Chapter 1
Sophia Carter hated Mondays.
Not because of classes.
Not because of exams.
But because Mondays always seemed determined to remind her of everything that was going wrong in her life.
The alarm on her phone blared at six in the morning.
She reached for it blindly and knocked it off the nightstand instead.
The sharp crack of plastic hitting the floor made her groan.
“Perfect.”
The tiny apartment was still dark. Across the room, her younger brother, Noah, was asleep on the pullout couch, his arm hanging over the edge.
Sophia smiled despite herself.
At least someone in this apartment was getting decent sleep.
She carefully stepped around him and headed into the kitchen.
The coffee maker refused to work.
Again.
She stared at it for a full ten seconds.
Then she closed her eyes and counted to five.
One.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Five.
The coffee maker remained broken.
“Of course.”
Everything seemed to be breaking lately.
Their old apartment.
The family bookstore.
Her bank account.
Her patience.
After their father’s death three years ago, things had only gotten harder. Her mother worked two jobs to keep them afloat, while Sophia balanced college, part-time work, and enough responsibilities to make her feel forty instead of twenty-one.
The scholarship she depended on covered most of her tuition.
Most.
The rest came from savings that were disappearing faster every month.
Sophia grabbed her backpack and headed out the door.
If she missed Professor Reynolds’ lecture, she’d never hear the end of it.
Westwood University looked exactly like the kind of place rich people sent their children.
Beautiful stone buildings.
Perfect green lawns.
Students walking around in designer clothes worth more than Sophia’s monthly rent.
Sometimes she felt like she didn’t belong there.
Most days she simply ignored that feeling.
She was crossing the campus courtyard when she noticed a crowd gathered outside the business building.
Not unusual.
People were always gathering whenever Ethan Blackwell showed up.
Sophia rolled her eyes and kept walking.
She had never met him.
But she knew exactly who he was.
Everyone did.
The future CEO of Blackwell Enterprises.
The billionaire heir.
The golden boy.
Students practically worshipped him.
Which was ridiculous.
Nobody deserved that kind of attention.
As if sensing her thoughts, a black SUV pulled up beside the curb.
The crowd immediately became louder.
Sophia shook her head.
“Unbelievable.”
Without looking where she was going, she collided with someone.
Hard.
Her books slipped from her arms.
Papers scattered across the pavement.
“Oh my God.”
She crouched instantly.
“I’m so sorry—”
A pair of polished black shoes stopped in front of her.
Sophia looked up.
Straight into cold gray eyes.
For a second, neither moved.
The man standing before her looked annoyingly perfect.
Dark hair.
Expensive suit.
Expression that suggested he wasn’t used to people crashing into him.
Ethan Blackwell.
Great.
Just great.
“It’s fine,” he said.
His voice was calm.
Almost bored.
Sophia quickly gathered her papers.
“Sorry.”
He nodded once.
Then walked away.
That was it.
No dramatic moment.
No sparks.
No magical connection.
Just an awkward collision she’d probably forget by tomorrow.
Except…
As she hurried toward class, she realized one of her papers was missing.
The outline for her economics presentation.
The one worth thirty percent of her grade.
Her stomach dropped.
She spun around.
And saw Ethan Blackwell holding it.
He had stopped several yards away.
Their eyes met.
For a brief moment, he glanced at the paper.
Then at her.
Instead of tossing it aside, he walked back.
“Looking for this?”
Sophia snatched it from his hand.
Relief flooded her chest.
“Thank you.”
A corner of his mouth lifted.
The smallest hint of a smile.
“Try watching where you’re going next time.”
Then he turned and disappeared into the crowd.
Sophia stared after him.
Arrogant.
Definitely arrogant.
But at least he wasn’t a jerk.
Not completely.
