Kendall was forty minutes late for work. She had never been late, or so she thought, until now. It was rather unfortunate for her to overlook the time today. Surely, the chief will go berserk because of this.

Since she was young, her parents, especially her grandfather, always instilled in her to be punctual, whether it was required or not. After all, it was her grandfather who had inspired her to pursue law enforcement.

When Cyrus found out about it, he was absolutely ecstatic that he was the one who insisted on letting her train at one of the finest and most prestigious police academies in the country, Milanon National Police Academy. Her persistence and passion for her work also gave her an opportunity to study and train in other countries that specialized in physical, technical, and intellectual skills.

However, this didn’t stop Kendall from learning more. Despite her grandfather’s position and connection to the police force, she still believed that she has to work hard to attain her goals without the help of anyone. She knew that resiliency, diligence, and obedience are the key factors in reaching the top.

Apparently, she also knew that she still has to go the extra mile compared to others.

As soon as she reached the office, Kendall was immediately greeted by her colleagues, who were mostly men. It wasn’t a shock for her to be dominated by over-induced testosterone and unctuous machismo, as she already had a fair share of experiences when she was still studying at MNPA.

A blonde blue-eyed man headed in her direction. His thick yet perfectly tapered eyebrow raised in amusement.

“Ah, never thought I would have witnessed Janice-on-the-spot coming at fifty o’clock. What’s got you a day late and a dollar short?” Noah Green, one of her colleagues, who was part of the special intelligence division, welcomed her with a mockery. Unlike her other colleagues, who looked like they wore wearing the same clothes they had while sleeping, Green’s attire was something that came straight out of EZ magazine.

“Still beat the clock, Inspector Green. Ya’ thought I’d chickened out?” Kendall rebutted, slightly lifting her brows.

Lifting the cuff sleeves of Alberto Milano’s buttoned-up shirt onto his arms, Noah gave her a black coffee straight out of the vending machine. “Here you go. Anyway, the boss wants to see you ASAP.”

Smelling the earthy-ground scent of the coffee, she smiled. 'Ah, finally. I can get my caffeine,' she thought.

Coming back to her senses, her brows creased. “Yeah, he called me. Must have been one of the pending cases. That shit, Monroe is tough as a knuckle. He got me in snaps.”

Noah laughed in hilarity. "Fucking tweeds! Those shitheads are a pain in the ass. I’ve once been hit in the face by a fucking vibrator. Didn’t know where it came from as it flew over me.”

His face then morphed to utter bewilderment, as if he went back in the reel to when the event had happened.

Kendall gagged with horrification. “That’s disgusting. I’d lose it if it happens to me.”

Their other co-worker, Officer Jim Cuevas, joined in while carrying a box of fast food fries in his arms. He wore his blue-teal uniform beneath his stubby cheeks, smiling under the stash of a trimmed mustache.

“Ah, here’s my favorite Janice! Where were you? I was surprised to see your desk vacant before the shift starts.” He combed his wet hair with his palms while tucking the box of fries into his other arm.

Janice was the nickname given to her by her colleagues. It was actually penned by Chief Spencer because Kendall always arrived at the office even before their shift started. At first, Kendall was a bit awkward when she heard them calling her that. It felt weird and unnecessary. However, she had become accustomed to it as time passed by.

“Yeah. I really tried to come late knowing you’ll ask me to do the stuff you should be working on,” she refuted while stealing some fries from Jim.

Among her co-workers, Jim was the laziest. Kendall always saved his ass whenever he got stuck in a situation. Initially, she did it out of kindness, but he tolerated it so much that Kendall became annoyed.

“Come on! Those are my good fries, Whitlock!” Jim contested disapprovingly as he looked dejectedly at the remaining sloppy fries.

“Beat it, Cuevas. I’m just getting what you owed me. Besides, I’m doing you a favor in getting back to shape,” she chided lightly, teasing him.

Noah chuckled while patting his back. “Damn, Cuevas! You got owned by Whitlock!”

Meanwhile, Jim scoffed. “I still got my A-game, a’right.” Tapping his bulging stomach at them, he proudly added, “This labonza can still beat the shit out of anyone.”

Kendall only rolled her eyes. Until now, she still didn’t get why men have always had to prove their masculinity when most of them get their balls in a twist during raids.

“Jim’s a fucking nut.” Noah took a swig of his coffee while his eyes were fixated on Jim, who was marching back to his desk.

She smirked, agreeing with his statement. “Tch, tell me about it. Catch up with you later. I’ll head up to Chief.”

Noah retracted from the white walls he was leaning against. “Wanna grab some decker later at lunch?” He shouted across the room while watching her ambling towards the main door.

Without looking back, Kendall responded. “Yeah, sure. As long as it’s your treat.”

He only gave her a joshing smile while he stood beside her table, observing her from afar.

...

When she opened the door of the meeting room, a tall, dark, sturdy man was already sitting at the head table. His face looked like he was about to dig a grave for her demise. With his arms crossed to his chest, he glared at her deplorably.

“I’ve never been so disappointed with you before, Whitlock, until now. You were an hour late for the meeting. If you think this is fine since it’s your first time, then let me tell you that once you’re late again, there will be repercussions,” Spencer warned.

Kendall gulped nervously as she stood behind the wall. “I apologize, sir. Gramps was sick this morning, leaving me with no choice but to attend to him since my mom wasn’t available at the moment. I did, however, drive here right away as soon as I realized you were calling. I promise it won’t happen again, chief.”

She knew she had lied to Chief Spencer. However, it was all she could ever think of at the moment, knowing that he was close to her grandfather.

“Close the lights and sit,” he briefly replied.

Nodding, she quickly moved towards the switch and walked to the nearest seat in front of the chief. She then noticed the files that were placed on the table.

'Looks like a new case.' Spencer had given her cases before, but this was the first time she was brought to the meeting hall for a case. Usually, this happens when the cases are confidential or high-profile.

Realizing it, she couldn’t control the excitement her nerves were feeling.

“This is your new case, Whitlock.” He threw the documents in front of her as he opened the projector with the controller.

'Pirus Case?' Kendall asked herself. She began skimming through the pages, reading the important information regarding it.

“You’re giving this to me, chief?” She inquired incredulously, as this was the first time Spencer had let her handle a high-profile case.

His eyebrow lifted out of curiosity. “Want me to take it back, Janice?”

Kendall chortled. “Course not. I can handle this, chief.”

“Good. Going back, Pirus is one of the most notorious criminal organizations in the district. They’ve been involved in drug trafficking, possession of firearms, and kidnapping for over seven years. Two years ago, some of them were caught in a bank heist. No one confessed, and all were brought to jail.”

She tried to listen to him, but her excitement surged that all her concentration on the assignment was dispelled. “Hmm, yes, I’ve heard that, chief. Good thing they got them.”

“A year ago, an intel from the Milanon Precinct revealed that three of their men had been transacting drugs inside the cell. This made their network even larger, reaching to other countries,” Spencer continued.

“Damn, those fuckers,” she commented again.

Chief Spencer gave her a sigh. “You do realize that this is not like any case you have encountered. Pirus is very dangerous. Their connections expanded even to local and rural municipalities—”

Kendall’s eyes shone with enthusiasm. “Oh, nice! Exciting!”

He cocked his head, shaking it with exasperation. “Shut it, Whitlock. Would you like me to continue this—or should I let you do the talking?”

“So, this is it, right? You’ll let me handle this?” Kendall asked again.

Spencer stopped for a moment, pursing his lips with contemplation. Then, after a minute, he gave Kendall another file. “Technically, yes, on the whole scale, but this one will be your focus.”

She grabbed the file from the table and opened it. Kendall saw a picture of an eighteen-year-old man who looked like a guy who never went out in the sun. In an instant, she recognized him as the guy she had helped a while ago. Who wouldn’t when he looked like someone who had been genetically altered to become the example of a perfect species of the male popula?

Kendall noticed his hair differed from this photo. Recently, his hair was jet-black, short to the sides but longer at the top. Everything about him displayed aristocracy with his sharp-pointed nose and steel-grey eyes.

Grunting from displeasure, she uttered, “Whoa! Seriously, chief? I know this guy. He’s the epitome of all jackasses.”

“You’re complaining? If you don’t want to do it, then you can walk out of this damn office forever.” Spencer breathed out with contempt.

“No, I do! This is great, chief! I can handle him. I just recognized him, that's all!” She feigned a smile.

'Ah shit, can I really?' she then thought to herself.

Reading the file, she scanned through the details.

Grayson Hoffman. Male, eighteen-year-old, five foot nine, heir to a billion-dollar company, studying at the University of Milanon. Hobbies are car racing, clubbing, and gaming. He also has a girlfriend named Abigail Vanderbilt, who was a popular supermodel.

“Hey, I know this girl! Wow, so that means that he’s rich, handsome, and got a supermodel chick beside him?! Some kids have it easy!” Kendall remarked while looking through his profile.

Shouting, Spencer's gaze flicked upward. “I said shut up and listen to me first, Whitlock!”

Chief Spencer continued. “Your assignment is Grayson Hoffman. A college student who’s already in his sophomore year taking economics at the University of Milanon. The kid is also the sole heir to a multi-billion-dollar oil enterprise that was founded by his grandfather.”

Pursing her lips, she asked, “So, how am I going to get close to him?”

The chief then pulled out another file. He gave it to Kendall, and she grabbed the folder immediately. Looking through, another name was printed on the document next to her picture, and it was Hailey Madison.

“You’ll be Hailey Madison. You’ll go undercover under that name as a college student at the University of Milanon. Your assignment is to get closer to him and gather information about him and the people around him. But above all, his safety is your main priority,” Spencer explained.

Kendall was surprised when she heard Spencer's explanation. The University of Milanon was one of the most prestigious schools in the country that was exclusively for smart students.

“Do I have to take an entrance exam? Will I be in the same year as this kid?” she asked again.

He clasped his fingers together, perching them on top of the table. “Out of all the things I told you, that’s the lamest thing you could ask. Everything is prepared, so you don’t have to worry about that. As for your other question, yes, you will be in the same year and in the same classes. You have the same schedule, so make sure you follow him around. You were pitched out by the team to do this case, as you’re the youngest in our department. The higher-ups also chose you for this job as they have regarded your work highly."

"But chief! I don't think I can... I mean, you're basically making me go back to my school years! Are there no other cases for me? I might blow this one when I open my mouth or take the exams! Only geniuses attend that school!"

Spencer stared at her eyes directly with a stern gravity in his voice. “Inspector Whitlock, shut your mouth and take this seriously. Think of your grandfather. This might bolster your promotion.”

Kendall pouted, hesitantly saying, “Fine, geez... I won’t let you down.”

...

The night was young as the crowd of students filled the entire race track. With their arms in the air, and their bodies sweating against the loud banging of the music, growling and roaring cars were flexed as their tires grated against the newly painted asphalt.

At this time, Grayson Hoffman was sitting on the hood of his parked car with a beer in his hand. As he took a swig of it, his friend, Chester, walked over. “Sup, Gray! You beat the shit out of my baby, dude.”

Grayson only smirked as he raked his fingers through the locks of his hair.

Chester then looped his arms over his shoulder. “I’ll make sure that I’ll win next time.”

Batting his eyes in disbelief, Grayson chuckled. “I’d like to see you try, fucker.”

Grayson has never lost before, not even once. For him, the racetrack is his road, his way, and the red carpet to his kingdom. After all, he has everything.

“By the way, you look like shit, dude. Seems like you’re about to destroy anyone who tries to step on you, lest talk to you a while ago,” Chester suddenly commented.

“The fucking dingos whom I beat yesterday attacked me earlier at Farforth Street. I was having fun letting them talk shit while I waited for my turn, but a fucking woman intervened us by taking what’s mine,” he sneered.

It was supposed to be his victory if only that nosy woman with idiotic-heroesque tendencies hadn’t interfered with his plan.

Then, all of a sudden, as he scanned the entire field, he saw a voluptuous, attractive woman coming toward him.

His mood rose slightly when Sandra greeted him with a smooch. “Hey, Gray. You’ve crushed it!”

“Wanna go with me for a ride?” Grayson slipped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer.

“If you're the one I'll be riding, sure..." She smiled languidly.

"Cool," his deep voice echoed icily.

Grayson opened the door of his car, with Sandra following him on the other side. As soon as he ignited the engine, he whirled his steering wheel, driving away from the racetrack. Chester and his other friends watched them leave as his car rocketed down the road.

“Goddamn it, Grayson! I don’t know how he'd bag these girls so easily. Sometimes, I wanna beat the shit out of him because of that,” Chester commented while watching the two of them proudly displaying their obscenity.

Will patted Chester’s shoulder and gestured with his palms below his chin, pointing at his face. “You gotta have this, bro, or that,” he suggested, pointing at the Porsche car beside his BMW.

Anton, one of Grayson’s friends, added while walking toward him, “Brace yourselves, fuckers! Abigail will probably pester us with calls the entire night."

Under the sheets of the frowzy-rancid duvet, Sandra drew out her astraddle legs from his lower limbs. Licking her wet lips, she moved towards the vacant space beside him. While his arms were raised as a support to his head, she leaned back to meet his sweaty and firm chest.

“Can I see you again tomorrow, babe?” she requested while tracing the hard planoconvex of his pecs.

“Yeah, sure. Whatever,” he responded with aloofness.

For Grayson, she was a decent fuck, but nonetheless, an empty slut whom he just used to indulge in his proclivities. It was actually a good thing he got to rut out tonight after all the shit that had happened today. And that’s what he really liked about her—She’s on the dole whenever he needed to get off.

Thrilled, Sandra looped a smile. “Great. Same time tomorrow, babe.”

She drifted to his face for a kiss. However, before her lips could meet his, he turned away to look at his watch.

“Ah, fuck,” he grunted, realizing that he had to be somewhere tonight.

Disappointed by his sudden aversion, she shrugged. “Why? What happened?”

In a hurry, Grayson stood from the hotel’s bed and quickly grabbed his car keys, instantly dropping Sandra onto the cushion. “I have to go.”

It startled her, which made her look up at him while he rummaged on the floor, picking up his clothes that were scattered.

“Wait, fuck! What about me, Gray?” She pinned the duvet to her naked body.

While slipping his foot inside his blucher mocs, he answered, “Can’t drive you home tonight, Sandra. I have something to do. You can hitch out another ride if you want.”

Her fervent expression soon morphed into contempt. “Are you fucking serious? You’re going to leave me behind here after I fuck you?”

Grayson ignored her remonstration. Instead, he fished out a wallet from his pockets. “Here.”

Throwing the cash on the bed, he added, “Take a cab, a bus, or whatever. I don’t care. See you later.”

Sandra’s eyes bristled with agitation. Moving her lips sideways, she parted them, trembling. “You fucking piece of—”

Before Grayson could hear the last word of her anger, he shut the door close. Upon getting to his car, Grayson grabbed his phone that was settled in the coin’s drawer.

Pushing its button, the screen lit up with Abigail’s handful of messages. Swiping those out of his notifications, Grayson ignored them like he didn’t give any concern at all.

He then inserted his keys into the ignition, released the handbrake, and turned the stirring wheel. Pulling out of the parking space, he drove away back to their mansion in Caddel Subdivision.

Caddel Subdivision was one of the exclusive subsidiaries in this city. Living there had its own perks for the owners. They are free to use the amenities and facilities like the golf course, clubhouse, and casinos. Only a few men of the higher classes can afford to own this kind of real estate.

After a couple of minutes, Grayson arrived home. Stopping in front of the wide steel gutter, he pushed the button of the intercom on the bricked column.

“Open the door.”

He moved back to his seat as soon as he heard the alarm turn on. Automatically, the gates were opened, letting his car drive inside. When he got to the driveway, he left it there as one of his stewards offered him to valet his car back to the garage.

“Thanks,” he said while throwing the keys at him.

Ambling through the spacious trimmed-grass landscape, he was greeted by a huge cape-cod manor. From the outside, it looked like an imposing residence where only the hefty ones could live. It had white pane walls with over arching windows on both sides and the center. The roofs were made with solar panels, while its doors were made of Milanon sandalwood. A wood that was so rare to acquire by any supplier.

With the stained-glass chandelier’s light burning across the windows of the foyer, Grayson’s eyes flinched.

He thought that though the house looked majestic, as always. It was still empty and lifeless. As he went inside, a winding staircase stood in front of him, which was fully flourished and cleaned. He walked across the hall, going to the left side of the manor, where the kitchen was.

When he got there, the lights were already shut off. Soon, he saw a petite old woman coming over. She greeted him as she paced around the kitchen counter.

“You’re back, Sir Grayson.”

Pulling out a chair from the minibar, he asked, “Can you get me some sparkling water?”

The maid nodded. “Sure, right away, sir.”

After a couple of seconds, the maid went back with two bottles of water that came right out of the fridge.

“Thanks.” He grabbed it while facing the wide pool area near the dining area to get back to his room. As he sauntered to the elevator, which was a few feet away from the dining table, he went up to the fifth floor, where his room was located.

While heading towards his room, dim-lit lights shone above and on the sides of the carpeted walls. As he went to the dark entryway in the right wing of the manor, Grayson noticed that the thick, soundproof door of the theatre was opened. He then immediately closed it with the aforethought that one of their servants must have been watching inside a while ago.

“Sneaky bastards,”

Sighing heavily, he went ahead to his room.

...

Everyone who knew Grayson thought he had it all. Looks, brains, money, and even love. However, not everyone knew he became an orphan at a young age. It was unfortunate for an eight-year-old kid to witness both of his parent’s death with his mother dying from an acute illness, and his father from a shooting incident. From then on, his grandfather took him to his house and became his legal guardian.

Grayson didn’t know if what happened to him actually brought him some luck. He didn’t want to think of that as his parent’s death left him with utter devastation. However, his grandfather, who’s his only family, spoiled him to death in spite of his busy life. He was given everything that he wanted, even if sometimes his requests were quite impossible.

Because of this, he grew up to be a complaisant and obedient, yet irritable kid who was shockingly smart and responsible. However, despite all of what he had, he always felt alone.

When he got to his room, he immediately went to the shower to cool off. After putting on his clothes, he grabbed his accounting book to study. Some people might think of him as a breezy, entitled guy who always got what he wanted, but actually, in reality, he was just a normal fellow who also strived to ace his studies. He knew he needed it, as someday he’d have to take over their business.

...

The next morning, Kendall immediately dialed Charlotte’s number. Charlotte had been her friend way back in high school. Charlotte was the complete opposite of her. If Kendall’s the type of lady who doesn’t care about her appearance, Charlotte is the embodiment of beautification. However, despite that fact, she always got Kendall’s back whether it involved Kendall's eccentric work-life or not, Charlotte was there to help her. Now, this young woman manages a bakery.

Pacing back and forth to her room, Kendall asked, “Hey, Char. I need a favor. Are you busy?”

“Why? You need anything?” she countered in the line.

Kendall bit her lips. “Well, yes. Anyway, can you bring some trendy or, I don’t know, fashionable clothes that young people frequently wear?”

Charlotte chuckled. “What the fuck? What’s happening to you Kels? Am I still talking to my best friend whom I know never-ever took an interest in anything related to fashion?”

“Please! Help me out here, Char. I need it,” Kendall pleaded.

Charlotte asked inquisitively, “Why do you need it badly? Have you decided to join pageantry? You know, I’m telling you all over again that you should. So, why now?”

“No, Char. I’m not joining any pageants or contests,” she groaned slightly. Kendall loved her best friend, but sometimes Charlotte can be a total cray cray.

“Then, what?” Charlotte stingily queried.

Her eyes rose to look at the ceiling. “I... I have... It’s for my job. Just go now!”

Kendall heaved a sigh.

“Okay! You know I’m not your slave that you can ask around anytime,” Charlotte reminded her.

She groaned slightly. “God, I know. Promise, I’ll treat you to lunch or dinner.”

“How about you help me market my cupcakes?” her friend offered.

Kendall pursed her lips. Exhaling, she replied, “Yeah, sure. Of course.”

She imagined her friend’s smile on the other side of the line. “Great! I’ll be there in a jiffy!”

The call ended and Kendall went back to her cabinet to search for appropriate clothes to wear for her undercover assignment. Digging to every piece of clothing, all she could ever find are leather jackets, jeans, black tees, and boots to pair with.

“Ugh... Why don't I have anything colorful?” She grabbed the only formal and decent attire she had. A button-up shirt and a pencil skirt that she wore when she had an interview back then. She tried to look at them in the mirror but was dejected by the thought of using them when she imagined herself wearing them inside the campus of UM.

Her face instantly sank. “Argh, I definitely don’t look like a college student with this.”

She threw them to the floor and slumped her back to the bed. “I’m definitely gonna ruin this.”

All of a sudden, her door creaked open. It was Charlotte, carrying luggage full of clothes. She slapped Kendall’s legs lightly as she placed her luggage beside the bed.

“Is this a house or a garbage dump? Seriously, Kendall! You need to learn how to clean by now!” Her friend opened with a bang.

In an instant, her eyes shimmered with joy. “Help me dress up, please!”

“Then get up, loser. I’m here. What do you need? I don’t know what you need specifically that's why I brought everything.” She opened her luggage and various dresses, tees, and clothes were neatly arranged inside the compartments.

Kendall’s eyes went agape. “Wow, this is a lot, Char! Do you wear all of this?”

“Some, I have worn once but I don’t feel like using them again. Others, I have worn twice or more. So, anyway, going back, what style do you prefer? Young people today wear clothes that manifest their personality. It’s all about being unique today,” Charlotte explained.

The edge of Kendall's lip lifted like she wasn’t really sure how to respond. “I just needed something that will help me get into the zone with teens today. I don’t know, maybe a style that looks expensive? Is there such a thing like that?”

Her friend snorted. “Ugh, okay. Let me look at you first. Will you stand up?”

Kendall obeyed without complaining. Charlotte examined her clothes, and she was wearing an oversized shirt and loose sweatpants.

'Yeah, I look like a fucking hipster,' Kendall thought while picking on her nose.

Charlotte shook her head disapprovingly. “God, I don’t know how we became friends because you’re totally helpless, Kel.”

Kendall's mouth fell open. She clasped her palms together, pleading again for Charlotte to help her. “What? Come on! Please, Char... ”

Charlotte then handed her a dark auburn tulle blouse that was loose in the arms but tight in the waist. “Alright, come here. Wear this.”

“And this,” her friend added giving her a lush-pink tweed suit.

Kendall raised her brows. “This is short. I can see my legs with this.”

“What? You got nice legs! You should parade that. If I have legs like yours, I would use them to my advantage,” Charlotte rebutted.

“But it’s too short…” she said, hesitatingly.

Charlotte raised her arms wide open, resting them on her hips. “Do you want my help or not?”

In resignation, Kendall backed down. “Okay. I’ll wear this.” She headed to the bathroom to put it on.

After a couple of seconds, she went back to where Charlotte was. “I can feel the wind on my thighs with this!” she protested.

However, Charlotte clapped her hands in excitement. “Perfect! It looks good on you!”

Before Kendall could say anything, Charlotte pulled her towards the desk, where her make-up set was currently placed. Seizing the brush from her set, she said, “Now, we do your make-up.”

“Can we make it super light? I can’t stand it. The last time I wore it was on graduation and it was frigging itchy,” Kendall requested while looking at herself in the mirror.

Charlotte rolled her eyes. “God, you’re so fussy! Just let me do this, alright?”

“Okay, take it away. I’m at your mercy, Char.”

Charlotte laughed at her joke.

After a couple of minutes, her friend had finished doing her make-up. Charlotte let Kendall stand from her seat and pushed her towards the mirror.

“Here you go.” She smiled, tucking the curls of Kendall’s hair to frame her face.

Kendall was shocked to see her face while putting on the spy earpiece. She never thought that her face could morph into someone who was totally unrecognizable. Her thick brows were trimmed neatly, her ordinary lips became plump, and her dead eyes looked like a mesmerizing reflection of perfection.

“Whew! Damn girl, you're hot! Never thought my face can leap its limit of ordinariness.” Kendall gave herself a smug smirk while staring at her long, dainty legs and slender waist.

Charlotte crossed her arms. “You owe me.”

Kendall chortled at her response. “Yeah, I do. As long as it’s not attending to one of your blind dates.”

Her friend laughed. “I won’t. Promise.”

Meanwhile, Kendall spoke through the earpiece to get to the other line. Her colleague, Inspector Noah Green, answered.

“Ready, Whitlock?”

“Yup. I will be at the location at 9.”

Noah Green was the chosen inspector to assist her throughout the case. He was tasked with aiding her in the process of her going as an undercover university student at UM. It was actually a good thing that he was the one who will be with her. As such, Green was one of her closest co-workers in the department.

As soon as Kendall had finished packing, she called Charlotte again to drive her off to the university.

“Char, can I have another favor?”

Done fixing, she returned her question. “What again?”

“Can you drop me off at UM?” Sheepishly, she smiled.

Incredulously, she asked, “You’re studying again? Is that why you need my help in styling you?”

“Kind of? Yeah. It's confidential.”

Charlotte growled. “Ugh, fine! Whatever, I don't care. You owe me big time, Kendall.”

“I know. I know. You're the best!” Kendall responded delightfully.

*****

As soon as they reached the university, Kendall went out of her friend’s car and bid her goodbye. She then looked around and noticed the diverse group of people. What she thought about the university being an exclusive school soon vanished when she saw clusters of students that looked like they came from different countries and social classes. However, one thing is for sure, and that is all of these students are smart.

With this, Kendall felt intimidated because she didn’t know how to fit in.

She then walked around the campus with her schedule in hand. Her first subject was at the Alaric building and a few minutes away from the main building. When she got to the room, Kendall recognized that there were already twenty students waiting for the professor.

Reaching the corner of the room, she located her target, Grayson Hoffman. "Target in sight," she whispered to the mic.

"Copy, Inspector, be subtle with your approach," Noah replied.

With no hesitation, she immediately went to him to introduce herself.

“Hi! I’m Hailey!” She brightly greeted him, offering her hand to him while sitting at his side.

Grayson turned to look at her but gave her a dead gaze, like he wasn’t interested in talking to her. He didn’t say anything and went back to focusing on the book he was reading.

Kendall puckered with displeasure. “Hmm, okay. Nice to meet you.”

She was about to turn away when a sturdy and warm palm contacted her skin. Averting her gaze back to Grayson, she was welcomed by his perplexed expression.

“Wait! Aren’t you the nosy woman from the other day?!” he shrieked in astonishment.

She was surprised that he remembered it. Kendall knew that her encounter with him before the case would pose a problem for her undercover.

Faking a confused expression, she replied to him, “Um—”

Grayson cut her off instantly. “You are, aren’t you?”

Kendall didn’t know what to say.

'Ah, fuck it.' She cursed.

Bewilderment drew visibly in him as he gaped at the woman beside her. She might look different and wore rather a distinctive style, but her semblance with that annoying nitwit who helped him was clearly identical.

Notably, as he eyed her from head to toe, he was stunned to see her wearing a genteel and lady-like two-piece suit, which was the complete opposite of her black leather jacket and tight pants.

“So, are you?”

He noticed the faint twitch in her eyes.

“Whatever do you mean?” she awkwardly stuttered, like something had caught her off guard.

'She’s a student here? So, are we the same age? But didn’t she call me kid last time?!' Grayson thought while his eyes were transfixed on her. He never thought he’d see her again or even be in the same class with her.

His eyes dropped ineluctably to her smooth, fine legs, making his thought process stop for a while. Grayson’s eyebrows raised in disbelief, batting his eyes for a clear vision.

'At least this hotch got some nice gams.' He pondered while he scrutinized her. To his surprise, and even though he couldn't admit it, the girl was a dime piece.

Then, all of a sudden, his musings were cut off by her surprisingly direct and outspoken voice.

“Well, you kind of look like you need help that day, but then you whacked me after like I was a swot getting in your way. Didn’t realize you don’t need one.” She shrugged as if it was not a big deal.

'Whatever, I don’t care.' Aggravated, he didn’t respond as he shifted his position away from her.

'Ah, shit. Where was I again?' Grayson asked himself while scanning the book he was reading. It was the first time for him to lose any focus, lest he be distracted by a woman who badgered him to death. He couldn’t explain this odd feeling, but it ticked him off.

Meanwhile, another student came over to her. “Hi! You seem new here! I’m Nancy, by the way,” Nancy Mormount introduced herself.

Kendall did the same, extending her arms to Nancy. “Err—yes. Hailey.”

Grayson lightly gurgled as he heard her. 'She doesn’t look like a Hailey, more like a Schwab rather.' On the other hand, he continued listening to their conversation, while feignedly skimming through the paragraph of the page without comprehending any of it.

Nancy grabbed Kendall's hand and shook it briefly. “You’re ready for the exam?”

Her question made Grayson turn around.

Kendall gasped lightly in shock, as though she didn’t know about it. Then, in an instant, her face changed back into an animated look. “Yeah, right! Completely forgot about it, but yeah, it’s all good, pfft. I studied last night—just so you know.”

She attempted to laugh about it.

Nancy gave her a weird look. She then sighed, ignoring Kendall’s peculiar response. “Hmm yeah. But you know, just in case something happened, you can ask Prof. Blint to excuse you from midterms, since you’re new.”

“Really, can I do that?” Kendall’s eyes lit up.

Nancy was about to answer when Grayson intervened. “No. He doesn’t care if you’re new or you came from another class. He’s never lenient and strict regarding exams, so if I were you, I’d better study while there’s still time.”

The hope on her face plummeted rapidly like lightning.

*****

'Why the fuck they haven’t told me there is an exam? If I only knew about it, perhaps I would have even studied. But yeah, that won’t work because clearly, my relationship with any numbers is purely chaotic.' Kendall slumped her back to the stiff wooden seat and clamped her legs over the other.

'Whoa! I can feel the wind in my thigh. Why does this skirt have to be so short? I can literally feel like my butt is exposed.' She released her legs above her thighs and tried to sit properly.

Meanwhile, Grayson, who was seated on her left side, stared at her with a conundrum.

"Yes?" Her brows rose.

Grayson shook his head, veering back in front.

'Ugh, how am I gonna pass this exam?' She didn’t know it was their midterm exam today and her being an idiot in accounting, she already surmised that she would fail. However, the good thing was that her partner, Inspector Green, was just an ear away from her.

With that in mind, while playing it coolly like a normal college student, Kendall subtly coughed on the mic. “Ugh, God! This allergy is killing me.”

Grayson just lifted his eyebrow as he took a glance at her.

At once, Inspector Noah Green replied, “Got it. Check your bag. There’s a pen there that has a camera. Focus that on the exam questions.”

Kendall crooked a sly smile. While sitting down beside Grayson, she delved through her bag to look for the said pen. After a couple of seconds of incessantly searching, she heaved a sigh of relief when she saw the pen lying in the back pocket of her bag.

Just as the class started, Professor Blint greeted the entire class. Placing the books on the desk, he went to the board, scribbling the start and the end time of the exam.

He then wiped the excess powder of chalk in his hand by rubbing them together. “Get your answering booklets and we’ll start in—” looking at his watch, he continued, “two minutes.”

Kendall was surprised again that she instinctively hissed through her mic. “Booklet?!”

She heard Noah scoffing from the line. “Ah, sorry, Whitlock! Forgot to mention it to you. It’s also in your bag beside the pen. Just find it there.”

Immediately, she took it out and placed it on her desk. When two minutes had passed, the exam papers were distributed. Since Kendall was already seated at the front, she instantly grabbed it and scanned through the papers.

She started to answer it with great difficulty, which was clearly reflected in her actions with the way she would swing her pen in a different direction just to capture the answers of her classmates. As for the other’s answers that she found hard to seize, Kendall had no choice but to read the questions slowly and loudly, like an elementary student so Noah could hear.

“What happens to the balance sheet when a business earns $1500, of which $800 is paid in cash and $500 is sold on credit?”

'The fuck do I know?' She groaned inwardly.

She read another question. “ABC Enterprise used $4,000 worth of supplies this fiscal year, but the expenses were not paid and are still on credit until the next term. What will be its effect on the business profit?”

'I have no fucking idea. And seriously, why would you loan when you know don’t have the means to pay? I mean, that’s why I don’t get these kinds of companies.' She thought while tapping her pen on the test paper.

Meanwhile, the man who was sitting beside her was starting to get irritated by her constant state of irrelevant blabbering. He would shake his head occasionally when he saw her doing something bizarre.

Out of desperation to finish the exam, Kendall turned her head sideways. She noticed everyone was on their paper looking like the exam was just a piece of the pie. On a side note, when she gazed back at Grayson, her eyes widened as she stared at him with awe.

'How did he answer it all in just thirty minutes?' She tried racking her brain to get some answers but was left with a dumbfounded thought.

As soon as she saw him passing the papers and storming out of the room, Kendall panicked, as her real intention swept up into her mind immediately. She yanked her pen briskly and answered the papers as best as she could.

Ten minutes later, she found herself simpering in victory as she stood up from her seat with the booklet in her hand. It was already hard for her to go back to college, lest to even answer an exam she completely had no idea of.

Along with the other students who were already done, she scrambled out of the room to search for Grayson. However, Kendall didn’t think it would get her over thirty minutes to find him. The University of Milanon is big and spacious for him to be spotted easily.

Disappointed, she raised her forearm to look at her watch. Kendall realized that it was already lunch and the man she had been searching for probably was at the food court or some food park, eating his lunch. She asked Noah.

“Where does Grayson frequently go during lunch break?”

A hazy background emerged from her earpiece. After a couple of seconds, Noah went back on the line. “He’s at Deli Lounge with some of his friends. It’s just three minutes away from the Alaric building. Head towards the north gate, then south, to your right.”

“Copy that,” she muttered while walking to the campus field. Right away, Kendall bolted to the said canteen where a lot of students usually hang around.

She examined the whole vicinity and located Grayson waiting in line. She friskily made her move to him as she took a tray from someone and stood beside him.

“What the fuck?! That’s my tray!” the man complained.

Kendall ignored him and focused on Grayson. “Hi!”

Grayson didn’t respond and kept his deadpan face.

Nonetheless, she was so persistent that she asked again. “Do you always have your lunch here?”

Still, he ignored her as if she didn’t exist at all. On the other hand, they got to the counter in just a minute, and the lady asked them. “What for you two?”

“Just the regular, thanks,” Grayson stingily replied while fishing out his wallet from the pockets.

The lady nodded and averted her gaze back to Kendall. “What about you?”

Kendall pointed at Grayson. “Same as what he is getting.”

The lady didn’t respond as she went back inside the kitchen, shouting their orders to the cooks. As soon as it was done, Grayson immediately paid for his food, moving to an empty table far away from the counter.

When Kendall noticed him walking away, she dropped her money on the counter. “Here’s the payment. Keep the change.”

“Whew, Whitlock! When have you become so lavish?” Green teased her on the line.

Kendall’s eyes flickered in annoyance. “Every time, except with you, Green. Anyway, not now. I’m chasing this git who’s always disappearing.”

Noah didn’t answer, and Kendall got back on following Grayson. When she spotted him, she asked immediately, “Can I join you? There are no other empty tables available.”

Grayson veered his eyes to an empty table beside him and went back to look at her with incredulity.

Kendall laughed uncomfortably. “He-he-he...” Scratching the back of her nape, she added, “I’m not used to sitting alone.”

Grayson’s jaw twitched. With his eyes dipped down in infuriation, he snapped. “Just because you saved me once doesn’t mean we can be friends. And please, stop following me. Are you a stalker?”

Taken aback, Grayson’s arrogance rendered Kendall speechless, but she tried to compose herself by keeping in mind the reason she was here.

Ignoring his unpleasant remark, she said. “You don’t owe me anything, and I won’t take it against you. If you want, we could forget that it ever happened. I apologize if you think I’m following you, but it’s just because I don’t know anyone here and you’re the only person I know.”

Grayson taciturnly replied, “I don’t need friends like you.”

Kendall was about to counter his denunciation when someone else arrived. She tilted her head, looking up at the guy besides Grayson.

'Looks like one of his friends.' She surmised.

He was wearing a black shirt and washed-out jeans. His brown hair was a bit long at the branch of his neck and curly at the top.

“Who’s this?” he asked as he sat beside Grayson.

Grayson answered, “A nobody.”

He then dropped his utensils, gazing back at Kendall, intending to drive her out of the table. “Miss, can you please go because this table is reserved for me and my friends?”

Kendall poked her tongue lightly into the cheek and inhaled a long breath. Calming herself not to punch the git, she sweetly smiled and nodded. “See you later then.”

Grabbing her tray, she turned around them. “Ugh, if you weren’t my mission, I had already punched your fucking gut!” she hissed while stopping across the hallway.

Thankfully, she saw Nancy, the student she had just met from the previous class, waving at her.

“Hey, Hailey! I just got a seat for you,” she offered while tapping the vacant space beside her.

A smile was formed on Kendall’s face. Shaking her head to take off the anger seeping out of her, she heaved a sigh and ambled towards Nancy.

Kendall expressed her gratitude to her as she drew down her tray. “Thank you so much, Nancy. Really appreciate this.”

“Sure, no problem. So how was the exam? I was having a hard time with the problems, but thankfully I got it before the time ended,” she told her.

Kendall slightly bobbed. “It was fine. I think I got half of it right.”

Nancy’s eyes bulged in astonishment. “Oh my God, Hailey! The passing is eighty percent. More than half of the answers must be correct!”

Her jaw dropped. “Ah, well... Better luck next time?”

Kendall sheepishly chuckled.

Nancy sighed in defeat. “I wish I were like you. You’re so cool about it. I can’t even let my guard down, as my tuition depends on my grades.”

Kendall softly smiled in concern. “You’ll pass. I’m sure of it.”

“Thanks.” Her lips curved upward.

Nancy then curiously asked Kendall again, “Hailey, why are you following Grayson? Do you like him?”

'No way in hell! My god, he’s five years younger than me! He’s like a younger brother to me!' Kendall snorted.

“God, no! I don’t like him and there’s no way I would like a guy like him. He’s an annoying git who thinks so much of himself,” Kendall said with a chuckle.

Then, as Kendall turned her face to Nancy, she saw the latter's flustered cheeks.

Furrowing her eyebrows, she questioned, "Wait, do you like him?”

Nancy blushed again as she averted her gaze away from Kendall. She then tucked her upper lip before replying. “No... no!” she denied and continued, “And even if I like him, it’s highly impossible for him to like me. I’m—”

She stopped and sighed.

Kendall saw the pain of hopelessness in her eyes. She held her hand, brushing it slightly to console her.

Before she could reply, Nancy turned her gaze toward her and added, "Grayson's type is rich and pretty girls like Abigail or you. I'm nowhere near you guys.”

Kendall was astonished. "Me?"

Nancy nodded. "Yes, you. You dress so well and so pretty. I saw Grayson staring at you in the class."

She couldn't help but be flattered by Nancy's remark.'I guess Charlotte's work paid off.'

Kendall reached her shoulders and gripped them tightly. “Look, you’re not ugly if that’s what you’re thinking. You’re much better than those pretty girls because you have this,” she declared while pointing at the temple of her face.

Her disconcerting face suddenly morphed into a more pleasing one. "Thanks, Hailey."

“No worries! Beauty is not in the eye of the beholder, but in the heart. Besides, you’re also pretty. So, stop pitying yourself for something that is not worth your time.”

Grunting, Nancy answered. "Yeah, you're right. I wish I could be like you, who is so at ease with yourself."

She only smirked at her response.

'Meh, not really. I’m even worse than you, kid.' Kendall commented to herself.

Then, a thought suddenly appeared on Kendall. Dropping her arms, she asked, “How old are you?”

Curiosity etched on Nancy’s face. “Eighteen?”

Kendall’s mouth gaped open as if she had realized something. “See! You’re so young. You still have so much time to mature."

'You guys are lucky that you're still so young! God, sometimes I miss being at your age.' She said to herself wistfully.

Meanwhile, Nancy chuckled at her response. “You’re talking as if we’re not the same age!"

Kendall paused as she realized what she had just said. She then tried to play it cool by snickering. “Yeah! We are, pssh! That’s what I meant!”

It was rather fortunate of her that Nancy just laughed it off.

After finishing their meals, Kendall queried Nancy regarding her next class. “What’s your next class?”

Looking at her phone, Nancy replied. “INTFILO at Busch Building. You?”

Instantly, Kendall felt relieved that they had the same class. “Thank God! I’m also in that class.”

Her new friend’s eyes glimmered with delight. “Great! I’ve just finished eating. ‘You're done with yours?”

Grabbing her bag, Kendall stood up and said, “Same! Let’s go?”

Nancy only nodded at her while inserting the straps of the bag into her arms. “Sure.”

Then, both of them walked out of the food court, heading toward their next class.