Chapter 1
The First Encounter
The shrill sound of the alarm shattered the silence of Cora’s bedroom.
7:30 A.M.
Her eyes flew open.
“Oh no... I’m late!”
She shot upright, throwing the blanket aside before rushing out of bed. Today wasn’t just another ordinary morning.
It was her first day at Boston Elite University—the most prestigious university in the city.
She couldn’t afford to be late.
Without wasting another second, she hurried toward the bathroom.
She grabbed the doorknob.
Locked.
“Max!” she shouted, banging on the door. “Open the door! I’m getting late!”
A laugh echoed from inside.
“Wait your turn!”
“Max, I swear if you don’t open this door right now—”
Before she could finish, another sleepy voice came from down the hallway.
“Cora...”
It was her older brother.
“Could you stop yelling? Some people are trying to sleep.”
She immediately lowered her voice.
“Sorry, Alix.”
The bathroom door suddenly opened.
Max rushed past her with a huge grin on his face.
“Too slow!”
“MAX!”
She tried to catch him, but he was already halfway down the stairs.
“You little monster!” she shouted.
His laughter echoed throughout the mansion.
Although Cora and Max argued almost every day, everyone knew they adored each other.
Their fights never lasted more than a few minutes.
Max was the youngest of the three siblings and was still in high school.
Alix, the eldest, had already graduated from university.
He was much calmer than Max, though he enjoyed teasing Cora whenever he had the chance.
After finally getting ready, Cora grabbed her backpack and hurried downstairs.
The dining table was already filled with breakfast.
Fresh pancakes.
Coffee.
Fruit.
Everything had been prepared before she woke up.
“Cora, at least have breakfast!” one of the house staff called after her.
“No time!”
She rushed outside.
A luxury black Mercedes and a chauffeur were already waiting at the front entrance.
It was the daily routine of the Harrison family.
One of the richest and most influential families in Boston.
The chauffeur respectfully opened the rear door.
“Good morning, Miss Cora.”
She smiled politely.
“Thank you... but I’ll take the bus.”
The driver looked surprised.
“As you wish, Miss.”
Cora walked away before anyone could stop her.
She had never liked living as though she were different from everyone else.
Money never impressed her.
Luxury never excited her.
She preferred crowded buses over expensive cars.
She preferred earning friendships instead of buying respect.
That was simply who she was.
Nearly an hour later...
She stood before the enormous gates of Boston Elite University.
For a moment...
She simply stared.
The campus was breathtaking.
Elegant stone buildings stretched across acres of land.
Students stepped out of sports cars worth more than most people’s houses.
Others hurried toward class carrying books and coffee.
It looked less like a university...
...and more like a city.
As she walked farther inside, something immediately caught her attention.
The campus was divided into two completely different sections.
One side looked luxurious.
Modern buildings.
Private lounges.
Exclusive facilities.
The other side looked far more ordinary.
Simple classrooms.
Basic facilities.
Smaller buildings.
Confused, Cora looked around before quietly asking a nearby student.
“Why are there two different sections?”
The girl shrugged.
“The east campus is mostly for students from powerful and wealthy families.”
“And the other?”
“Everyone else.”
Cora frowned.
“So even education has social classes.”
She didn’t like that.
Not even a little.
While walking toward the administration building, she accidentally bumped into another girl.
“Oh! I’m so sorry!” the girl apologized.
“It’s okay,” Cora replied with a warm smile.
“I’m Evo.”
“I’m Cora.”
“I’m new here.”
“So am I.”
Within minutes, the two girls were laughing and chatting as if they had known each other for years.
Unlike Cora, Evo already knew quite a lot about the university.
“My older sister graduated from here,” Evo explained. “She warned me about almost everything.”
“Then you’re officially my guide,” Cora joked.
Evo laughed.
“I guess I am.”
Together, they reached the administration office.
Unfortunately, their departments were different.
The principal checked their documents before pointing in opposite directions.
“Cora, your classroom is in Building A.”
“Evo, you’ll be in Building C.”
The girls looked at each other.
“I’ll see you during lunch?” Evo asked hopefully.
“Definitely.”
Taking a deep breath, Cora walked toward her classroom alone.
The moment she stepped inside...
Conversations stopped.
Several students looked up.
Some whispered.
Others simply stared.
Ignoring the attention, she quietly walked toward an empty seat near the window.
Just as she sat down, someone dropped into the chair beside her.
“Hi.”
She turned.
A cheerful-looking boy smiled at her.
“I’m Jack.”
“Cora.”
“You look completely lost.”
She laughed softly.
“Is it that obvious?”
“A little.”
Before either of them could continue, the classroom door opened.
Silence instantly filled the room.
Everyone straightened in their seats.
Professor Jacob had arrived.
Professor Jacob walked into the classroom with quiet confidence.
The room fell completely silent.
He was one of the youngest professors at Boston Elite University, yet he was undoubtedly the most popular. His sharp features, calm demeanor, and commanding presence made him impossible to ignore.
Almost every female student admired him.
Jack leaned toward Cora and whispered, “See? I told you. Half the girls here have a crush on him.”
Cora barely heard him.
The moment her eyes met Professor Jacob’s...
A strange feeling washed over her.
I’ve seen him before...
The thought echoed inside her mind.
But where?
She searched her memory, yet everything remained blank.
Trying to ignore the unsettling feeling, she opened her notebook as Professor Jacob began the lecture.
His voice was calm, deep, and surprisingly easy to listen to.
For the next hour, he explained the subject with remarkable clarity, occasionally walking between the rows of desks to check whether everyone was following.
When he reached Cora’s desk, he paused for a brief second.
“You’re the new student?” he asked politely.
“Yes, Professor,” Cora replied, meeting his gaze.
A faint smile appeared on his lips.
“Welcome to Boston Elite University.”
“Thank you.”
Without another word, he continued walking through the classroom.
Cora watched him for a moment before lowering her eyes.
Why did that feel so strange?
She couldn’t explain it.
Throughout the lecture, she caught herself glancing at him again and again.
Every time she did, it felt as though an old memory was hiding somewhere just beyond her reach.
Finally, the bell rang.
Students immediately began gathering their books and heading toward the cafeteria.
“Cora!”
She turned to see Evo waving excitedly from the hallway.
“There you are!” Evo said. “How was your first class?”
“It was... good,” Cora replied with a smile.
“What about yours?”
“It was fun! My professor talks too much, but at least he isn’t boring.”
Cora laughed softly.
As Evo continued talking about her first day, Cora realized she wasn’t paying much attention.
Her thoughts kept drifting back to Professor Jacob.
Where have I seen him before?
“Cora?”
Evo called her name again.
“Hm?”
“You’ve been daydreaming since I got here.”
“I’m sorry,” Cora said with an embarrassed smile. “I guess I’m just tired.”
Before Evo could reply, someone approached them.
“Well... looks like you already made a friend.”
Both girls turned.
It was Jack.
“Hi again,” he said with his usual cheerful grin.
“Evo,” she introduced herself.
“Jack.”
The two exchanged a friendly handshake.
“It was nice meeting you,” Evo said after checking the time. “My next class starts in five minutes.”
“I should go too,” Cora replied.
“See you later!”
Evo waved before disappearing into the crowd.
Jack naturally fell into step beside Cora as they walked toward the next building.
“So...” he said casually, “tell me something about yourself.”
“There isn’t much to tell.”
“Oh, come on.”
“Where are you from?”
“Boston.”
“Do you have any brothers or sisters?”
“Two brothers.”
“What do your parents do?”
Cora hesitated for a brief moment before answering.
“They’re in business.”
Jack noticed how carefully she chose her words.
He wanted to ask more questions, but something told him she wasn’t comfortable discussing her personal life.
So instead, he smiled.
“Fair enough.”
By the end of the day, classes were finally over.
Cora took the bus home just as she had that morning.
The moment she reached the mansion, she greeted the staff, changed into comfortable clothes, and collapsed onto her bed.
She should have been thinking about her exciting first day at university.
Instead...
Only one face occupied her thoughts.
Professor Jacob.
She picked up her phone and searched his name online.
Only the university’s official profile appeared.
Nothing more.
No interviews.
No personal photographs.
No social media accounts.
It was almost as if the man didn’t exist outside the university.
“That’s... strange,” she whispered.
She placed her phone on the bedside table and lay back.
The room grew silent.
Slowly...
She closed her eyes.
Then—
A memory flashed before her.
Heavy rain.
A deserted road.
A black luxury car parked beneath a flickering streetlight.
A tall man standing beside it.
His face remained hidden in the darkness.
But his eyes...
Those cold grey eyes...
She had seen them before.
Cora’s eyes snapped open.
Her breathing became uneven.
“No...”
She sat upright, clutching the blanket tightly.
“It can’t be...”
The memory disappeared as quickly as it had appeared, leaving behind nothing but unanswered questions.
Outside her bedroom window...
Far across the street...
A black SUV stood silently in the darkness.
Inside it, someone watched the lights of the Harrison mansion.
“Keep watching her,” a deep voice ordered.
“We’re not making a move yet.”
“Yes, Boss.”
The SUV slowly disappeared into the night.
Unaware that someone was already watching her...
Cora closed her eyes once again.
Her ordinary life had already begun to change.
She just didn’t know it yet.
