Chapter 22: When Love Sparks a War
The following morning at Zenith University came cloaked in confusion. The campus buzzed, not with routine student gossip, but with a single name whispered across lecture halls, group chats, and late-night private streams.
Julian Vale.
Overnight, the accidental livestream had gone viral. A mysterious, once-broken student had not only been caught in an intimate moment with a "dead" heiress—Elenora Ainsley—but also unlocked the radar of every powerful student elite, business heir, and corrupt official watching the school's underground social fabric.
But Julian? He was oblivious.
---
Julian sat on the edge of Elenora's bed, holding a steaming cup of green tea. Her apartment, hidden behind the walls of the university's abandoned art building, was a cozy haven. Pale yellow lighting spilled across dusty bookshelves and worn velvet cushions. Paintings half-done lined the walls—her pain immortalized in color.
Elenora, now without her mask, moved around the tiny kitchenette. Her oversized gray hoodie danced just below her thighs, and her long legs—bare, vulnerable—reflected the duality of her persona: a fallen heiress craving comfort, yet still glowing with effortless elegance.
"I shouldn't have removed the mask," she whispered. "Now they'll come for me... and you."
Julian's voice was calm. "Let them. I stopped running the moment I found you."
She glanced at him—eyes trembling.
"Why?"
"Because your story feels like mine... only richer, sadder, and still unfinished."
---
Meanwhile, across campus, the auto shop roared with chaos.
Connor Vance, son of one of the wealthiest real estate tycoons in Velari City, stood glaring at a huge wall screen showing Julian and Elenora's livestream on repeat. His team of rich boys—Jordan, Lennox, and Dev—watched with clenched jaws.
"He embarrassed Anabelle. She's ours," Connor growled, smashing a wrench on the hood of a $300,000 racing prototype.
"He's just some poor rat who got lucky. We'll crush him," Lennox hissed, his eyes on fire.
But Dev was silent. Watching. Calculating.
--
Julian walked across the field alone. The sun was harsh, but the stares were sharper.
Whispers followed him.
"Isn't that the guy from last night?"
"He's with Elenora. That's dangerous."
"Rumors say he's part of the Watch Program now."
"He stole Connor's girl. He's done."
But Julian didn't flinch.
Then—SLAP!
Anabelle stood before him, her hand red, her eyes redder.
"You let the whole school watch me break," she snapped, voice trembling.
Julian remained still. "It wasn't intentional. And you're not the only one broken."
"You're chasing ghosts now? That girl will destroy you."
"She already saved me."
Anabelle's tears spilled.
"I loved you before the money, Julian. Before your stupid watch. Before she came back from the dead."
"But you also left me because of that same poverty," he said quietly.
She staggered.
And walked away.
---
Hidden Task Activated on Julian's Watch
Title: The Unseen Arena
Objective: Survive and win the upcoming elite inter-campus games organized by the Shadow Council.
Details: You've been selected without your consent. Games begin in 48 hours. Losing means permanent expulsion and career collapse.
Reward: Secret Property in Velari's Hidden City, $1M investment opportunity, and access to Level 3 Watch Abilities.
Penalty: All relationships reset to Level 0. Financial blacklisting.
Bonus Challenge: Recruit a masked player before time runs out.
---
Mr. Langston, the 38-year-old Economics lecturer, tall, dark-skinned with a sharp jaw and expensive taste, stood beside Miss Estelle—a seductive 34-year-old literature teacher with golden curls and crimson lipstick. Their secret relationship was growing dangerously visible.
And both of them were talking about one name.
"Julian Vale."
"He's caught the eyes of the wrong people," Estelle said as she locked the door behind them.
Langston lit a cigar, eyes narrowed. "Or the right ones."
Their affair had given them access to confidential school networks. And Julian's file had just moved into the "Priority Black Watchlist"—a confidential category meant only for students marked as either a threat… or a future legend.
---
Back in his room, Julian stared at the list of elite competitors he'd be facing.
1. Connor Vance – Auto Heir
2. Sasha Brume – International Livestream Queen
3. Ricardo Dent – Underground Street Racer
4. Hyo Jin – Korean AI Developer Student
5. Amirah Monroe – Real Estate Heiress, known for seducing and bankrupting male opponents
Each name carried danger.
Each name carried power.
And Julian? He was just a scarred boy with a watch.
But for the first time… he smirked.
"Let the games begin."
---