Monteverde Holdings
Lia didn't use the umbrella for two days.
Not because she didn't need it.
Because every time she looked at it, she remembered him.
The black handle.
The faint scent of cedarwood and rain.
The way his fingers brushed hers when he handed it over.
It sat untouched beside her apartment door like evidence of something she didn't fully understand yet.
And somehow, that bothered her more than it should have.
By Thursday morning, Blackthorne University had become unbearable.
People stared openly now.
Girls whispered when Lia walked past.
Even professors seemed oddly aware of her existence lately.
Sienna slid into the seat beside her before class started and dropped her head dramatically onto the desk.
"I have news."
"That tone never means anything good."
"It absolutely does."
Lia opened her notebook slowly. "What happened now?"
Sienna lowered her voice immediately.
"Monteverde Holdings is sponsoring the university gala next month."
The classroom buzzed around them while Lia tried not to react.
"And?"
"And Adrian Monteverde is apparently attending."
Lia kept her eyes on her notes.
"Okay."
Sienna stared at her.
"That's it?"
"What else am I supposed to say?"
"That the terrifying billionaire who keeps appearing around you is funding our school event?"
"He's funding the school," Lia corrected calmly. "Not stalking me."
Sienna gave her a look.
"You keep saying that like you're trying to convince yourself."
Before Lia could answer, Professor Hale entered the room carrying several folders.
"Before we begin," he announced, adjusting his glasses, "selected literature students have been invited to attend tonight's corporate networking dinner hosted by Monteverde Holdings."
The classroom immediately exploded into whispers.
Lia stopped writing.
Professor Hale began reading names one by one.
Most belonged to wealthy students with family connections.
Then—
"Lia Valencia."
Her head lifted instantly.
Several students turned toward her.
Even Sienna blinked.
Lia frowned slightly. "That has to be a mistake."
Professor Hale glanced at his list.
"No mistake. Your academic essays specifically impressed Mr. Monteverde."
The room became painfully quiet.
Lia felt dozens of eyes land on her immediately.
Her stomach tightened.
Because Adrian Monteverde had read her essays?
When?
Why?
And more importantly—
why did that feel strangely invasive?
After class ended, students surrounded Professor Hale asking questions about the dinner while Lia packed her things quickly, hoping to leave unnoticed.
"Ms. Valencia."
She closed her eyes briefly.
Of course.
Professor Hale approached her with a black envelope in hand.
"Your formal invitation."
Lia accepted it carefully.
The paper itself felt expensive.
Heavy.
Embossed.
Everything about Monteverde Holdings seemed designed to remind people how wealthy they were.
"You should attend," Professor Hale added kindly. "Opportunities like this rarely happen for scholarship students."
Translation:
Don't waste this chance.
Lia forced a small smile.
"I'll think about it."
"You'll attend."
The deep voice came from behind her.
Every muscle in her body tightened instantly.
Adrian Monteverde stood near the classroom entrance.
Black suit.
Dark tie.
Calm expression.
Like always.
The entire room noticeably shifted the moment he appeared.
Students straightened.
Conversations died.
Even Professor Hale looked nervous.
"Mr. Monteverde," he greeted quickly.
Adrian barely acknowledged him.
His attention remained entirely on Lia.
"You haven't used the umbrella."
Her brows furrowed immediately.
"How do you know that?"
A pause.
Then:
"You still leave your apartment without one."
That answer hit harder than it should have.
Lia stared at him carefully now.
There it was again.
That unsettling feeling.
Like he knew things he shouldn't.
Professor Hale awkwardly excused himself moments later, clearly sensing tension he wanted no part of.
The classroom emptied gradually until only Lia and Adrian remained.
Too much space.
Too much silence.
Lia tightened her grip on the invitation envelope.
"You read my essays?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"You write honestly."
The answer came immediately.
"You make that sound unusual."
"It is."
Adrian stepped closer slowly—not enough to invade her space completely, but enough for her pulse to betray her again.
"Most people write what they think others want to hear," he continued quietly. "You don't."
Lia looked away first.
His attention was exhausting.
Too focused.
Too intense.
"What exactly did you like about them?"
Adrian studied her for a moment before answering.
"You write loneliness very well."
Her chest tightened unexpectedly.
Because that was true.
Too true.
Before she could respond, Adrian reached past her shoulder toward the desk behind her.
Lia instinctively held her breath.
His sleeve brushed lightly against her arm.
Warmth spread instantly beneath her skin.
He picked up the literature book she'd forgotten moments earlier and handed it to her.
"You're distracted today."
"I wonder why."
Something almost resembling amusement touched his expression again.
It disappeared quickly.
"You should attend dinner tonight."
Lia frowned.
"I don't own anything appropriate for corporate dinners."
"Buy something."
"With what money?"
The question slipped out before she could stop it.
Silence followed immediately.
Lia regretted it instantly.
She hated sounding pathetic.
But Adrian's expression didn't change.
If anything—
he looked more attentive.
"Your rent is overdue," he said quietly.
Her stomach dropped.
The air suddenly felt too thin.
"How do you know that?"
Adrian held her gaze calmly.
"You look stressed."
"That doesn't answer my question."
"You're observant."
"And you avoid questions."
For the first time, something dangerous flickered behind his eyes.
Not anger.
Recognition.
Like he enjoyed being challenged.
"You shouldn't look at me like that," he said softly.
Lia crossed her arms.
"Like what?"
"Like you're trying to figure me out."
"And if I am?"
A pause.
Then Adrian leaned slightly closer.
"You won't like what you find."
The words settled heavily between them.
Lia's heartbeat stumbled annoyingly hard.
She hated that part of her wanted to keep listening.
Wanted to understand him.
Even though every instinct warned her not to.
Finally, Adrian stepped back again.
The tension loosened slightly.
"There's a car waiting outside for invited students," he said smoothly, as though the conversation hadn't shifted into dangerous territory moments earlier. "Seven o'clock."
"I never said I was going."
"You will."
Confidence.
Absolute confidence.
Lia frowned. "You always act like you already know what people are going to do."
"I usually do."
"That's arrogant."
"No," Adrian said quietly. "It's pattern recognition."
She stared at him for another second.
Then shook her head softly.
"You're unbelievable."
"And yet," he murmured, "you're still standing here."
That shut her up instantly.
Because he was right.
Most people would've walked away already.
But Lia stayed.
And she didn't fully understand why.
Adrian's phone vibrated suddenly inside his pocket.
He ignored it.
A second vibration followed immediately after.
Still ignored.
Whatever kind of world Adrian Monteverde lived in, it clearly revolved around him.
Everyone waited.
Everyone adjusted.
Everyone obeyed.
Finally, he glanced briefly toward the phone before silencing it completely.
Then his eyes returned to Lia.
Like they always did.
"You should wear your hair down tonight."
Lia blinked.
"What?"
"It suits you better."
Heat rose immediately into her face.
Before she could recover enough to respond, Adrian turned calmly toward the door.
Then paused.
Without looking back, he said:
"And stop checking for the black car outside your apartment."
Her breath caught completely.
Adrian glanced at her over his shoulder.
"You look nervous every time you do."
And then he walked away.
Leaving Lia frozen in the empty classroom—
realizing two horrifying things at once.
First—
he knew she noticed the car.
And second—
that meant it really had been there all along.