The next morning, Vaelis wasted no time. After her first lecture, she made her way to the administrative office, ignoring the curious glances from students passing by.

She had no interest in playing someone else’s game.

The receptionist barely looked up when she approached. "How can I help you?"

"I need clarification about the charity gala list," Vaelis said, keeping her tone polite but firm. "My name was included even after I declined."

The woman clicked through a few files on her computer before responding. "Your participation was finalized this morning. The decision is firm, Miss Cara."

Vaelis frowned. "Finalized by whom?"

"The selection committee and event sponsors."

A prickle of unease crawled up her spine. "May I see the authorization?"

The receptionist hesitated. "I'm afraid that's confidential."

Before she could press further, a familiar voice interrupted.

"Black swan are you in trouble?"

Vaelis turned to see Rowan leaning lazily against the counter, a smirk tugging at his lips.

"Not at all," she said smoothly. "Just confirming how far people are willing to go to ignore my decisions."

Rowan chuckled. "You really thought declining meant anything? This university runs on power plays, Black Swan. Welcome to the game."

She narrowed her eyes. "And you seem to know a lot about it."

He gave a careless shrug. "Maybe. Maybe not. But if I were you, I’d start thinking about who stands to gain from putting you in that gala."

---

Later that day, Vaelis crossed paths with a student from the Business Department. A conversation about the gala came up, and the student casually mentioned, "Oh, your name was personally recommended. Everyone figured you had connections."

Vaelis masked her reaction. "Recommended by whom?"

The student blinked. "I thought you knew. It came from someone high up—one of the sponsors, I think."

Her fingers curled around the strap of her bag. This wasn’t random. Someone wanted her there.

---

That evening, exhaustion weighed on her as she stepped into her dorm. The day had been long, but the unsettling feeling in her chest hadn’t faded. Whoever had forced her into the gala wasn’t acting randomly. They had influence—powerful enough to override her decision without so much as a courtesy warning.

Her phone vibrated against the desk, the screen flashing with an unknown number.

Vaelis hesitated before picking up. "Who is this?"

A smooth, unhurried voice answered. "Miss Cara, I assume you've received the message about the gala."

She straightened, her grip tightening around the phone. "I did. And I don’t recall agreeing to it."

A low chuckle. "That doesn’t matter now. Your presence is expected."

Vaelis' eyes darkened. "Expected by whom?"

Silence stretched for a beat too long. Then, the voice spoke again, quieter this time. "Someone who finds you... fascinating."

Her breath stilled.

This wasn’t just about an event.

Someone was watching her.

Before she could respond, the call ended with a soft click.

Vaelis stared at her phone, a cold sensation creeping down her spine.

A deliberate move. A message.

She wasn’t going to let it slide.

Instead of letting paranoia settle, she forced herself to think logically. If someone had pushed her into this gala, there were only a few possible explanations: influence from a professor, a sponsor’s direct request, or—worst of all—someone powerful enough to manipulate things behind the scenes without leaving a trail.

And whoever it was had taken a specific interest in her.

Tension coiled in her stomach, but she exhaled slowly. Fine. If someone thought they could control her, she would let them believe it—for now.

She moved to her desk, pulling out her laptop. First, she needed a list of sponsors. Then, she would find out which department had the final say on student participation. If someone was pulling strings, she was going to start tugging back.

No one forced Vaelis Cara into a role she didn’t choose.

And if they thought she was just another player in their game, they had made a mistake.

She was going to win.