365 Days To Save The Campus Bad Boy

Fundraiser

Aurora:

"Don't worry about it. I got enough answers for the survey for both of us." — Kyle.

I heaved a sigh of relief reading his text.

I'd expected him to be furious about ditching him, but it seemed everything had worked out in the end. For good measure, I sent him a list of answers I'd gathered from my own survey after running away. I'd found another spot on campus to do mine, far away from Elijah.

The last thing I wanted was for Kyle to think I was avoiding work. I didn’t want to give him another reason to hate me.

A few seconds later, he replied with a simple thumbs-up.

Only then did I finally relax.

I still couldn't believe Elijah had threatened to strip me in public as payback. How petty could one person be? I should've seen it coming. Here I was, risking my life for an ungrateful jerk. If our lives weren't mysteriously tied together, I wouldn't waste another second on an asshole like him.

The door swung open and Denis walked in.

"Hey," I greeted.

"Hey." She tossed her bag onto the table before flopping onto her bed across from mine. "Are you busy Saturday?"

"Not really. Why?"

“You remember when I told you I’d take you to my kind of party?”

I nodded.

“Well, there’s a hospital charity fundraiser this Saturday. My mom is handling the event, and I’ll be assisting her as one of the event managers. I want you to come.” She smiled.

“Isn’t this a work event?”

She nodded.

“I’ll look out of place. What would I do?” I said.

“Well, you could join our ushering team. I know you’ve been looking for ways to earn extra money.”

I laughed. “I appreciate the offer, but I'm not broke... yet. I told you, that's not why I went to that betting shop."

"Oh." She nodded thoughtfully before trying again. "Then just come anyway. It'll be fun, I promise. There's always so much drama at these events, and I don't want to go through it alone."

I raised a teasing brow.

“I thought you said you had friends who attended these kinds of events. Why me?”

"I do, but I like you more. You're more authentic."

"I thought you said I was crazy."

"Those two things can coexist."

I rolled my eyes and chuckled.

"Fine. Since it's a charity event, I can volunteer as your assistant. How does that sound?"

Her face immediately brightened. She clapped once. “Great. I promise you'll love it."

I smiled.

"Sure. What's the name of your mom's company, anyway?"

"Monarch Events."

I choked.

A violent coughing fit took over as I grabbed my chest.

Denis immediately shoved a bottle of water into my hands.

"Are you okay? Drink some water."

I gulped down half the bottle before staring at her:

"M-Monarch Events? Your mom owns Monarch Events?" I asked, eyes wide.

Denis frowned, looking confused. "Yes?"

My jaw slowly dropped. Monarch Events was the biggest event planning company in the entire freaking country. They were sought after by all the elites. Every party they organized was a guaranteed success.

They’ve planned government galas, celebrity weddings, and international conferences. They'd even handled the President's birthday celebration once.

And the woman behind it, Valentine Harper, was an icon.

I slowly looked back at Denis.

“You told me your mom owned an ushering agency.”

She tilted her head.

“…We do ushering too.”

I felt a headache blooming. Did Denis have no idea about her mother's influence? That wasn't an ushering agency, it was an empire! My roommate was a freaking heiress.

"I need to lie down," I flopped backward onto my bed.

I clicked my tongue.

‘And she had the audacity to call me the crazy one.’

"Are you okay? Why are you so shocked?" Then she smiled. "You've heard of us, haven't you?"

"Trust me, the whole country has heard of you," I said in the calmest tone I could muster. "I just can't believe you're an heiress. You could live idly for the rest of your life and never run out of money. You don't act like one.”

"How does an heiress act? Spoiled and rotten?" She snorted. "My mom didn't raise me that way. Everything she has, she worked hard to achieve. I can't be entitled."

She joined me on my bed and lay beside me. We both gazed at the ceiling together.

"My father abandoned us right before I was born. She had to start from scratch as a single mother. I watched her work herself to exhaustion for years. It wasn't easy. Not being a spoiled brat is the least I can do for her."

Silence settled between us for a moment.

I stared at her, then quietly said, "I'm sorry."

She shrugged.

“No need to apologize. You didn't know." After a moment, she laughed. “Maybe that’s why I don’t fit in with people from our circle. They're just insufferable."

I smiled.

"You're one of a kind, Denis. I wouldn't want you any other way."

She beamed and nudged my side playfully. "Thanks. You too."

***

Saturday arrived much faster than I expected. I made sure to finish my part of the project early and send it to Kyle. I'd also memorized my section of the presentation early.

If anyone accused me of slacking again, I’d have proof they were wrong.

By evening, I stood in front of the dorm mirror wearing a tailored maroon pantsuit that hugged me in all the right places.

The fitted blazer cinched neatly at my waist before flowing into matching wide-leg trousers that brushed the tops of my heels. Elegant. Sophisticated. Professional.

I let my hair fall over my shoulders in soft waves.

Staring at the mirror, I looked less like a university student and more like a professional businesswoman.

Denis emerged from the bathroom wearing a deep sapphire-blue pantsuit with a structured high collar and gold buttons that caught the light whenever she moved.

She looked every bit the daughter of one of the most influential businesswomen in the country.

“My mom sent a driver,” she said while fastening her earrings. “He’s waiting downstairs. We’re getting there two hours early to finish preparations.”

I nodded.

Over the last few days, she’d barely been in the dorm. She’d spent almost every waking hour working beside her mother. Seeing how seriously she took her responsibilities made me respect her even more.

I was genuinely excited to see what they'd planned. It was my first time attending an event like this, organized by Monarch Events, no less.

Soon we were in the car, gliding through the city toward the venue. We pulled up at the venue and went in.

The banquet was already alive. Workers hurried between tables to make final adjustments, and technicians tested lighting. The soft scent of fresh flowers lingered in the air.

Everything looked expensive, yet tasteful.

No wonder Monarch Events had the reputation it did.

At the center of the organized chaos stood a woman issuing instructions with effortless authority.

She wore an elegant white blazer dress with matching heels and a gold clutch in one hand, her dark hair tied in a sleek high ponytail.

"Mom." Denis waved.

The woman turned, and a smile spread across her face. I was momentarily awestruck. Beautiful. She was stunning. Denis was the exact replica of her mother. The same warm eyes and graceful smile.

Valentine looked young enough to be Denis' older sister. Her genes were exceptional.

‘Oh, to be a successful woman.’

"Darling, you're here." She opened her arms and pulled Denis into a hug. "You cleaned up nicely too."

"I did." Denis smiled, then waved me forward. "This is Aurora. She's volunteering. Aurora, this is my mom, Valentine Harper."

"Good evening, ma'am." I tried to keep the excitement out of my voice, but it wasn't every day you met one of the most successful women in the country.

"Aurora. The roommate. I've heard so much about you. Thank you for making my baby happy." Valentine smiled warmly.

"Mom, don't make it sound so cheesy," Denis grumbled.

Valentine laughed.

"Since you girls are here, you can finish setting up yourselves. There are some special guests I need to welcome personally, so I'll get going. I'll be back soon."

She pressed a kiss to Denis's cheek before strutting off. I watched in awe.

"She's cool," I said.

"I know." Denis shrugged.

I turned to her. “You’ve been telling your mom about me?”

“I tell her everything. You just happened to come up a few times.” She tried to sound nonchalant but I knew better.

“Sure.”

She cleared her throat.

“It's just us now. The orchestra will be arriving soon. I can't wait for you to hear real music." She patted my shoulder. "Prepare yourself and take all this beauty in. In a few hours, this place is going to smell like designer perfume, generational wealth, and absolute bullshit.”