Aaron_Joshua_6501

Seeking a fresh start, Avery Chen, the abandoned daughter of a well-known mafia lord, enrolls in a top university. Rather, she discovers she is in the middle of a dangerous network of academics and criminal activities. Avery draws the attention of campus golden boy Lucas Sterling as she is bullied for her family ties but she politely denies his interest. Expert assassin Avery pays for her schooling by means of high-stakes operations. Her world meets Lucas's when she finds out he is in charge of a competitor criminal group. As Lucas and his estranged brother Damien come to see Avery could be the key to bringing their disparate groups together, Avery must negotiate her feelings, her mission, and the dangerous underground of college organized crime. Avery battles to find the truth about her father's desertion and create her own path, therefore her particular abilities both help and hinder her. Will Avery be swallowed by the criminal underworld in a society where loyalties shift like sand?

The Don's Heir: A Campus Underworld

Avery sat in her ethics class, her mind far away from the lesson. Her phone buzzed softly in her pocket. The message from her father, "Urgent meeting," was clear. Her heart pounded as she left the classroom, her footsteps echoing in the empty hall. Nothing good could come from this.

When she arrived at the safe house, it was in chaos. Marcus paced the room, his face showing worry and anger. The Architect stood by the window, usually calm but now sharply aware.

"What's happening?" Avery asked, locking the door behind her.

Marcus's eyes were troubled as he turned to her. "She's back, Avery. Nikolai Volkov."

Although Avery didn't know who Nikolai Volkov was, the reactions of the people in the room made it clear that it was bad news. "Who is he?" Avery asked, trying to keep her voice steady.

Ghosts in the Machine