"Miss Blake, care to enlighten us on why you're glaring at Mr. Cole like he stole your lunch money?"
The entire class laughed.
Aria Blake didn't even flinch. Her pen spun between her fingers as she stared down Ethan Cole across the lecture room — calm, cold, and dangerously confident.
"He's talking nonsense again, sir," she said, voice sharp enough to slice through the noise.
"Business ethics doesn't mean manipulating people until they say yes. It's called ethics for a reason."
A few students murmured "oooh," sensing another round of fire.
Ethan leaned back in his chair, smirking. "And you'd know all about manipulation, wouldn't you, Blake? You literally twisted half the class's opinions last week just to win that argument."
"That's called persuasion, dumbass."
"Same thing."
"It's really not."
The professor pinched the bridge of his nose like a man regretting his career choices. "Okay, okay — both of you, stop turning my lecture into a Netflix series."
Aria crossed her arms, muttering, "Maybe if someone stopped acting like he's God's gift to business, we could actually learn something."
Ethan chuckled lowly. "I don't remember saying I was God's gift. But now that you mention it…"
"Ugh, you're impossible."
"And yet you keep looking at me," he shot back with that signature half-smile that made half the girls in the room blush — and made Aria want to throw her pen straight at his face.
The professor finally snapped. "Since you both seem to have so much insight, congratulations — you'll be partners for next week's ethics presentation."
The class went wild.
"Hell no," Aria said instantly. "You can't be serious."
"Dead serious," the professor replied. "Maybe a little teamwork will cool that ego of yours."
"Which one?" Ethan asked innocently. "Hers or mine?"
"Both!"
The laughter was deafening. Aria sank back in her chair, jaw tight, refusing to look at Ethan again. He didn't miss the frustration on her face — and for some reason, it made him grin wider.
As the class ended, Aria packed her notes with enough force to tear paper. Ethan stood beside her, leaning against the desk like he owned the place.
"So, partner," he said, tone smooth, teasing. "Want to meet later to plan our 'masterpiece'?"
"Yeah, sure," she said flatly. "I'll bring a fire extinguisher, in case your ego bursts into flames."
He laughed — a real one this time. "You've got jokes, Blake. But careful, you might start liking me if you hang around too much."
Aria stopped at the doorway, glancing back just once. Her eyes met his — fierce, unreadable.
"Not even in another lifetime, Cole."
And just like that, she walked out — leaving him standing there, still smiling like he knew something she didn't.
Ethan Cole had no idea why this girl got under his skin so easily. But something told him… this semester was about to get very interesting.