Chapter 1 – Welcome to Westbridge

Main Couple

Evelyn Carter (19)

Business Major

Sharp tongue

Top student

Rich family but hates showing it

Beautiful without trying

Never cries in front of people

Extremely competitive

Her motto:

"If someone starts a fight, I'll finish it."

Noah Walker (19)

Architecture Major/Business Major

Confident

Captain of the university basketball team

Popular

Funny

Flirty

Smart enough to match Evelyn

His motto:

"Life is boring if nobody challenges me."

Girl Best Friend

Mia Thompson

Business major

Sunshine personality

Loves gossip

Emotional

Protective of Evelyn

Secret hopeless romantic

Boy Best Friend 1

Ethan Brooks

Computer Science

Sarcastic

Calm

Genius hacker

Dry humor

Always recording funny moments

Boy Best Friend 2

Liam Hayes

Finance

Loud

Golden retriever energy

Rich

Gym addict

Biggest shipper of Noah and Evelyn

Chapter 1 – Welcome to Westbridge

Boston.

Late August

The city carried that familiar end-of-summer warmth, the kind that made the red-brick buildings of Westbridge University glow beneath the afternoon sun.

Hundreds of freshmen poured through the front gates, dragging suitcases, carrying coffee cups, laughing with strangers who would soon become friends—or enemies.

Some came chasing dreams.

Some came chasing freedom.

Some came because their parents expected greatness.

And then there were people like Evelyn Carter.

She came because she refused to be anything less than the best.

The black SUV rolled to a stop outside Hawthorne Hall.

A driver stepped out first.

"Miss Carter, we've arrived."

Evelyn removed her headphones, looked at the campus through the tinted window, and smiled faintly.

"So this is Westbridge."

Her father had wanted to accompany her.

She refused.

Her mother insisted on hiring private security.

She refused that too.

She wanted one thing.

A fresh start.

Not as the Carter heiress.

Just...

Evelyn.

She stepped out wearing light-wash jeans, white sneakers, and a fitted black top beneath an oversized beige jacket. Her dark hair was tied into a neat ponytail, sunglasses resting on her head.

Simple.

Elegant.

Confident.

The driver reached for her luggage.

"I can carry it."

"But—"

"I said I can."

He immediately stepped back.

She wasn't rude.

She simply hated people assuming she needed help.

Across campus...

A motorcycle roared into the parking lot.

Heads turned instantly.

The rider removed his helmet.

Messy brown hair.

Lazy grin.

Dark eyes filled with amusement.

"Noah!"

Two boys waved from the entrance.

"Liam!"

"Ethan!"

Noah parked before pulling both into a quick hug.

"You idiots actually made it."

Liam laughed.

"We've been here for twenty minutes."

"You were late."

"I stopped for coffee."

"You stop for coffee every day."

"Exactly."

Ethan adjusted his glasses.

"You'll be late to your own wedding one day."

Noah shrugged.

"Only if she's worth waiting for."

Liam groaned dramatically.

"I already hate every girl that's going to fall for you."

Noah smirked.

"They'll survive."

Meanwhile...

Evelyn entered Hawthorne Hall.

The lobby buzzed with nervous students.

Someone accidentally bumped into her shoulder.

"Oh my God! I'm so sorry!"

A blonde girl nearly dropped three folders while trying to apologize.

Evelyn caught two before they hit the floor.

"You okay?"

The girl blinked.

"You...caught them."

"I have hands."

For a second...

Then both laughed.

"I'm Mia."

"Evelyn."

"Business major?"

"Yeah."

Mia's eyes widened.

"Me too!"

"What are the chances?"

"I'm taking that as fate."

Evelyn chuckled.

"I don't believe in fate."

"Then destiny?"

"I believe in coincidence."

Mia smiled.

"We're going to be friends anyway."

For reasons she couldn't explain...

Evelyn didn't disagree.

Orientation began thirty minutes later.

Nearly five hundred freshmen gathered inside the university auditorium.

Dean Harrison welcomed everyone before announcing one final surprise.

"To help you meet new people, we're assigning mixed groups for today's campus challenge."

Groans echoed through the room.

A giant screen lit up.

Group numbers appeared one by one.

Mia grabbed Evelyn's arm.

"Please don't separate us."

The screen stopped.

GROUP 17

Evelyn Carter.

Mia Thompson.

Noah Walker.

Liam Hayes.

Ethan Brooks.

Noah raised one eyebrow.

"Looks like we're stuck together."

Liam grinned.

"Hopefully they're normal."

Ethan looked at the names.

"We'll find out."

At almost the same moment...

Evelyn and Noah looked across the auditorium.

Neither smiled.

Neither looked away.

Just a brief moment.

Two strangers.

Both with the same confidence.

Both silently thinking the exact same thing.

"This person looks like trouble."

Neither of them knew...

By the end of today...

The first shot in their war would already have been fired.

End of Chapter 1

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