Present — Vale Family Mansion
Ethan slowly opened his eyes.
The memory faded.
His eyes fell on the photos of Claire on the wall again.
He stared at Claire's picture for a long time.
The family alliance had been created years ago.
But Claire had never accepted this marriage or his feelings. She was trying to refuse him and choose to fight against her fate.
And Ethan got up from the bed and walked towards
He reached toward the photograph but stopped before touching it.
He knows that she didn't like him or hate me their was neutral feeling there at first time but after that marriage alliance she started to hate him more but still he couldn't simply give up.
A quiet smile appeared on his face.
"Claire…"
"I'll make you mine. No matter what the cost is." he said in soft yet cold voice with happy smile.
He look outside through the window at the moon on the sky continued shining over the silent mansion.
But Ethan didn't know that the world around him had already begun changing.
Ryan Carter's arrival had altered the original story.
And the future that Ethan once believed was certain...
Was no longer guaranteed.
Next day.
Westbridge International University was filled with its usual energy.
Students walking across the University carrying bags on their shoulders and some of them gathered in small groups near the cafés and gardens.
Ryan finished his morning classes and it was free time so he spent time in the library but then he noticed someone sitting alone under the larger tree.
Long black hair.
A book resting in her hands.
It was Sophia Laurent.
Ryan slowed down.
'She's here this early?' he thought and walked towards her.
Sophia looked up when she heard footsteps of someone approaching her.
"Ryan?"
He smiled.
"Good afternoon."
"Good afternoon."
Ryan pointed toward the empty seat beside her.
"Can I sit here?"
Sophia closed her book slightly.
"Sure."
Ryan sat down beside her.
For a few moments neither of them spoke.
The campus breeze gently moved the leaves above them
Sophia opens her book and starts reading.
Ryan glanced at the title written on the book cover page.
"Business strategy?"
She nodded.
"We have an assignment next week."
Ryan smiled and said casually.
"You really take your studies seriously."
"I have to." But she replied in serious voice.
Those words carry a weight of her seriousness and hard work. That made him paused for a moment.
He remembered what kind of life she used to living it wasn't simply a heiress of wealthy family.
She carried expectations that most students couldn't understand.
Ryan didn't want to ask personal questions.
Instead, he changed the subject.
"Coffee."
She looked at him and asked him.
"coffee?"
Ryan nodded.
"Yeah. There's a café nearby."
Sophia stared at him for a moment.
Then her expression became slightly colder.
"Stop trying to act friendly with me." she said in a cold voice.
Her eyes were calm. It was normal for her to react like this when you don't know a new person but suddenly he/she starts talking to you.
Ryan calmly replied to her.
Ryan leaned back slightly.
Then he smiled.
"I'm not acting."
Sophia looked at him.
Ryan continued calmly.
"I genuinely want to be friendly with you. And there is also some alternative motive."
Sophia raised an eyebrow.
"What kind of motive?"
"Let me ask you some questions. How will one company survive in the corporate world?." he asked in a calm voice.
"Survival of the company in the corporate environment is dependent on constant adaptation, financial discipline, and creating a culture that fosters innovation and long-term perspective." Sophia replied in seconds.
Ryan nodded.
"If their CEO or owner had less talent in business then?"
"A talent‑less CEO/owner doesn't guarantee immediate collapse, but it creates a "single point of failure." The companies that survive are those that build strong teams, systems, and governance so the business is bigger than its founder."
Ryan nodded.
"If owner was talented but he doesn't have talent workers"
"A talented owner can absolutely run a successful company even if the current workers are not very skilled, but only if he treats "building people" as a core business activity, not an optional HR task."
Ryan smiled.
"Exactly."
He looked around the university.
"So, what you think we are doing in this University is just simply studying like other students of different universities."
Ryan shrugged.
"But if you don't want coffee, that's fine."
He stood up.
"I'll get one for myself."
Sophia watched him for a moment.
In this University students are full of talent and come from powerful families. So, if someone uses this chance the correct way then that person can make a connection with powerful families and hire good talented people in the name of friendship.
This is the place to prepare for a war. A war of the corporate world is the starting point.
Then she quietly closed her book and smile appeared on his face.
'Now understand why he wants to become my friend… I mean a business relationship.' she thought.
"...Wait." She stopped him.
Ryan turned around and looked at her with a faint smile on his face.
Sophia looked at him calmly and said.
"Get me one too."
Ryan smiled.
"Sure."
He started walking away but after taking a few steps he looked back and asked her.
"What is your taste?"
He knew which coffee she drank when she was extremely tired. This was written in the original novel. Where Lucas, Lyar and Sophia drink coffee in the cafeteria and it's are extra chapters; these chapters don't have any connection with the original story.
Sophia thought for a moment.
"Black coffee with less sugar."
Ryan nodded.
"Got it."
'It's good to ask if I bring black coffee with less sugar than what she will think.'
He started to imagine where Sophia asked him.
"How do you know that this is the coffee I drink?" she said in a calm voice but her eyes were cold.
"You are following me? I will report to the cops."
He comes out his imagination into reality.
Sophia looked at the empty seat beside her.
For some reason, the conversation stayed in her mind.
She had met countless people who approached her because of the Laurent family's influence.
Ryan felt different.
She couldn't explain why.
"He's strange..."
She quietly returned to her book.