THE VAMPIRE CEO IS MY CLASSMATE

CHAPTER TWO: MY HANDSOME CLASSMATE IS A PROBLEM

Mia Anderson had three rules for surviving university.

Never lend money to classmates who promised to repay her tomorrow.

Never trust a lecturer who claimed an examination would be easy.

And never, under any circumstances, fall for a handsome rich boy.

By nine o'clock on Tuesday morning, the third rule was already in danger.

"You're staring at the door again," Chloe Martin observed.

"I'm not."

"You've checked it six times."

"I'm waiting for the lecturer."

"Of course. The lecturer who's late, while the handsome billionaire heir who insulted you yesterday is walking toward us."

Mia immediately looked down at her notebook.

"I hate you."

Chloe laughed.

Before Mia could respond, a shadow fell across her desk.

"Good morning, Anderson."

She recognised the voice immediately.

Ethan Blackwood stood beside her, dressed in a white shirt and black trousers. Without his jacket and sunglasses, he looked even more annoyingly attractive.

Mia refused to acknowledge that fact.

"What do you want?"

"To discuss our project."

"Send me an email."

"We haven't exchanged email addresses."

"Then consider that a blessing."

Ethan pulled out the chair beside her and sat down.

Mia stared at him. "Did I invite you?"

"No."

"Then why are you sitting here?"

"Because this is a university, not your private kingdom."

Chloe covered her mouth to hide her laughter.

Ethan opened Mia's business proposal.

"I reviewed your idea last night."

Mia's expression changed.

"And?"

"The concept is promising."

She blinked. That wasn't the response she'd expected.

"Really?"

"Your financial projections are unrealistic, your delivery expenses are underestimated, and you haven't explained how you'll convince businesses to join the platform."

Mia's smile disappeared.

"There it is."

"What?"

"The insult hidden inside the compliment."

"I'm trying to help."

"Then try harder."

Ethan closed the notebook.

"Fine. Explain your plan."

Mia hesitated before straightening in her seat.

"The platform will allow small businesses to advertise their products directly to students. Many students want affordable products, while small businesses struggle to reach customers online. We connect them."

"How will you earn money?"

"A small commission on completed sales. Businesses can also pay for advertising."

"What happens when customers complain about poor-quality products?"

"We'll introduce a rating system and a process for handling complaints."

"And delivery?"

"I'm still working on that."

Ethan nodded.

"That's where we start."

Mia studied him suspiciously.

"Why are you taking this so seriously?"

"Because I don't enjoy losing."

"Neither do I."

"Good. Then perhaps we'll get along."

Mia snorted.

"Don't get carried away."

Behind them, Leo Bennett leaned forward.

"Please get along. I don't want to spend the semester listening to both of you argue."

"You could sit somewhere else," Mia suggested.

Leo grinned. "And miss the entertainment? Never."

Their lecturer arrived shortly afterward and introduced a preliminary business exercise. Each team had to identify a problem affecting students and propose a practical solution.

Mia was eager to begin.

Ethan, however, spent the first ten minutes observing the room.

Eventually, she nudged him with her elbow.

"Are you planning to contribute, or should I do everything myself?"

"I'm observing."

"Observe faster."

Ethan turned toward her.

"Your biggest problem is that you assume everyone who disagrees with you is against you."

"And your biggest problem is that you think being rich makes you an expert on everything."

"I never said that."

"You don't have to. Your face says it for you."

Leo burst out laughing.

Their lecturer approached their table.

"Is there a problem here?"

"Yes, sir," Mia replied. "My partner is useless."

Ethan looked offended.

"That's an exaggeration."

"Then contribute something useful."

The lecturer folded his arms.

"Mr. Blackwood, what is your team's proposal?"

Ethan glanced at Mia's notes.

"We're developing an online marketplace for small businesses and university students. Our main challenges are affordable delivery and maintaining product quality."

The lecturer looked impressed.

"Excellent. You've identified two important business challenges."

Mia stared at Ethan.

He hadn't even written anything down.

How had he explained her idea so clearly?

When the lecturer moved away, Mia lowered her voice.

"Have you done this before?"

"Done what?"

"Made lecturers like you."

"I haven't tried."

"You're impossible."

"And you're welcome."

She kicked his shoe lightly beneath the table.

Ethan looked down at her foot, then back at her.

"Was that necessary?"

"Very."

For reasons he couldn't explain, Ethan found the exchange amusing.

He had spent years surrounded by people who agreed with him because of his family name. Mia disagreed because she genuinely believed he was wrong.

He found that strangely refreshing.

He also found himself wanting to hear what she would say next.

That was becoming a problem.

During the afternoon break, Mia hurried to the university café to collect lunch before her part-time shift.

At the counter, the cashier informed her that her payment had failed.

"What do you mean it failed?"

"The transaction was declined."

Mia checked her banking application. Her balance was lower than expected. Her tuition payment had gone through the previous evening, leaving her with less money for daily expenses.

"I'll take the smaller order," she said.

Before the cashier could respond, someone placed a bank card on the counter.

"Put everything on mine."

Mia turned.

Ethan stood behind her.

She stared at him.

"No."

He looked at the cashier. "Please continue."

Mia stepped between them.

"I said no."

Ethan raised an eyebrow.

"You were about to pay."

"And I can handle it."

"Your payment was declined."

"Thank you, Captain Obvious."

The cashier looked between them, clearly wishing to be anywhere else.

Ethan retrieved his card.

"Fine. Buy what you can afford."

Mia's eyes widened.

"You know what? You're unbelievable!"

She took her smaller order and marched toward the exit.

Ethan watched her leave.

Leo appeared beside him, carrying two sandwiches.

"That went well."

"Be quiet."

"You offered to buy her lunch, and she looked ready to declare war."

"She doesn't need my money."

Leo raised an eyebrow.

"Then why did you offer?"

Ethan had no answer.

Leo bit into his sandwich.

"You're in trouble, my friend."

"I am not."

"Of course not. You only watched her walk away for thirty seconds."

Ethan turned toward the exit.

"Finish your food."

Leo grinned.

"Yes, Your Highness."

That evening, Mia arrived at the small apartment she shared with her mother and younger brother.

Her mother, Grace Anderson, was preparing dinner.

"How was university?"

"Educational."

Grace smiled. "That sounds suspiciously like something you say when your day has been terrible."

Mia dropped her bag onto the sofa.

"I've been paired with the most arrogant man alive."

"Is he handsome?"

Mia froze.

"Why does everyone keep asking me that?"

"Because you only complain this much when someone has made an impression."

"He has made an impression. Like a car accident."

Her younger brother, Noah, appeared from his room.

"Is this the rich guy you've been telling Chloe about?"

Mia threw a cushion at him.

"How do you know about that?"

"She called earlier."

"I'm changing my phone password."

Noah dodged the cushion, laughing.

Despite her frustration, Mia smiled.

This was why she worked so hard. She wanted to give her family a more comfortable life and prove that success wasn't reserved for people born into wealth.

Later, she opened her laptop and began reviewing her business proposal.

An email from Ethan appeared.

Subject: Project Meeting

I've reviewed the proposal. We should meet tomorrow at the library to revise the financial projections and research delivery options.

Mia typed a reply.

I can meet at 4 p.m. Don't be late.

His response arrived almost immediately.

I own three watches. Being late is unlikely.

Mia rolled her eyes.

Congratulations. Try using one to develop a personality.

A few seconds passed.

Then another message appeared.

I'll see you at four, Anderson.

Mia smiled before she could stop herself.

She quickly closed the laptop.

"No," she muttered. "Absolutely not."

She was not going to fall for an arrogant billionaire.

Not even if he had beautiful eyes.

Especially not if he had beautiful eyes.

Across the city, Ethan sat in the study of the Blackwood mansion.

His grandfather was away, but the photograph from the previous evening remained on the desk.

Stay away from the Anderson girl. You don't know what she is.

Ethan had searched Mia's name online. He found university records, photographs from student events, and a social media account filled with pictures of her family and friends.

Nothing suggested she was dangerous.

Nothing explained why someone had warned him about her.

His phone rang.

It was Selena Blackwood, his cousin.

"Hello, little vampire," she said cheerfully.

"I'm older than you."

"And yet you still sound grumpy."

"What do you want?"

"Grandfather told me you're attending university."

"Apparently, the entire family knows."

"Of course. This is the most entertaining thing you've done in decades."

Ethan sighed.

Selena continued, "I heard you met a girl."

"Who told you that?"

"Leo."

"I'm going to kill him."

"Please don't. He's the only person willing to tolerate your personality."

Ethan glanced at the photograph.

"Selena, have you ever heard of the Anderson family?"

Her playful tone disappeared.

"Why?"

"Someone sent me a photograph of Mia Anderson with a warning to stay away from her."

Silence followed.

Then Selena spoke carefully.

"Ethan, don't do anything reckless."

His expression hardened.

"You know something."

"I know our family has secrets. Sometimes, the people who know those secrets aren't the people you'd expect."

"That isn't an answer."

"It's the only one I can give you right now."

She ended the call.

Ethan stared at his phone.

For the second time that day, someone had refused to tell him the truth.

He disliked that feeling.

He disliked it even more because the person at the centre of the mystery was the same girl who had spilled coffee on him.

At ten that night, Mia was preparing for bed when someone knocked on the apartment door.

Her mother answered.

A delivery worker stood outside holding a small white envelope.

"This is for Mia Anderson."

Mia accepted it.

There was no return address.

Inside was a photograph of her standing beside Ethan outside Westbridge University.

On the back, someone had written:

Stay away from Ethan Blackwood. His family destroys everyone who gets close to them.

Mia read the message twice.

Her first instinct was to dismiss it as a prank. Then she noticed something strange.

The photograph had been taken that morning, shortly after she spilled coffee on Ethan.

Whoever had taken it had been watching them.

"Mia?" her mother asked. "Is everything all right?"

Mia quickly folded the photograph.

"Yes. Just a university matter."

But she wasn't convinced.

Why would anyone care whether she spoke to Ethan Blackwood?

And why did his family seem connected to so many secrets?

She placed the photograph in her desk drawer and switched off the light.

Tomorrow, she would ask Ethan what he knew.

She had no intention of letting a mysterious warning interfere with her education or her dreams.

Unfortunately, Mia Anderson had just become involved in a world she didn't understand.

And the handsome billionaire she couldn't stand might be the only person capable of explaining it.

End of Chapter Two