HER DARK PATH

More than just a Genius

Chapter 4

More Than Just a Genius

The following afternoon, the university library was unusually quiet.

Rows of bookshelves stretched from one end of the hall to the other, while the soft hum of air conditioners and the occasional turning of pages filled the silence.

Nadia arrived exactly five minutes before the agreed time.

Punctuality was a habit she had never broken.

She chose a table near the window and arranged her notebooks neatly before opening one of the reference books she had borrowed earlier that morning.

"You really do arrive early."

She looked up.

Ethan walked toward her with his laptop bag hanging over one shoulder and two takeaway cups in his hands.

"I brought coffee."

Nadia smiled apologetically.

"I don't drink coffee."

"I know."

She looked at him, surprised.

"You do?"

"I asked one of our classmates."

He placed the coffee on the table and handed her the second cup.

"It's hot chocolate."

She looked at the cup before accepting it.

"Thank you."

"You don't have to thank me."

"I know... but I want to."

For a brief moment, they smiled at each other before settling into their seats.

"So," Ethan said as he opened his laptop, "where do we start?"

"Our lecturer wants practical research, not just theories."

"Then we begin with data collection."

Nadia nodded approvingly.

"I like that."

"I had a feeling you would."

For the next two hours, they discussed ideas, compared research materials, and planned the structure of their project.

Nadia quickly realized something.

Ethan wasn't just intelligent.

He listened.

Whenever she made a suggestion, he considered it carefully before responding.

He never interrupted.

He never tried to prove he was smarter.

Working with him felt... easy.

"I think we've finished the outline," Nadia said, closing her notebook.

Ethan nodded.

"I'll type everything tonight and send you a copy."

"That would save a lot of time."

"That's the plan."

Just then, a frustrated voice came from the next table.

"My laptop won't turn on!"

A female student pressed the power button repeatedly.

"It was working this morning."

Her friend sighed.

"You have your presentation tomorrow."

"I know!"

Ethan looked over.

"May I?"

The student hesitated before handing him the laptop.

"You can fix computers?"

"A little."

Nadia smiled to herself.

That was probably the biggest understatement she had ever heard.

Ethan examined the laptop for less than a minute.

He plugged in a flash drive from his bag, typed a few commands, and restarted the system.

Within seconds, the screen came to life.

The student gasped.

"It works!"

"You just saved my life."

Ethan chuckled.

"I only fixed your operating system."

"I thought I was going to lose everything."

"You should back up your files."

"I definitely will."

The grateful student thanked him repeatedly before leaving.

Nadia looked at him with genuine admiration.

"You've done that before."

"A few hundred times."

"So everyone was right."

"About what?"

"They keep calling you a computer genius."

He laughed softly.

"I just enjoy solving problems."

"Is that why you entered those cybersecurity competitions?"

His eyes lit up.

"You heard about those?"

"Our lecturer mentioned your national championship."

He rubbed the back of his neck, looking almost embarrassed.

"It was a good experience."

"You won first place."

"I got lucky."

Nadia folded her arms.

"I don't think people win national competitions by luck."

He smiled.

"Maybe not."

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

The silence wasn't awkward.

It was comfortable.

As they packed their things, Ethan asked, "How are you getting home?"

"I'll take the bus."

"So will I."

Nadia looked at him in surprise.

"Really?"

"My driver offered to pick me up."

"And?"

"I told him not to."

"Why?"

He shrugged.

"Sometimes it's nice to feel... normal."

His answer lingered in Nadia's mind as they walked toward the campus gate together.

Across the courtyard, Vanessa watched them from a distance.

Her expression darkened.

Every day, Ethan and Nadia seemed to spend a little more time together.

She had told herself it was only because of the project.

Now...

She wasn't so sure.

As Ethan and Nadia disappeared through the university gate, Vanessa made up her mind.

If she wanted Ethan's attention...

She could no longer stand by and watch.

Somewhere else in the city, a black envelope bearing the image of a silver raven was quietly slipped beneath the door of a luxurious mansion.

The owner had not seen it yet.

But before the night was over...

They would.