chapter 1 : is she a dream or a nightmare

Achilles POV

Sitting here for two hours, listening to the bald man drone on about how math is the key to understanding life and destiny, wasn't exactly in my plans. But, honestly, it almost made me smirk. Almost. If I had, I'm sure the professor would've bolted out of here faster than a scared rabbit. You see, every professor at this school avoids making eye contact with me or walking too close—probably for two reasons: one, they know who I am, and two, they're freaked out by the fact that I never give a single reaction. Always calm, always in control. It's like it unnerves them. I guess it's a good mix of both.

Finally, the bell rings, and everyone scrambles to get out. I stand up with my brother, Lucas, by my side. He's just as tall as I am, with the same solid, muscular build. He's younger, though—18 to my 19. You're probably wondering what I'm doing in high school if I'm old enough to be in college. Simple answer: I'm not here for education. I finished my real training a long time ago, in a far more... suitable place for people like me. And the same goes for Lucas. We're here for far more complicated reasons.

I'm known as the new Don of Spain. My coronation was a year ago. Trust me when I say this high school is a hell of a lot more interesting than it looks.

After a few minutes in the cafeteria, listening to pointless chatter that's giving me a headache, I'm finally in my last class of the day. My target is just a few seats away. I'm sitting at the back, watching them. My target is in front of me, blushing like a fool, probably thinking I'm staring at her for her beauty. If that's the case, I'll be so disappointed in Lucius' training.

The target's name is Liza Alexiou—one of the twin children of Lucius Alexiou, a 40-year-old man who's nothing but a sneaky bastard. He thinks his pureblood status can make anyone kneel before him. Honestly, if this is the one he's willing to pass on his legacy to, I'm seriously unimpressed. But, appearances can be deceiving. Maybe this whole thing is a plan—maybe they're pretending to be stupid, knowing exactly how dangerous I am.

If they think I came all the way to America just for a high school education, they're in for a rude awakening. I'll be happy if this is all some act to manipulate me.

I sigh. I just hope Lucius is smart enough not to hand over his empire to these clowns. If it weren't for the deep-rooted hatred between the Garcias and the Alexious, wiping them out would be an easy job. But if that happens, all fingers would point at my family and the Valentinos.

Speaking of which, I heard some things at the last annual peace meeting. We usually send someone to represent the Don, and since my coronation, I've had my cousin, Rafael Garcia, stand in for me. Lucius made a scene at the meeting when they announced the heir to Klaus Valentino, a figure most thought didn't exist after his death. The throne had passed to his brother, Enzo Valentino, but that didn't sit well with Lucius. The man was terrified of the possibility that Klaus might've left an heir behind. Hell, even a monster like Klaus could've raised another monster. It's no secret that Lucius was nothing but a scared rat in Klaus's eyes , his bitch .

I'll give Lucius this—he may be a coward, but he knew how to play the game. The question is, does he think his heir is as sharp as Klaus was? Because if that's the case, I'm going to need to reevaluate the future of the Greek Mafia.

While I'm lost in my thoughts, the door to the classroom opens. In walks a girl wearing a black oversized hoodie, her face hidden beneath it. She looks like she's here to pray at the altar, not attend class.

Her voice interrupts my thinking. "Can I come in?"

It's rare to find someone calm in this chaotic school, and honestly, I'm not the type to be intrigued by the quiet girl stereotype. But there's something about her voice. It's soft and smooth—almost like a siren's call.

Ms. Sophia, our professor, doesn't hide her irritation. "And you are?" she asks, raising an eyebrow.

The girl doesn't flinch. She calmly replies, "The new student."

Ms. Sophia's annoyance grows. "Take the hood off," she snaps.

That's when I pay attention—really pay attention—for the first time today. The girl sighs and pulls the hood back, revealing her features. But it's not her face that grabs me. It's her eyes—those rare green eyes that I've never seen before, eyes that hold a kind of mystery I can't place.

Ms. Sophia, still unamused, glares at her. "Really? How wonderful—'Your Highness,' you could have arrived anytime, yet you choose to bless us now?"

She's obviously mocking the girl, but the new student doesn't flinch. Instead, she smiles—fake as hell—and says, "Why don't you let me enter the class to add more greatness to this moment?"

The entire class bursts into laughter, and Ms. Sophia's face turns red with fury. "GET OUT!" she shouts.

But the girl does something so provoking I can't help but smirk. She kneels, as if she's a princess in front of a throne, and then stands, turning on her heel and exiting, shutting the door behind her with a quiet click. Ms. Sophia is left fuming, and I'm left stunned.

It's only when I feel Lucas' gaze on me that I snap back to reality. He's staring at me, probably noticing my rare smile. I quickly wipe it off, putting my poker face back on. The class follows suit, eyes darting to the professor, and I'm left thinking about that little girl.

Maybe this school is starting to get interesting after all.