Madison paused, her eyes narrowing as she considered her next move. "I'll talk to Daisy myself," she decided. "As a friend, I should at least show concern for her safety."
Allen gave a curt nod.
"And while we're at school," Madison added, her voice dropping, "keep a close eye on Ethan."
"Agreed."
The two followed Ethan into the classroom, taking their usual seats at the back. The room was already buzzing with the morning's freshest gossip.
"I heard Mr. Henry was jumped by a pack of thugs on his way in," one student whispered loudly.
"No way. I just saw him talking to someone in the hall. He looked fine."
"Yeah, I saw him too. Not a scratch on him. If there was a fight, he doesn't look like he was in it."
"Why don't we just ask him?"
"Fine—you ask him."
"No, you ask him!"
Madison, Allen, and Ethan all overheard the chatter. Madison's mind raced. If he was attacked, how is he here without a single mark? Either the thugs got the wrong guy, or Mr. Henry handled them effortlessly.
Ethan's thoughts were darker. Mr. Henry was attacked and didn't walk away with a scratch? I knew that old man wasn't normal.
"Allen," Madison whispered, leaning in. "What do you make of the rumors about Mr. Henry?"
Allen was silent for a moment, his gaze fixed on the empty teacher's podium. "Mr. Henry is… an anomaly."
Madison perked up. Allen was rarely this cryptic; he was usually the most observant person in the room.
"Yesterday," Allen continued, "Mr. Henry blocked the full force of my punch and Enzo's at the same time. One hand for each of us. I wasn't holding back, and Enzo looked like he was out for blood. But the strange part? We didn't even see him move. One second the space was empty, the next, he was just… there."
Madison nodded slowly, recalling the event. She hadn't seen him move either. It was as if he had blinked into existence.
Her gaze shifted to Ethan. He was sitting with his chin resting on his hand, staring blankly ahead. Madison stood up and marched toward his desk. As she approached, Ethan turned his head to meet her eyes.
"Ethan, I need to ask you something," Madison said.
The room went dead silent. Every boy in the class pivoted in their seats.
"Wait, what's happening?"
"Is she confessing?"
"Did the new Russian guy actually steal Madison's heart?"
The whispers were loud enough for everyone to hear. Allen, watching from the back, noticed Madison's fists clench. She was clearly fuming at how quickly they had jumped to conclusions. He smirked to himself. Actually, they'd make a pretty good couple, he thought.
"What did you want to ask?" Ethan said, his voice flat and devoid of emotion. It shattered the romantic tension instantly.
The class erupted into a new wave of whispers.
"Damn, he's cold."
"Did he just shut down the Queen of Campus?"
"Man really doesn't care about looks, does he?"
Madison's knuckles turned white. The humiliation burned. "It's nothing," she snapped, turning on her heel and walking away. Ethan simply turned back to the front of the room.
The bell rang, and a moment later, the door swung open. Mr. Henry stepped in, looking as calm and pleasant as ever.
"Good morning, class. I hope you're all doing well," he said, placing his papers on the lectern. A few students managed a greeting, their eyes scanning him for the injuries they'd heard about.
Allen watched him with a complex gaze. His acting, his expressions—everything is perfectly ordinary. He doesn't feel like a fighter. He doesn't even feel like someone who trains.
Madison noticed Allen's intensity but kept her own expression neutral.
"Let's begin, shall we?" Mr. Henry smiled.
The morning flew by, and by lunch break, Ethan headed to the courtyard with a sandwich. He spotted Daisy laughing with her friends and felt a small weight lift from his chest. Good. She's happy.
Daisy caught his eye and waved enthusiastically. Ethan returned the wave before finding a quiet spot in the garden. Just as he was about to take a bite of his lunch, a shadow fell over him.
He looked up to see Allen standing there, holding his own lunch.
"I have questions," Allen said without preamble.
Ethan nodded. "Go ahead."
"Who are you, really? Why are you here? And are you actually Daisy's brother?"
Ethan met his gaze steadily. "I am her brother. And I'm here because I want to live with my family."
"Your records are a mess, Ethan. The schools you supposedly attended, the places you lived—they're ghosted. Fake."
"Whether you believe me or not is your problem, not mine," Ethan said calmly. "I just want to live peacefully. I'm not a threat to you or Madison."
Allen stared at him, searching for a flinch or a lie. Ethan didn't blink.
"I'll be watching you," Allen said finally, turning to walk away. "Beware."
Ethan watched him go, then finally took a bite of his sandwich.
Meanwhile, at the Enzo Estate...
Olivia burst into Enzo's room, her face pale. She had just received word that the thugs her mother had hired hadn't just failed—they had been hospitalized.
As she explained the situation, Enzo's face contorted with rage. He slammed his fist into the wall, his knuckles punching a hole straight through the drywall.
"Useless idiots," Enzo hissed. "Once this week is over, I'm going to handle that teacher and Allen myself."
"And Daisy's brother," Olivia added.
Enzo stood up, his eyes cold, and grabbed his phone. He dialed a number he wasn't supposed to use.
"Mr. Wyatt's office," a voice answered after a few rings. "How can I help you?"
"It's Enzo."
"Oh. Little Enzo. To what do I owe the pleasure?"
"I need you to send a few of those," Enzo said.
There was a sharp intake of breath on the other end. "I… I will do as you ask, but I need your father's permission first."
"He told me to call you," Enzo lied, his voice smooth and convincing. "You can check with him later if you want, but I need them now."
"Very well," the man sighed. "Where do you want them sent?"
Enzo's face twisted into a devilish smile.