Chapter 7 — The Stranger in the Classroom
Prema couldn't move.
The man continued walking toward her, his expression calm enough to be terrifying. He looked like an ordinary visitor—dark shirt, neatly combed hair, no obvious weapon, nothing that would make anyone else in the classroom suspect him.
But Prema knew.
Someone had photographed her.
Someone had sent her that photograph.
And now he was walking directly toward her.
Satya noticed her expression.
"Prema?"
Prema whispered, "That's him."
"Who?"
"The man from the back."
Satya turned.
The stranger stopped several steps away from them.
"Excuse me," he said politely. "I'm looking for the engineering administration office."
Satya frowned.
"It's in the other building."
The man smiled.
"Thank you."
He turned as if he were about to leave.
Then he looked directly at Prema.
"Nice to finally meet you."
Her heart slammed against her ribs.
Satya stood immediately.
"Do we know you?"
The man gave a small smile.
"No."
Then he walked away.
Prema watched him disappear through the classroom door.
She couldn't breathe properly.
Satya grabbed her hand.
"Come on."
"Where?"
"Outside."
"But the lecture—"
"Forget the lecture."
They left the classroom and walked quickly through the corridor.
Prema kept looking behind them.
The man was gone.
Her phone vibrated.
She stopped.
Satya looked at her.
"Don't."
Prema slowly took out the phone.
One new message.
You should have stayed away from him.
Another arrived immediately.
Now he knows where you are because of you.
Prema's fingers trembled.
Satya read the messages.
"Call Zyan."
This time Prema didn't argue.
She called.
Zyan answered immediately.
"Where are you?"
"College."
"I know."
Prema froze.
"What?"
His voice was controlled.
"My security team just reported an unfamiliar man entered your building."
Her eyes widened.
"How did you—"
"I have people watching the entrances."
"Zyan, he came into my classroom."
Silence.
Then Zyan's voice became frighteningly calm.
"Describe him."
She did.
Dark shirt.
Medium height.
Short hair.
A faint scar near his eyebrow.
Zyan immediately knew something.
"Stay where you are."
"He's gone."
"That doesn't matter."
His voice softened slightly.
"Prema, listen to me. Do not leave the building alone."
"I'm with Satya."
"Good. Stay with her."
"Zyan—"
"Please."
That single word stopped her.
It wasn't an order.
It sounded like fear.
"I'll come," he said.
"You don't have to."
"I know."
The call ended.
Satya stared at her.
"He said please?"
Prema nodded.
Satya gave her a strange look.
"I think the billionaire is in serious trouble."
"What trouble?"
"You."
Prema rolled her eyes, but a small smile escaped.
Neither of them noticed the security officer standing at the far end of the corridor.
He watched them carefully.
Then he touched his earpiece.
"They're waiting."
A voice answered.
"Good."
"Should we move?"
"No."
"Why?"
"Because Zyan is coming."
The officer smiled.
"That's exactly what we wanted."
Twenty minutes later, several black vehicles arrived outside the college.
Students immediately began whispering.
Prema recognized the first car.
Zyan stepped out.
He wasn't wearing a suit.
He had chosen a simple black shirt and dark trousers, but somehow the entire entrance seemed to change when he appeared.
He walked directly toward the building.
Two security officers followed.
Harry arrived moments later.
Zyan's eyes searched the crowd until he found Prema.
The moment he saw her standing safely beside Satya, his shoulders relaxed slightly.
He walked toward her.
"Are you hurt?"
"No."
"Did he touch you?"
"No."
"Did he say anything else?"
"He asked for directions."
Zyan's expression darkened.
"He approached you inside a classroom and asked for directions?"
Prema nodded.
"He said he wanted the administration office."
Harry interrupted.
"That's probably a cover."
Zyan looked at him.
"Find him."
Harry nodded.
His men immediately spread through the building.
Prema watched them leave.
"Zyan."
He looked at her.
"You're making everyone panic."
"I don't care."
"I do."
He paused.
She stepped closer.
"You promised you wouldn't control me."
"I remember."
"Then don't turn my college into a fortress."
His jaw tightened.
For several seconds, he said nothing.
Finally, he nodded.
"You're right."
Prema looked surprised.
"I am?"
"Yes."
He turned toward his security team.
"Keep your distance. No one interferes with her classes unless there's an immediate threat."
The guards nodded.
Prema looked at him.
"Thank you."
Zyan's eyes softened.
"I told you I'd try."
For a brief moment, everything became quiet.
Then Harry returned.
His expression was serious.
"We found the man."
Zyan turned.
"Where?"
"He left through the east gate."
"Vehicle?"
"Motorcycle."
"Plate?"
Harry handed him a photograph.
Zyan studied it.
The license plate was deliberately covered.
Harry continued.
"But we found something else."
He handed over another photograph.
It showed the man entering the college earlier that morning.
Behind him was another person.
A security officer.
Zyan stared at the photograph.
"That's one of ours."
Harry nodded.
"Exactly."
Prema looked between them.
"What does that mean?"
Zyan didn't answer immediately.
His security network wasn't supposed to have leaks.
Someone had allowed the stranger into the college.
Someone had known exactly where Prema would be.
And someone inside his own organization was helping the enemy.
Zyan's phone vibrated.
A new message.
He opened it.
You're looking in the wrong place.
Then another.
The traitor is standing closer to you than you think.
Zyan slowly lifted his eyes.
His security team stood around them.
Harry noticed his expression.
"What?"
Zyan turned the phone toward him.
Harry read the message.
His face hardened.
Then Prema's phone vibrated.
She looked down.
A photograph appeared.
Her blood turned cold.
It was a picture of Zyan standing beside her.
Taken only seconds earlier.
Below it was a single sentence.
I told you. I can see everything.
Prema looked around the college courtyard.
Hundreds of people were moving around them.
Students.
Teachers.
Visitors.
Security.
Anyone could be watching.
Zyan took the phone from her hand.
His expression became terrifyingly calm.
"Enough."
He looked at Harry.
"Lock down every camera feed."
Harry nodded.
"And find whoever took this photograph."
Then Zyan looked at Prema.
For the first time, she saw something in his eyes she had never seen before.
Not anger.
Not jealousy.
Fear.
Not fear for himself.
Fear that the person standing beside him had become the enemy's favorite target.
He took her hand.
"You're coming with me."
Prema looked at their joined hands.
Then at him.
"Where?"
"My house."
She hesitated.
"Zyan—"
"I won't force you."
His voice was quiet.
"But someone has entered your college, photographed you, and infiltrated my security."
He looked directly into her eyes.
"Whatever happens next, I don't want you facing it alone."
Prema didn't answer.
But she didn't pull her hand away either.
And somewhere across the street, behind the tinted windows of a parked car, someone watched them leave together.
The man slowly lowered his camera.
Then he smiled.
"Exactly as planned."
A voice beside him asked,
"Should we take her tonight?"
The man shook his head.
"No."
"Then what are we waiting for?"
He looked at the photograph of Zyan holding Prema's hand.
"For him to fall completely."
He smiled.
"Once the billionaire is willing to sacrifice everything for her, we'll take away the one thing he can't replace."
He placed the photograph inside an envelope.
"His family."
The car disappeared into traffic before anyone noticed it was gone.