The late afternoon sun hung low above Hillwood University, casting long shadows across the stone pathways of the campus. Sebastian Ford stepped out of the Hillwood Investment Club Headquarters, the heavy oak door clicking shut behind him with finality. He didn’t wait for the others. His strides were long and deliberate, and his face—usually unreadable—now betrayed a rare flicker of tension.
Selene Parker.
The name reverberated in his mind like an echo that refused to fade. He muttered it under his breath as he reached the parking lot, where his silver-gray sports coupe gleamed in the fading light.
He was supposed to be unfazed. Unbothered. The legendary Sebastian Ford—always composed, always in control.
But not today.
He paused before opening the driver’s side door, leaning against the hood instead. A gust of wind rustled the nearby hedges, bringing with it a faint whisper of laughter from the second-floor window of the mansion-like building behind him. The others were still inside. Probably celebrating. Lucas, Kairo, and the rest, caught up in the high of their little victory.
The victory that belonged to Selene.
Sebastian’s fists clenched at his sides.
She had walked into that boardroom like she owned the place, wielding a tablet like it was a sword. And in a way, it was. With a few swift taps, she revealed her net worth—fifteen million dollars in stock investments alone. Then, casually, she tacked on a restaurant business with six branches, boosting her total net worth to nearly thirty-eight million.
The room had gone silent.
Not even Lucas had a joke after that.
He had expected her to falter. Expected nerves or gaps in her story. But no—she was calm, composed, and alarmingly confident. The kind of confidence that couldn’t be faked.
And yet… there was something off. Something too perfect.
Sebastian finally climbed into his car, the engine purring to life beneath him. He didn’t drive off right away. His fingers gripped the steering wheel tightly as he stared blankly out the windshield, thoughts racing.
He hated this feeling—being blindsided.
He was the one who called for the final trial. He crafted the twist. Find out her net worth, he said. It was meant to be the final wall—the one no outsider could climb.
And Selene Parker had scaled it like it was nothing.
His phone buzzed on the console beside him. A message from Lucas.
“Hey, don’t sulk. It’s just one member. Let it go. You’re still the big boss, Seb.”
He didn’t reply.
He didn’t get it. None of them did.
This wasn’t about pride.
This was about control.
For years, Sebastian had shaped the Hillwood Investment Club into what it was now: elite, exclusive, revered. They didn’t just admit anyone. Membership wasn’t a right—it was a privilege. One that required more than just brains or money. It required lineage. Status. A legacy.
Selene Parker had none of that.
Or at least, none that he knew of.
He tapped his thumb against the wheel, deep in thought. Who the hell was she? He’d done background checks on everyone who applied before. Even Lana and Lucas never questioned his judgment when it came to vetting candidates.
But Selene slipped through.
Did she plan this from the start? he wondered. Was she just biding her time until she could spring her little show?
His phone buzzed again. This time, a message from Clark.
“Bro… you alive? Irene’s planning our trip already. Hope you’re ready to lose more money.”
He scrolled past it, uninterested.
As much as he hated the idea, the truth was unavoidable. He’d lost the bet. Selene had passed. And by the club’s rules—rules he helped write—she was now one of them.
Sebastian sighed and rubbed his temple. Then, slowly, a smirk formed on his lips.
If Selene Parker wanted to sit at their table, then she better be ready to play by his rules.
And rule number one?
Never trust the new face.
He shifted the car into gear and pulled out of the parking lot, tires screeching as he sped off the campus grounds. He didn’t have a class to attend—he’d finished most of his fourth-year subjects ahead of schedule, and the university had allowed certain adjustments for club leaders like him.
Instead, he had somewhere else to be.
There were people he knew. People who could get him information.
If Selene was hiding something—anything—he would find it. Her financials were real. But money didn’t mean transparency. It didn’t mean loyalty. And most of all, it didn’t mean she belonged.
Not yet.
He arrived twenty minutes later at a quiet café tucked into the corner of Central District. It wasn’t glamorous, but it had privacy. And more importantly, it had him—Dorian Leigh, an old classmate from prep school turned private investigator.
“Sebastian Ford,” Dorian greeted, sipping his espresso. “Been a while. Let me guess—you need a deep dive?”
“Not just deep,” Sebastian replied, sliding into the seat across from him. “I need everything. Background. Affiliations. Hidden assets. Family connections. Anything you can get.”
Dorian raised an eyebrow. “Who’s the target?”
“Selene Parker.”
Dorian chuckled. “Ah, the new girl everyone’s talking about. You don’t waste time, do you?”
“I don’t like surprises.”
“Well, this one’s gonna cost you.”
Sebastian didn’t flinch. “Send me the account. I want results in three days.”
“Deal.”
Sebastian stood up, adjusted his blazer, and gave a curt nod. As he stepped out of the café and into the falling twilight, he felt a strange calm wash over him.
The game wasn’t over.
Not by a long shot.
If Selene Parker wanted to be a part of Hillwood’s elite, she was going to have to prove more than just her net worth.
She was going to have to survive him.