Page 16 of Allure

And then I’ll start my own business. I’ll do it the right way, without any shady business. No shenanigans. Hopefully, by taking what I learned from helping my father’s company, I’ll be able to learn and gain firsthand experience for my own business because you can be sure as hell that I won’t do anything off the grid with my father’s, no matter what he did before he started to rot in his grave.

Yes, I’ll be a businesswoman, just as my father had been a businessman before me, but I will not—willnot—allow him to win. He will not have any control over me.

Who knows? Maybe I’ll be able to successfully start my own business, turn around and sell it, and then return to school for something else. What, I have no idea, but I’m perfectly content with what I’ve done so far in my life since he had been killed.

When you play with fire, you’re going to get burned.

In this instance, he deserved what he got and then some.

Despite my goal for being a business major being in part to take down my father’s business, I can’t help being excited about the first day of classes. Excited and nervous, but that’s to be expected.

I head over to Pinewood Hall, where the vast majority of my classes are held. Room 125. There’s a throng of students already pushing their way toward their classes, and I have to move with them to try to find the right room. It’s a good thing I left early. My first class is right at eight in the morning, and I’m so happy that my schedule is laid out the way it is, with Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays being done at noon and Tuesdays and Thursdays finished at one. That’ll leave the rest of the day for homeworking, studying, and whatever else I want to do. I mean, if I really wanted to, I could do a karate class five days a week. There are some classes on Saturdays, in the morning, but not for adults. Jackie is really hoping and pushing for that to change, and she asked me before she left yesterday to mention it to Sensei if I would do class then.

“Saturdays are easier for me to get away,” she explained. “I have to take classes around my husband’s schedule because I don’t want to have to bring the kids here. I tried that before, and it was a complete disaster.”

Her kids are all young. Honestly, I think it’s amazing that she’s trying to juggle working at home, taking care of her kids and the baby, and also striving toward her black belt. She’s so close. I wonder when she’ll be ready to test.

Finally, I find my classroom. Only about a third of the seats are taken, and I claim one toward the front but not in the very front. I’m not a brownnoser.

The professor isn’t here yet, and I find myself watching the door, wondering what Mr. James Kang looks like. I have him for two classes, so I hope he’s a good one.

More students trickle in. I don’t know any of them, but how could I? I skipped out on orientation, and it seems like some have made friends already. I don’t mind.

A girl sits next to me. She places her book on the desk and shoves a pen into her mouth, chewing on the end of it Gross.

My gaze shifts back to the door just in time for Declan King to stroll in as if he owns the place. His gaze zeroes in on me, and he smirks.

Shit. I never would’ve thought he’s the same age as me, and for him to be in this class… As far as I know, only business majors have to take this one, so we share the same major? Awesome. Chances are high that we’re going to have a lot of the same classes together, not just this semester but everyone.

Yeah, I might take more than just one or two summer courses just so I can try to avoid the asshole.

Declan says something over his shoulder to his friends behind him, and they all laugh. He heads my way, and I hate that he’s turning me into such a petty little thing, but I also think about shifting my foot and trying to trip him. I don’t, of course, too mature for that.

He claims his seat, the one right behind me.

Don’t act affected. Fuck, don’tbeaffected by him.

Something makes my hair swing. A pen swiped through it? His finger? I don’t react, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of raising my ire.

But seriously, what are the fucking chances?

There are only two minutes left before class is supposed to start, and Mr. Kang still hasn't arrived, so I risk turning slightly in my seat, not quite looking at him but definitely directing my question at him.

“What are you, a stalker?”

“Funnily enough, Doll Face,” he drawls, “I was just thinking the same thing about you. Can’t get enough of me, can you?”

I grit my teeth. “Believe me, I would rather handle a lot less of you.”

“Because I’m too much to handle.” He winks at me. “Too big for that sassy little mouth of yours.”

The ass!

I twist around fully toward him and make a show of making a huge bite.

His friends roar with laughter at that, but even Declan does, too, which kind of ruins it.

“Who doesn’t like a little pain every now and again?” he asks before raising his hand. “How are you this morning, Mr. Kang?”

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