Everyone on campus knew Adrian Blackwood.
Not because he tried to be known—he didn't—but because his presence carried a quiet authority that couldn't be ignored. He walked with purpose, spoke only when necessary, and never wasted energy trying to impress anyone. It was said his family owned more than half the city, though no one ever heard him confirm or deny it.
Old money had a way of announcing itself without words.
Professors treated him differently. Students lowered their voices when he passed. Girls admired him from a safe distance, bold enough to look but rarely brave enough to approach.
Adrian Blackwood was cold.
And he never looked twice.
Lila Moore learned that on her first week back on campus.
She noticed him the way you notice something dangerous—carefully and with restraint. She wasn't drawn to attention, never had been. Her life was built on routines and quiet effort: early mornings, long lectures, part-time shifts, and late nights spent studying until her eyes ached.
She liked being invisible. It kept her safe.
So when she saw Adrian for the first time, standing near the faculty building with his hands in his pockets and his expression unreadable, she immediately knew he was someone to avoid. He belonged to a world of privilege and power. She belonged to a world of budgeting and hoping things worked out.
Their paths were never meant to cross.At least, that was what she believed.
The lecture hall was half full when it happened. Lila had taken her usual seat near the back, notebook open, pen resting between her fingers. The professor droned on, and the hum of quiet conversations filled the room.
Then she felt it,That strange awareness Like someone was watching her.
She shifted in her seat, uncomfortable, telling herself it was nothing. Still, her eyes lifted on instinct.
And there he was.Adrian Blackwood was looking straight at her.Not smiling,Not curious,Just watching.
His gaze was steady, dark, and intense in a way that made her breath hitch. It felt deliberate, as though he was studying her, noticing her in a way no one ever did.
Then he looked away,Just like that.As if she hadn't existed.
Lila stared at her notebook for the rest of the lecture, her heart beating far too fast for a moment that meant nothing—or so she told herself.But from that day on, she couldn't ignore him.
She noticed how he always arrived exactly on time. How he never sat with anyone. How his attention seemed focused on everything and nothing all at once. And somehow, impossibly, she began to notice something else too.
He noticed her,Not openly,Not obviously. But in small, undeniable ways. In reflections on glass doors. In the way his gaze lingered a second longer whenever she passed by. In the quiet awareness that made her skin prickle whenever he was nearby.
They never spoke and yet, something unspoken began to grow between them.
Lila tried to ignore it. She reminded herself that rich boys didn't look at girls like her for the right reasons. She focused on her studies, on her job, on staying firmly in her own lane.
Still, it was hard to ignore the way her chest tightened whenever she caught him watching her again.The first real interaction happened by accident.
It was late afternoon, the campus buzzing with movement as students poured out of buildings. Lila struggled down the hallway with a stack of books pressed tightly to her chest, her vision partially blocked.
She turned a corner too quickly.And collided with someone solid.Her books fell instantly, scattering across the floor.
"Oh— I'm so sorry," she said, dropping to her knees to gather them.A pair of polished shoes stopped in front of her.
Before she could react, someone else reached down, picking up her books carefully, one by one.
"Here." The voice was calm,low,controlled,Her stomach dropped.She looked up,Adrian Blackwood was kneeling in front of her.Up close, he was even more intimidating. Sharp features. Calm eyes that revealed nothing. He handed her the books slowly, his fingers brushing hers just slightly as she took them.
The contact was brief,It felt anything but harmless.
"Thank you," she said softly, standing up quickly.Their eyes met and this time, he didn't look away.Something flickered in his expression—hesitation, conflict, something she couldn't name. His jaw tightened almost immediately, as though he'd caught himself doing something he wasn't supposed to.
"You should be more careful," he said quietly.It wasn't rude. But it wasn't gentle either.Then he stood and walked away, disappearing into the crowd without another word.
Lila remained where she was, heart pounding, one thought echoing in her mind.
That was the first rule broken,because Adrian Blackwood had finally spoken to her and somehow, she knew this was only the beginning.