everything threatened to fall apart.