Rain poured over the city as students hurried across the university campus, shielding themselves with bags and jackets.

Noah Evans tightened his grip on his backpack and ran toward the architecture building.

"Watch where you're going!" someone shouted.

"I am!" Noah called back with a laugh.

Unlike most students, Noah worked two part-time jobs to pay his tuition. Every rupee mattered. He had no rich parents waiting to rescue him if life went wrong.

His dream was simple.

Graduate.

Become a famous architect.

Give his mother the peaceful life she deserved.

Love?

He didn't have time for it.

At the same moment, several black luxury cars rolled through the university gates.

Students stopped walking.

"Oh my God..."

"Is that Adrian Knight?"

"The youngest billionaire CEO?"

"They say he's colder than ice."

"He never smiles."

Bodyguards stepped out first, opening the door of the center car.

A tall man in a perfectly tailored black suit emerged.

Adrian Knight.

His sharp jaw, piercing dark eyes, and emotionless expression made everyone instinctively move aside.

He wasn't visiting for fun.

Knight Group had donated millions to the university, and Adrian had been invited as the guest of honor for the annual innovation competition.

He hated wasting time.

He hated crowds.

Most of all...

He hated fake people.

As Adrian walked toward the auditorium, his assistant handed him today's schedule.

"Sir, after your speech you'll judge the architecture projects."

Adrian replied without looking up.

"Keep it short."

"Yes, sir."

Meanwhile...

Noah was carrying a large model of his building design through the crowded hallway.

"Oh no... I'm late!"

He turned the corner—

Bang!

The model crashed into someone's chest.

Pieces of wood and cardboard scattered across the marble floor.

The hallway fell silent.

Noah froze.

A pair of polished black shoes stood in front of him.

Slowly...

He looked up.

The man glaring down at him had eyes as cold as winter.

"You."

Adrian's expensive suit was splashed with coffee.

One of the bodyguards stepped forward

"How dare you touch Mr. Knight!"

"I'm... I'm sorry!" Noah quickly picked up the broken pieces of his project.

"It was an accident."

Adrian stared at him without emotion.

"Do you know how much this suit costs?"

Noah's patience snapped.

"Do you know how many weeks it took me to build this model?"

Gasps echoed through the hallway.

No one...

No one had ever spoken to Adrian Knight like that.

Adrian narrowed his eyes.

"What did you say?"

"I said your suit can be cleaned."

Noah lifted the broken pieces of his model.

"My project can't."

For the first time in years...

Someone had challenged the heartless CEO without fear.

Adrian watched Noah walk away without another apology.

A strange feeling settled in his chest.

Interesting.

Very interesting.

Neither of them knew that this accidental collision was the beginning of a love story that would change both of their lives forever...

To Be Continued..

QT..

The whispers followed Noah all the way to the architecture hall.

"That's him."

"The guy who spilled coffee on Adrian Knight."

"They say Mr. Knight fired people for less."

Noah ignored them and placed the repaired model on the display table. A crack still ran across one side, but he refused to let a single accident ruin weeks of hard work.

"I'll prove my design is good enough," he muttered.

An hour later, the annual architecture competition began.

The auditorium fell silent as Adrian Knight walked onto the stage in a perfectly tailored black suit. His expression remained unreadable, as if the morning's incident had never happened.

Noah crossed his arms.

What a cold-hearted man.

After Adrian finished his brief speech, the judges began evaluating each project.

When Adrian stopped in front of Noah's model, the room became tense.

"So," Adrian said calmly, "this is the project you were trying so desperately to protect."

Noah met his gaze without flinching.

"Yes."

Adrian examined the model from every angle.

"The structure is creative."

For a moment, Noah thought he was about to receive a compliment.

"But the craftsmanship is careless."

Noah frowned.

"It broke because someone walked into me."

Adrian's eyes narrowed.

"You walked into me."

"You were blocking the hallway."

Several students covered their mouths, shocked by Noah's boldness.

Instead of getting angry, Adrian took one slow step closer.

He lowered his voice so only Noah could hear.

"Be careful."

"Why?"

"Because I don't like people arguing with me."

Noah refused to look away.

"Then maybe you should stop acting like everyone belongs to you."

A strange silence settled between them.

Then, to everyone's surprise...

Adrian smiled.

It wasn't warm.

It was the dangerous smile of someone who had just accepted a challenge.

"I've changed my mind."

His assistant looked confused.

"Sir?"

Adrian kept his eyes on Noah.

"I want him."

The room fell silent.

His assistant blinked.

"Sir... you mean the student?"

"Yes."

"What should I do?"

Adrian straightened his cuffs.

"Offer him an internship at Knight Group."

"But, sir, we only choose graduates with years of experience."

"I know."

"Then why him?"

Adrian's gaze never left Noah.

"Because from today onward..."

He paused, his voice calm but firm.

"He's under my watch."

Noah overheard every word.

"I'm not interested," he said immediately.

"I won't work for someone as arrogant as you."

For the first time that day, Adrian's eyes flashed with something possessive.

"You think this is a request?"

He stepped closer until only a small distance separated them.

"Noah Evans."

Hearing his full name made Noah's heart skip a beat.

"I always get what I want."

The confidence in Adrian's voice wasn't a threat shouted in anger—it was a quiet promise.

Noah lifted his chin.

"We'll see about that."

As Noah walked away, Adrian watched him disappears into the crowd.

His assistant sighed.

"Sir, should I cancel the internship?"

Adrian slipped one hand into his pocket.

"No."

A faint smile appeared on his face.

"The hunt has just begun."

To Be Continued...