Ken panicked. The shock of seeing the stranger again was like a cold drench of water. It was now painfully obvious: the man wasn't just a passerby. He was a predator, and he was hunting.
"Oh, just in case you need anything, please see the class representative," the professor said, pointing directly at Ken. Ken instinctively raised his textbook, shielding his face in a desperate, futile attempt to disappear.
Lucien didn't say a word. He walked toward the row, his movements predatory and graceful, and sat directly beside Ken. The silence between them was thick and suffocating, at least for Ken, until a voice cut through the tension.
"Hi... I'm Becky. It's nice to meet the new kid."
Becky was the undisputed queen of the campus. With long blonde hair and the physique of a high-fashion model, she was the dream of every student at Brighton—and she knew it. She wore a warm, practiced smile, but Lucien didn't budge. He didn't even acknowledge her presence. His obsidian eyes remained fixed on Ken, who was still half-buried behind his book.
Wait, what is she doing here? Ken thought, peeking over the edge of his pages. Of course. The campus queen can smell money from a mile away. His clothes scream wealth, and she isn't about to miss an opportunity.
Ken turned around to see how lucien felt about her,but to his surprise, lucien eyes locked with his. He was staring at ken the whole time.
"Huhh..... why is he staring at me?" ken thought as he was suddenly jolted back to reality by Becky
"Hey! Are you ignoring me?" Becky's voice rose, her smile faltering. No one ignored her. People usually tripped over themselves to breathe her air, yet Lucien acted as if she were a ghost. "Who do you think you are?"
Her anger flared as she realized he truly wasn't going to look at her. She slammed her hand against the desk and stormed off, leaving a trail of stunned whispers behind her.
Ken, desperate to break the heavy silence and escape that unsettling stare, finally spoke up. "H-hey... I can show you around before class starts. We have thirty minutes... do you mind?"
Lucien stood up without a word. As they walked the halls, Ken's voice remained steady as he pointed out the library and the labs, but his pulse was racing. He could feel Lucien's gaze on the side of his face like a physical weight.
Why is he staring at me like that? Is he the devil or what? Ken screamed internally, though he kept a polite, weary smile plastered on his face.
They finished the tour and returned to class. Ken spent the rest of the day mastering the art of avoidance, keeping his head down and slipping away the moment the final bell rang. He hurried to the restaurant, praying Lucien wouldn't show up. For once, luck was on his side.
While arranging the shelves, Ken leaned toward Laura, who had just returned from a table. "Hey, Laura... you won't believe what happened today."
"I thought we weren't talking," Laura teased, though she was clearly listening.
"I'm sorry about the other day. I was just in a bad mood," Ken replied quickly. "It's about 'Mr. Black."
That was the nickname they gave the stranger as he was known for wearing the darkest black outfit all the time. It was an easy name to use since none of them knew his real name.
"What about him?"
"He enrolled in my school. In my department," Ken whispered, his eyes wide.
Amy burst out of the kitchen, having overheard. "He did what?!"
"I told you he was after you!" Laura smirked, turning to Amy. "You better start saving that hundred dollars. You're looking at the future billionaire's bride."
"Stop it," Amy countered, folding her arms. "It could still be a coincidence."
"A coincidence?" Laura scoffed. "The tip, the way he looks at him, the umbrella, and now the school? There's no such thing as that many coincidences." She turned to Ken. "Do you think it's a coincidence, too?"
"I used to," Ken admitted, his voice dropping. "But the way he looked at me today... it was scary. He ignored Becky—the most beautiful girl in school—just to stare at me. I could feel his eyes on me every second."
"See?" Laura laughed. "The billionaire boss and the maiden in distress. It's perfect."
"Stop teasing me," Ken murmured, blushing as he turned back to his work. Someone called for a waiter, to which laura answered while Amy went back to the kitchen.
That night, Ken's desperation finally reached its peak. He went to the deepest, darkest part of the nightclub to see his big boss: Delvon El Lucil.
Delvon was more than just a businessman; he was the leader of the Black Bulls, a mafia group whose influence was unrivaled. Unknown to Ken, Delvon was also the Twelfth Patron of Death—a reaper in a designer suit.
Ken had worked for him for three years, gaining a reputation as a loyal and dedicated staff member. That loyalty was the only reason he was granted an audience. As he walked down the red-lit hallway of the club's private sector, his heart hammered against his ribs.
He knocked on the heavy oak door. "Come in," a cold voice answered.
Inside the opulent, smoke-filled room sat three men. Delvon was in the center, a cigarette between his fingers. Ken bowed as he greeted them while his heart race increased drastically.
"What do you want, kid?"
"A loan, sir," Ken said, his voice trembling despite his best efforts. "My rent is due, and my mother's hospital bills... I'm desperate. You can keep my entire salary from the restaurant and the club for a year."
Delvon crushed his cigarette into a metal tray and crossed his legs. "How much?"
"Fifty thousand dollars, sir."
".....and how much do you earn?"
"Two thousand at the restaurant and three at the club, sir,"
Delvon did the math aloud. "You make two thousand at the restaurant and three at the club. That's sixty thousand a year. Normally, I charge fifty percent interest. But for you? I'll do thirty. That means you work thirteen months for me for free. Do we have a deal?"
Ken's mind whirled. The newspaper job wouldn't even cover his groceries, and the tips at the restaurant were barely enough. He would be working like a slave for over a year, with no safety net if another bill arrived. He was trapped between a debt he couldn't pay and a man he couldn't escape.
After a long, agonizing moment of silence, Ken reached a conclusion.