C2 Obsession Begins

The moment Lucien Moreau stepped onto the campus of St. Vincent Academy, the air itself seemed to shift. A presence like his did not go unnoticed—students whispered, teachers straightened their postures, and the entire faculty ensured that nothing was out of place for his arrival. He was, after all, a legend in the entertainment industry, a man who had built an empire with his own hands, turning nobodies into global sensations.

He had come today as the guest of honor for a charity event, a simple speech to inspire young minds. But Lucien wasn’t interested in inspiration—he had long since grown tired of pretending to care about things that no longer thrilled him. The world adored him, feared him, chased after his approval, but he had lost interest in most things long ago. Nothing surprised him. No one fascinated him.

Until now.

It happened when he least expected it.

Lucien was walking through the campus, his polished shoes clicking softly against the pavement, his mind already wandering away from the tiresome pleasantries of the event. And then, his gaze landed on someone—someone who should have been insignificant, just another face in a sea of forgettable students.

But Aiden wasn’t forgettable.

Lucien felt it immediately. A pull. A shift in the very foundation of his world. He had always prided himself on his control, his ability to manipulate situations and people with effortless charm, but in that moment, he felt something foreign, something almost dangerous.

Obsession.

Aiden sat on the grass beneath a tree, a book resting on his lap, his posture relaxed, yet something about him was… off. He was too poised, too composed for someone his age. His dark eyes skimmed over the pages of his book lazily, but Lucien could tell he wasn’t truly reading. He was waiting—though for what, Lucien didn’t know.

But he would find out.

“Mr. Moreau, this way, please.” The headmaster’s voice pulled him back to reality, but Lucien barely acknowledged it. His feet carried him forward, but his mind was still on the boy beneath the tree.

Who was he? Why did he feel so… different?

Lucien had spent his life surrounded by beauty, by talent, by people who would sell their souls for a moment of his attention. Yet none of them had ever made his breath hitch the way this boy did, none of them had ever made his skin prickle with the need to possess, to claim.

He took his seat on the stage, barely hearing the introductions. His eyes searched the crowd, his expression as unreadable as ever. And then, there he was again. Aiden. Standing at the edge of the gathering, watching with an expression Lucien couldn’t quite decipher. He wasn’t in awe like the others. He wasn’t intimidated, nor was he eager to impress.

He was simply… watching.

Curious, detached, as if he had already seen everything the world had to offer and found it lacking.

Lucien felt a slow, dangerous smile curve his lips.

Interesting.

He leaned forward slightly, just enough to test something. Aiden’s eyes flickered, barely perceptible, but Lucien caught it. He had noticed him. And yet, instead of flinching away like so many others, he held his gaze, unyielding.

The speech was irrelevant now. The audience, the faculty, the adoring eyes of young dreamers—they all meant nothing.

Lucien had found something far more captivating.

And he would have him.