Chapter 2The Titans Most Valuable Investment

That afternoon, I changed into my only crisp, clean blazer and arrived exactly on time at Mr. Davis's Manhattan office.

He gave me a swift, sweeping glance, a flicker of surprise passing through his stoic eyes.

The comments arrived right on cue to tear me down:

[This country mouse is so out of her depth. She showed up to meet Davis looking like she sells discount life insurance.]

[He’s Gideon’s right-hand man. He’s going to see right through this imposter in a heartbeat.]

My palms grew clammy. I braced myself for the interrogation, for the mask to slip.

But surprisingly, he only flipped through my academic files. He didn't dig into my identity at all.

"My employer believes you have a decent foundation, but you are miles away from the standards required by top-tier institutions."

I nodded, maintaining eye contact. "It's because of that gap that I need mentorship. Give me the resources, and I will close the distance."

"My employer does not hand out resources lightly."

Mr. Davis snapped the folder shut.

"He is willing to provide you with the terminal access, and he will even assemble a team of Ivy-caliber private tutors for you.

"The condition is: you must submit entirely to the curriculum. You must hit every single performance metric we set."

"I accept," I answered, without a second of hesitation.

He nodded once. "Then, starting today, your schedule and your entire academic life are under our management."