Chapter 4 – The Faculty’s Newest Member

Lyra stared at the empty chair next to hers, her mind racing.

Ethan Vaughn, the ruthless CEO, was now a faculty member at Regis Academy.

Of all the people she could have crossed paths with, it had to be him.

She clenched her jaw and forced herself to focus. No distractions. She had infiltrated this school for a reason—to uncover the truth about her stolen identity and take back what was hers.

But now, with Ethan Vaughn watching her, the game had just become more dangerous.

Taking a deep breath, she settled into her seat. The classroom was buzzing with gossip.

"Did you hear? Vaughn Industries' CEO is our new business professor!"

"Why would a billionaire waste time teaching high school students?"

"Maybe he got bored of running the empire and wanted to torment us instead."

Lyra kept her expression neutral as she listened.

A billionaire CEO… choosing to work at a high school?

There was no way this was just a coincidence.

The chatter in the room died instantly as the door swung open.

Ethan Vaughn walked in, his presence commanding absolute silence.

Dressed in an all-black suit, his crisp white shirt unbuttoned at the collar just enough to show effortless power, he exuded an aura that was both intimidating and alluring.

Sharp eyes scanned the room. He was assessing. Calculating. Not a single person dared to meet his gaze—except for Lyra.

Their eyes met.

For a split second, neither of them looked away.

Then, just as she expected, a smirk curled at the corner of his lips.

Damn it.

He knew.

Whatever he suspected about her, he wasn’t letting it go.

Ethan took his place at the front of the room, leaning slightly against the desk, his stance casual but authoritative.

"Good morning," he said, his voice smooth and controlled. "For those of you who don’t already know, I’m Ethan Vaughn. I’ll be your faculty advisor for business and corporate strategies."

He let the words sink in. The tension was thick.

"Now," he continued, "I know what you’re thinking. Why is a CEO wasting time in a classroom?"

Murmurs filled the air.

The smirk returned to his face. "Because I like challenges."

His gaze flickered to Lyra for just a second, so fast no one else noticed—but she did.

He wasn’t just talking about the students. He was talking about her.

"Let’s start with a test," Ethan said, pushing off the desk.

He tapped a button on the holographic screen behind him, and a series of numbers, graphs, and stock data appeared.

"If you were given $10 million in startup funds, how would you turn it into $100 million within a year?"

The students shifted uncomfortably. This wasn’t a normal question.

One girl raised her hand timidly. "U-Um… by investing in real estate?"

Ethan didn’t even blink. "Obvious. But too slow. You’d lose to competitors."

Another student hesitated before answering. "Tech startups?"

Ethan tilted his head. "Better. But what’s your strategy? Blindly investing in trends is like playing Russian roulette."

He glanced around the room.

"Any other takers?"

Silence.

Until Lyra spoke.

"By exploiting human psychology."

All eyes snapped to her.

Ethan’s smirk deepened. "Go on."

Lyra leaned back in her chair, keeping her voice cool.

"People don’t invest in products. They invest in feelings. If I had $10 million, I wouldn’t just invest in a business. I’d manufacture demand—control public perception, create artificial scarcity, and use data manipulation to shift market trends in my favor. The product itself wouldn’t even matter."

The classroom was dead silent.

Ethan let out a low chuckle. "Interesting answer."

He stepped closer, his gaze locking onto hers.

"But tell me, Miss Xian," he said, voice smooth but probing. "How exactly does a scholarship student develop such an intricate understanding of corporate warfare?"

Lyra kept her face neutral, but inside, she was cursing.

He’s testing me.

She gave a small, practiced smile. "Books. I like to read."

Ethan studied her for a long moment before finally turning away.

"Books," he echoed, amused. "Right."

Lyra exhaled slowly.

This man was dangerous.

And she had just painted a target on her back.

The moment class ended, students hurried out of the room.

But as Lyra gathered her things, she felt a presence behind her.

She turned—only to find Ethan standing right there, dangerously close.

His cologne—a mix of dark musk and expensive leather—lingered in the air between them.