"All students of Bloomsdale, please proceed to the auditorium. I repeat, all students of Bloomsdale University for Women and Bloomsdale University for Men, please proceed to the auditorium immediately."
The announcement echoed through the speakers in Dean Romero's voice.
Before Xylia could say anything, she was startled when Aciel suddenly stood up and walked out of the office without another word.
The other boys looked slightly embarrassed by his behavior.
"Please excuse him," Simon said apologetically before bowing politely toward the women.
Chris and Leiam quickly followed, leaving the office behind Aciel.
"Jerk," Chelsea muttered the moment the door closed.
"Seriously, who does he think he is?" Naomi snapped angrily. "Acting like that in front of Xylia?"
"What do you expect from the rebellious son of a Mafia boss?" Liliana whispered dramatically. "Did you see his piercings? And those tattoos around his neck?"
Xylia sighed softly before standing up to face the women.
"Let's just forget about it," she said calmly. "Maybe he's still adjusting to the new environment. Honestly, all of us are."
The others fell silent.
"No one was really prepared for these changes," Xylia continued. "The merger was only announced last month, so I think it'll take time before everyone learns how to get along."
The women no longer argued.
Xylia was right.
The two universities had been separated for decades, and no one ever expected such a sudden change. The founder originally established them separately to avoid conflicts between men and women. As a woman herself, she feared men would eventually take advantage of women and distract them from their studies and goals.
Meanwhile, outside the building, Aciel stood beside his Rolls-Royce with his hands inside his pockets while Simon stared at him with frustration.
"What was that about?" Simon asked. "You just walked out without saying anything."
Aciel looked at him coldly.
"I don't like that girl," he answered bluntly. "The student council president."
Simon frowned in confusion.
"Why?" he asked. "She seemed nice enough. She didn't even do anything wrong."
Aciel looked away.
"That's exactly the problem," he muttered. "Everything she said… every action she made… it all felt fake."
Simon and the others exchanged confused glances.
From their perspective, Xylia and her friends had been polite and welcoming. Aside from being beautiful, the student council president appeared intelligent, gentle, and graceful.
But Aciel saw something different.
The moment he entered the office earlier, he already sensed Xylia's anxiety. She looked uncomfortable and awkward, as if she did not truly want them there.
And yet…
When she smiled at him, it felt genuine.
For a brief second, that smile almost took his breath away.
Then the silence came, and Aciel noticed the sudden shift in her aura again.
As if she was hiding something.
A few minutes later, Xylia and the others finally left the office and headed toward the auditorium.
She immediately noticed Aciel and his friends standing near the Rolls-Royce.
At first, she wondered if they were intentionally waiting for them. Then she remembered that they probably did not know where the auditorium was located.
Xylia glanced at Liliana, silently signaling her to approach the boys.
Liliana pouted dramatically but still obeyed.
"The auditorium is this way," she said awkwardly.
Fortunately, the boys agreed to follow without causing trouble.
As they walked across the campus, Xylia and Chelsea naturally moved ahead of the group while Liliana, Naomi, Simon, and Chris followed behind them.
At the very back were Aciel and Leiam.
"So, where do you live, Liliana?" Chris suddenly asked. "Are you from Bloomville?"
Bloomville was the district where the wealthiest elites of Bloomsdale City resided. Only the richest families could afford properties there.
"N-No," Liliana answered quickly. "I'm from Maywall. Only Xylia lives in Bloomville. Chelsea and Naomi are from Yorkhill."
"I see," Chris said casually. "We're all from Southford."
Liliana's eyes widened slightly.
"Southford?" she repeated curiously. "The Mafia territory?"
Chris grinned proudly.
"Yeah. Have you ever been there?"
"N-Not yet," Liliana stuttered.
Chris chuckled softly.
"If you ever visit, make sure to bring guards with you. Trouble follows people around in Southford."
"I-I'll remember that," Liliana whispered nervously.
Ahead of them, Xylia noticed the two getting along surprisingly well. They were quietly whispering and even laughing together.
At least someone is trying to make this less awkward, she thought.
As for Aciel, she chose not to dwell on his earlier behavior anymore.
She was not there to impress him.
She only wanted to fulfill her responsibilities and survive the day peacefully.
When they finally arrived at the auditorium, murmurs immediately spread across the room as students noticed them entering together.
As student council president, Xylia was accustomed to sitting in the front row alongside the other council members.
However, the moment she saw the chairs, she frowned slightly.
Each seat now had a name tag attached to it.
"Well," Chelsea whispered teasingly beside her, "looks like you have a new seatmate from now on."
Before the merger, only six chairs were placed in front for the women's student council members.
Now there were ten.
And right beside Xylia's seat—
was Aciel's name.
She quietly sighed before sitting down gracefully.
"Hey, Aciel!" Simon called out loudly. "Your seat is over here!"
Xylia immediately realized Simon was teasing him.
She did not understand why, nor did she care enough to ask.
When Aciel sat beside her, she deliberately kept her eyes fixed on the stage.
She had no desire to see the irritation on his face again.
"Greetings, students," Dean Romero began from the stage. "As the new academic year begins, we officially welcome the students of Bloomsdale University for Men."
The auditorium erupted into whispers.
"As all of you already know, the board decided to merge the two universities into one co-educational institution. Because of this, we have prepared new student lists and reorganized class sections."
Shock instantly spread throughout the entire auditorium.
No one had expected that.
Everyone originally believed they would remain with their old classmates throughout the year.
Instead, the women and men would now be mixed together in entirely new sections.
Excited murmurs echoed everywhere while the professors struggled to calm the students down.
They already anticipated resistance.
But the restructuring was necessary because it was the true purpose behind the merger.
From this day onward, the institution would officially be known as Bloomsdale University.
Beside Aciel, Xylia quietly grew more anxious.
Earlier, she already sensed his dislike toward her.
And now…
after feeling that strange shift in his aura once again—
she had the unsettling feeling that Aciel De Silva hated her even more.