Chapter 2: Ivan

<Ivan's POV>

The blaring noise from my alarm clock jolted me awake, and I found it incredibly irritating. Normally, Saturdays were my haven, a day when I cherished every additional moment I could spend snuggled under the warm covers, far away from the rush of early mornings. But on this particular Saturday, it felt like the universe was playing a cruel trick on me, tormenting me with this relentless annoyance.

In defiance, I shifted in my cozy cocoon of blankets, swiftly grabbing a nearby pillow to cover my face and shield my ears from the intrusive noise. All I yearned for was a few more precious moments of slumber, perhaps an extra hour of respite, before I reluctantly surrendered to the demands of the day. Yet, despite my passionate desire, the unrelenting blare of the alarm managed to breach my makeshift defenses, invading my peaceful sanctuary.

"Urgh!" My frustrated exclamation was muffled by the pillow as I reluctantly sat up, abruptly silencing the intrusive alarm.

But before we delve further into my day, let me introduce myself properly. I am Ivan Grayson, the one and only son of New York's most affluent and successful businesswoman.

At twenty-six years old, I found myself in the final year of my studies at Cambridge College. My father had abandoned us when I was just a child, driven away by his infidelity, a secret long harbored by my mother. Despite discovering the truth about my father's affair, my mother chose not to confront him or engage in a bitter dispute. It was his paramour's wealth that lured him away, ultimately leading to their marriage and our abandonment.

Ever since my father's departure, my mother had shouldered the responsibility of raising me, a challenging journey that transformed her into the wealthiest businesswoman in all of New York. But let's not dwell on this backstory for now. Let's go back to the story.

"Much better," I muttered, having silenced the annoying alarm that ruined my sleep.

I briefly closed my eyes, yearning to resume my peaceful slumber. However, my hopes were dashed as my phone suddenly erupted into a cacophony of ringing.

"Urgh!" I groaned loudly, yanking the duvet over my head in a futile attempt to ignore the call. The phone ceased its clamor momentarily, allowing me to believe I might finally return to my coveted dreams. Alas, it resumed its shrill cry, forcing me to sit up and begrudgingly reach for the device resting on the nightstand.

With a cavernous yawn and a rough voice, I answered, "Hey, Sasha."

"Good morning, baby boy," Sasha's angelic voice resounded through the phone. "You sound like you just woke up."

"Yeah, what's up?" I responded groggily.

"Seriously? You just woke up?" Sasha sounded genuinely surprised.

"Yeah, I just woke up. Any problem?" I questioned, perplexed by her tone.

"Have you forgotten that we have an examination today?" Sasha queried.

"What are you talking about, Sasha?" I asked, my confusion growing. "We've already completed our other exams. The only one left is Mrs. Smith's, and it's scheduled for next week. So, what exam are you referring to?"

"Mrs. Smith rescheduled the examination," Sasha replied.

"She did? When did this happen?" I inquired, brows furrowing in confusion.

"Yesterday," replied Sasha. "Didn't you receive the message about the change of the examination date?"

"What message? I didn't receive any message. What's going on, Sasha?" I demanded, frustration simmering within me. Being caught in a state of confusion never sat well with me.

Mrs. Smith was known as one of the finest lecturers at our college, and at the same time, one of the youngest.

"But when was the message about the change in examination date sent?" I inquired.

"The message was sent by the college board to all students enrolled in Mrs. Smith's course yesterday. It stated that the date for Mrs. Smith's examination had been changed due to unforeseen circumstances, and it is now scheduled for this morning." Sasha explained.

"This morning?!" My shocked exclamation echoed through the phone.

"Yeah," Sasha affirmed.

"Are you pranking me, or is the change in the examination date real?" I inquired with grave seriousness.

"I'm not joking, baby boy. We indeed have the examination this morning," Sasha confirmed, causing me to release a heavy sigh.

"What time is the examination supposed to start?" I asked.

"Eight o'clock," Sasha responded, and I glanced at the clock on the nightstand; it read 7:35 am.

"Holy smokes!" I exclaimed upon seeing the time.

"What's wrong, baby boy?" Sasha asked, genuine concern in her voice.

'Baby boy' was the nickname Sasha had affectionately given me, even though it was not my favorite. Nonetheless, I never protested.

"It's nothing," I replied dismissively. "Where are you right now?"

"I'm at the college," Sasha replied.

"And what about Brad?" I inquired, referencing my best friend.

"I've been trying to reach him, but his phone has been unreachable all morning," Sasha explained.

"Alright, I'll meet you shortly," I stated.

"You better hurry up; the examination is about to begin in a few minutes, and you can't afford to miss it," Sasha urged.

"Okay," I responded before ending the call and tossing my phone onto the bed.

"Why in the world would Mrs. Smith abruptly change the examination date, and why wasn't I informed?" I muttered angrily to myself as I leaped out of bed.

Trust me, I wouldn't have bothered with the examination if it were not my final year at college and if it weren't for the importance of this particular course.

I dashed into the bathroom, hastily showered, and dressed with lightning speed. My fingers worked feverishly to style my brown hair, and I then selected an outfit from my extensive wardrobe: black jeans and a white Gucci top. I slid into a pair of white Gucci sneakers, grabbed my phone, and car keys from the nightstand, stashing them into my crossbag, before rushing out of the room.

"Mrs. Smith is truly wicked. Why would she suddenly change the examination date to today? The college authorities owe me an explanation," I grumbled angrily as I exited the house and headed for the garage.

You might wonder why, as the son of a wealthy woman, I would even bother with an examination when I could easily bribe the lecturer for a guaranteed pass. While anyone else in my shoes might have taken that path, I believed in the value of hard work over bribery. I would sooner accept a failing grade than compromise my principles.

"Benji! Open the damn gate!" I shouted at our gatekeeper before rushing into the garage. Amongst an array of luxury cars, I darted toward my favorite sports car, ignited the engine, and sped out of the compound.

TWENTY MINUTES LATER

After a frantic drive, I arrived at Cambridge College, one of New York's premier institutions. I zoomed into the spacious parking lot and quickly parked my car. Without wasting a moment, I bolted out of the vehicle and raced toward the examination hall.

As usual, admiring gazes and shy smiles from the female students greeted me along the way. Some snapped photos while others recorded videos, but their attention was the last thing on my mind.

I eventually reached the examination hall but was met with disappointment; the examination had concluded, and my coursemates were emerging from the hall.

"Damn it! I missed the examination!" I raked my hand through my hair in frustration.

You might be wondering why, as the son of a wealthy woman, I would even bother with an examination when I could easily bribe the lecturer for a guaranteed pass. While anyone else in my shoes might have taken that path, I believed in the value of hard work over bribery. I would sooner accept a failing grade than compromise my principles.

"Baby boy!" Sasha's voice called out from inside the hall.

"Hey!" I waved in response as she emerged to join me.

"I'm sorry you missed the exam," she said sympathetically.

"It's fine," I replied, mustering a fake smile. "But why on earth did Mrs. Smith change the examination date, and how was I not informed?"

"As I mentioned earlier, a message was sent out yesterday to all students in Mrs. Smith's course regarding the change in examination date. That's how I found out," Sasha explained.

"But I never received any message about the change!" I protested. "What's happening?"

"You didn't receive the message?" Sasha asked, her brow furrowing.

"Would I have missed the exam if I'd received it?" I retorted sarcastically, my anger simmering. I loathed being left in the dark about such important matters.

"Almost everyone in our department received the message yesterday," she responded.

"I swear, the college authorities owe me an explanation for all this nonsense," I seethed, raking my fingers through my brown hair in frustration.

"Calm down," Sasha began.

"Don't tell me to calm down!" I snapped. "You know how crucial this examination is for me."

Sasha was about to respond when a young lady approached us.

"Mr. Ivan, Mrs. Smith requests your presence in her office," she informed me before walking away.

"Talk about perfect timing," I muttered, my irritation unabated.

"But why does she want to see you?" Sasha inquired.

"I don't know, but I hope she has a damn good explanation for all of this, or I'll have this college shut down," I declared, anger coursing through me as I strode off toward Mrs. Smith's office.