I sat in the very last row, burying my face in a thick pile of practice exams. I didn't care about success stories. My only concern was how to pay my tuition for the upcoming semester since my father’s business had just taken a devastating hit.

"Please welcome, Mr. Trinh Nam!"

A tall man stepped onto the podium. He wore a charcoal-grey suit, exuding an air of cold, sharp authority. When he spoke, the room fell into a dead silence. His voice was deep and calculated, much like the lines in his architectural blueprints.

After the ceremony, I rushed toward the administration office to ask about a tuition extension. In my haste, I crashed into what felt like a brick wall. My books and notes scattered everywhere.

"I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!" I gasped, scrambling to pick them up.

A hand with long, slender fingers reached down and picked up my notebook. I looked up and froze. It was him—Trinh Nam.

I had never met him before, but the way he looked at me was unsettling. It wasn't the gaze of a stranger looking at a student; it was the look of someone who had been waiting for this exact moment for a very long time. A mix of resentment, obsession, and icy calm.

"Are you a senior in Class 12A1?" he asked, his voice dripping with power.

"Yes... how did you know?" I stammered. I was certain we were strangers.

A faint, mirthless smirk played on his lips as he handed the notebook back. "I don't just know your name. I know your family owes my firm a debt that your father could never pay back in a lifetime."

The color drained from my face. My backpack suddenly felt like it weighed a thousand tons. "What... what are you talking about?"

Trinh Nam stepped closer, the scent of cold sandalwood surrounding me, pinning me against the hallway wall. He leaned down, whispering just for me to hear:

"Your future, your college exams, and even the house you live in... they all belong to me now. Don't look at me like a stranger. From today on, I am the only person you have to obey if you want your family to survive."