The early morning sunlight poured over the school grounds as the sleek black stretch Lincoln rolled to a stop, like a luxury cruise ship docking in the harbor. As soon as the car door opened, the first to step out was Ryan. Tall and slender, he looked like he had just stepped out of a fashion magazine. His black hair was slightly tousled, but it was the kind of effortless messiness that looked intentional. Even the wind seemed to be on his side. And his face… Oh, God, it was nothing short of movie-star perfect. Walking down the school's stone path, every step seemed to carry an invisible aura, and the girls around him immediately started whispering.
"Wow, Ryan looks so handsome today! Like, he's practically glowing!"
"I swear, does he sleep in a suit? How can he look perfect every single time?"
"I heard his family's filthy rich—he's got the money and the looks!"
Emily couldn't help but roll her eyes internally as she overheard the comments. Okay, fine, Ryan is handsome, but seriously? Does everyone have to swoon over him?Sure, they lived under the same roof, but it wasn't like he even noticed her existence. Right now, he didn't even glance back at her.
When it was her turn to step out of the car, she tried to move carefully, but as soon as she emerged, the attention of the students shifted to her. Regret instantly washed over her for wearing her school uniform today. Ryan was already dazzling enough, and now, stepping out of the same luxury car as him? It felt like they were starring in some aristocratic drama. Great, just great. All I wanted was to blend in, not become the school's new mystery girl.
"Who is she?"
"Why's she getting out of Ryan's car?"
"Is that his girlfriend?"
Emily could feel her cheeks heating up. She tried to act like she didn't hear the whispers and kept her head down, following Ryan into the school.
It was clear from the moment Emily stepped through the front gates that the students at this school lived in a different world. The atmosphere practically screamed wealth and privilege. As she passed by a group of boys, she overheard them casually discussing stocks.
"My dad recently bought some more tech stocks. The market value's gone up a lot."
"Nice. My family's working on a new product with our European partners."
Wait, what? Tech stocks? Product development?Emily felt like she had landed on a completely different planet. Listening to these conversations made her head spin. Okay, so these kids aren't just regular high school students—they're the future leaders of major industries. How am I supposed to fit in with this?
Her thoughts were interrupted when Ryan, walking ahead of her, suddenly stopped. He turned around, his expression as cold as ever, and shot her an icy look. "Don't walk too close to me. And when we get to the classroom, we're going in separately."
Emily's eyes widened in disbelief. Really? Separate entrances? What, are we living in some aristocratic soap opera now?But fine, fine—Ryan could keep his "Young Master" act. She rolled her eyes internally but obediently nodded. "Got it."
So, the two of them entered the classroom one after the other, like strangers. As soon as Emily walked in, every head turned to look at her, curiosity buzzing in the air. She could practically feel the weight of their stares. Ugh, this is the opposite of blending in…
Emily had barely taken a seat when the classroom door opened again, and in strutted Sarah—the school's head cheerleader, walking as if the world itself was her runway. The second she entered, all eyes were on her. It wasn't just her looks or her figure—it was the confidence she exuded, like she was the main character in everyone's story.
Sarah spotted Ryan immediately, flashing him a sugary sweet smile as she made her way over. "Ryan, good morning! You look amazing today, so fresh."
Seriously? Is she trying to sweet-talk her way into his life with compliments that syrupy?** Emily thought to herself, trying not to roll her eyes at Sarah's overt enthusiasm.
But Ryan barely acknowledged her. In fact, he subtly leaned away, his expression as cold as ever. "No thanks. I'm fine."
Sarah blinked, thrown off for a second by his frosty reply, but quickly regained her composure. Her smile never wavered as she continued trying to strike up a conversation. Emily watched the whole exchange, silently thinking, Wow, Sarah's persistence is really something.
The homeroom teacher walked in then, calling for attention. "Alright, everyone, we have a new student joining us today. This is Emily—she's currently staying at the Lancasters'."
Silence. Total silence. It was as if the entire class had forgotten how to breathe. Sarah was the first to recover, turning immediately to Ryan, her brows furrowing as she asked, "Ryan, who is she?"
Ryan said nothing, refusing to explain. Wow, the classic cold-shoulder treatment, huh? How original.Emily sighed inwardly, already used to his detached attitude.
All day, Ryan hadn't spoken much to Emily. Ever since he walked into the classroom, it was as if he had deliberately ignored her, not even glancing her way once. Honestly, Emily was fine with that—less interaction meant less trouble. She'd hoped the day would end peacefully, but after school, things took a sudden and unexpected turn.
The classroom had emptied out, and Emily was about to pack up her things when Ryan, with his usual cold expression, walked straight up to her. He pulled a piece of paper from his desk drawer and handed it to her, his tone authoritative, almost like a command.
"Sign this."
Emily took the paper and glanced at it, her eyes widening slightly. The words "Master-Servant Contract" were scrawled across the top in bold. She immediately felt a wave of disbelief. A master-servant contract? Where did this guy come up with something so ridiculous? What century does he think we're living in?
She took a deep breath and kept reading:
Clause 1:The servant must be available within one to two hours of being summoned, with no excuses, no delays, and no questioning the master's orders.
Clause 2: The servant must unconditionally obey any arrangement made by the master, regardless of time or place.
Clause 3:When the master is bored, the servant is required to cheer him up unconditionally and must fully cooperate with any of the master's entertainment needs.
Emily stared at the clauses, struggling to believe what she was reading. Cheer him up?she thought, incredulously. Does this guy seriously think he's royalty or something?
She raised her eyes to meet his, her face clearly showing her confusion. "Are you serious?"
Ryan, hands casually stuffed in his pockets, lifted his chin slightly, his expression full of arrogance. "Of course I'm serious. From now on, you're my servant, and you'll obey any request I make, no questions asked. If you don't... well, don't expect to stay in my house much longer."
Emily's heart raced as she listened to him. Is he for real? A servant? I'm just here to help him manage his allergies, not to sign up as his personal assistant.
She bit her lip, trying to hold back the urge to roll her eyes. Calm down. No point arguing with him—this is all just some kind of power trip for him. He gets off on feeling like he's in control.
She looked at him squarely and asked, half-knowing the answer, "And what if I don't sign?"
Ryan's expression darkened, and he leaned in slightly, lowering his voice. "If you don't, you can forget about living in my house. And as for your mother's treatment? That's off the table too."
The weight of his words hit her hard. There was no escaping it—if she didn't sign, her mother's health was at risk. She felt cornered, even if the whole situation was absurd. Fine. I'll put up with this for my mom's sake. After all, it's just a silly piece of paper.
With an exaggerated roll of her eyes, Emily reluctantly picked up the pen and scribbled her name at the bottom of the contract. Once she'd signed, she dropped the pen on the desk with a bit more force than necessary, looking back at Ryan with a sarcastic smile. "Alright, I guess I'm your 'servant' now, Young Master. Any other brilliant instructions?"
Ryan's lips curled into a cold, triumphant smirk, as if he'd won some kind of game. "Good. Just make sure you remember your place."
Emily resisted the urge to scoff. Does this guy ever get tired of admiring himself in the mirror? I'm starting to wonder if he rehearses these smug expressions every morning.
She stood up and smoothed out her skirt, doing her best to ignore the frustration bubbling inside her. Whatever. I signed it. If he actually takes this nonsense seriously, that's on him, not me.
Just as she was about to leave, Ryan spoke up again, his voice laced with cold authority. "Don't forget—you're my servant from now on. Whatever I ask, wherever we are, you'll do it. No questions."
Emily stopped in her tracks and turned to look at him, her patience wearing thin. Is this guy for real? Does anyone ever tell him how insufferable he is?
Forcing a bright, sarcastic smile, she replied, "Of course, Young Master. I'll be at your beck and call." The mockery in her tone was impossible to miss.
Ryan clearly noticed her sarcasm but chose not to address it. He simply watched her leave the room, a faint, smug smile playing on his lips.