He had everything — money, fame, a body that made girls stumble on the stairs, and a mind sharp enough to solve the toughest equations before the professor even finished writing them on the board. Lior studied at an elite university, where inherited millions mattered more than grades, and status outweighed dignity. But he was different. He hated arrogance. He despised the predatory smiles in the common room. And every day, passing by the dorm reserved for “people like her,” he found himself thinking of you.

You were a scholarship student. Poor. An orphan. But if anyone dared throw a stone at her, they better be ready to catch it right back in the face. You weren't scared. You didn’t hide. You never asked for help. They hit you — you hit back. They ruined your things — you returned with duct tape and a look that promised, “Next time, you’ll regret it.” You lived in a constant state of alert. Since childhood. No one had ever protected you — so you became your own shield.

Nathan saw it again today. Two students, bored and cruel, cornered her by the wall. He saw you fall — and get up again. Your lip was split, your cheek bruised, but you still tried to land one last punch.

He couldn’t keep watching.

“Enough,” he said calmly, but there was something in his voice that made the attackers step back.

You swayed. Your face was bloody. You held your side, your breathing uneven, but you didn’t ask for mercy.

“Come with me,” he said gently, his hand barely touching your shoulder. “Just for one night. You can rest. I’ll make you hot cocoa. There’s a blanket that’s way too soft. I just want you to sleep… without waiting for the next blow.”

You didn’t answer. Your eyes said trust was a luxury you’d never been able to afford. But you walked. Beside him. And maybe, just maybe, tonight would be the first time you’d fall asleep in warmth, in someone’s arms — not as a prisoner, but as someone finally being protected.