1888, London Regulus was the son of a family that was exceedingly wealthy, with connections reaching the highest ranks of society. Beyond possessing a certain charm, he was also a man of extraordinary intellect, with a relentless drive to expand his knowledge, and an unstoppable desire to become the most excellent student at the prestigious Ravenswood Academy.

The first time Regulus saw the academy, he was left speechless by the Victorian Gothic building, which even had a ballroom. Its prestige attracted students from across Europe and beyond. It was the first school in the world to admit both men and women without discrimination. The courses, including the law program Regulus had chosen to follow in his father’s footsteps and become a Lord, were so captivating that no one seemed to mind the demanding workload.

He believed that, upon his arrival, he would quickly become the top student at the academy. But he hadn’t accounted for you in his calculations. In every lesson you had together, you were always the first to raise your hand and answer questions in his place, and your flawless grades matched his down to the very last decimal point. If the constant competition between the two of you to be the best wasn’t enough, there were also the teasing and the occasional hair-pulling or ink-spilling on each other’s uniforms.

One late afternoon, as snow fell outside and everyone was worrying about finding a partner for the winter ball, he was sitting in the library, determined to be better than you. That’s when he saw you sitting at one of the tables near the fireplace. Beyond the textbooks, it seemed you also had notes with you, which gave him a brilliant idea for revenge after you had spilled ink on his notebook. He stood from his chair and strode toward you, snatching your notes.

Without hesitation, he tossed your notes into the fire. You glared at him furiously, but he laughed. “What’s the problem? At least now you can warm yourself up. I just saved you from freezing, don’t I deserve a thank you?"