MY SPOILT BRIDE

Alex sat at his desk, absentmindedly tapping a pencil against the wooden surface. The sting of his defeat to Lily Martinez still weighed heavily on him, but more than the humiliation, it was the way she had looked at him, smug, victorious, and untouchable that gnawed at his pride. 

"She thinks she's invincible," Alex muttered under his breath. "She's not." 

Across the room, Martin and the rest of Alex's group were unusually quiet. They had witnessed Alex's loss firsthand, and none of them dared to bring it up. Martin leaned against the bedframe, scrolling through his phone, until Alex finally broke the silence. 

"Martin," Alex said sharply, making him look up. 

"What?" Martin replied, his tone clipped. 

"We're going to teach Lily a lesson," Alex said, his voice laced with determination. 

Martin frowned. "Didn't I warn you to leave her alone? You already lost to her once. What's the point?" 

Alex's glare hardened. "The point is that no one humiliates me and gets away with it. I'm not going to let her walk around acting like she owns this campus." 

Martin sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "If you're serious about this, you better think it through. She's not someone you can beat easily, Alex." 

Alex leaned back in his chair, a sly smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Oh, I have a plan. Don't worry." 

Lily was enjoying the aftermath of her victory. She had earned not just the respect of her peers but also a certain level of fear that she found… amusing. Rose and Martin's gang still followed her orders to the letter, and the whispers about her around campus only solidified her status as someone not to be messed with. 

Sitting in her dorm room, Lily flipped through her notebook, her thoughts drifting to Alex. His anger during the duel had been palpable, but she couldn't help but admire his determination—even if it was misplaced. 

Her phone buzzed, pulling her out of her thoughts. It was a text from Lydia, her closest friend back home. 

Lydia: "I heard about your fight! You're a campus legend already. How's it feel to put Alex Williams in his place?"

Lily smirked and typed back: 

Lily: "It feels great. He's probably sulking in his dorm right now."

Lydia replied almost instantly. 

Lydia: Careful, though. Guys like him don't give up easily. Watch your back, okay?* 

Lily's smile faded slightly as she read the message. Lydia wasn't wrong. Alex didn't strike her as someone who would let a loss go so easily. 

The next day, Lily strolled across campus, her black leather jacket draped casually over her shoulders and her boots clicking against the pavement. She exuded confidence, but she remained vigilant, her instincts telling her to stay alert. 

Sure enough, as she approached the library, she spotted Alex leaning against the wall near the entrance, his arms crossed and a smug expression on his face. 

"Lily," Alex called out, his voice smooth but laced with mockery. "What a coincidence." 

Lily stopped in her tracks, raising an eyebrow. "Coincidence? Or are you stalking me now?" 

Alex chuckled, pushing off the wall and walking toward her. "Stalking you? Don't flatter yourself. I just happened to be here." 

"Sure you did," Lily replied, her tone dripping with sarcasm. 

Alex smirked, standing directly in her path. "You may have won the duel, but don't get too comfortable. I'm not done with you yet." 

Lily crossed her arms, meeting his gaze head-on. "Is that a threat or a warning?" 

"Neither," Alex said, leaning in slightly. "It's a promise." 

Lily didn't flinch, her blue eyes narrowing. "Good luck with that, Alex. You're going to need it." 

She stepped around him and walked into the library, leaving Alex standing there, his smirk replaced by a determined expression. 

As the week went on, Alex began laying the groundwork for his next move. He started spreading rumors about Lily, subtle at first but enough to catch attention. Whispers of her "secret background" and "connections" began to circulate, making students wonder how she had managed to dominate Alex and his group so effortlessly. 

Lily noticed the change almost immediately. The admiring glances from students were now mixed with curious stares and murmurs behind her back. 

One afternoon, as she exited her lecture hall, Rose approached her hesitantly. 

"Lily," Rose began, her voice unusually soft. 

"What is it?" Lily asked, her tone sharper than intended. 

"There's… something going around about you," Rose said nervously. "People are saying you have connections—powerful ones. Is it true?" 

Lily frowned, her mind racing. It didn't take much to guess who was behind the rumors. "Let me guess," she said coldly. "Alex?" 

Rose bit her lip but didn't deny it. 

Lily sighed, brushing past her. "Don't worry about it. I'll handle him." 

Later that evening, Lily found Alex in the gym, hitting a punching bag with focused intensity. She didn't hesitate as she walked up to him, her boots echoing on the floor. 

"Alex," she called out, her voice cutting through the sound of his punches. 

He stopped, turning to face her with a smug grin. "Lily. What a surprise." 

"Cut the crap," she said sharply, stepping closer. "What's with the rumors?" 

Alex grabbed a towel, wiping his face as he shrugged nonchalantly. "Rumors? I don't know what you're talking about." 

"Don't play dumb," Lily snapped. "You think this is going to scare me? You think you can win by turning people against me?" 

Alex's smirk grew. "Scare you? No. But it's fun watching you squirm." 

Lily clenched her fists, her temper flaring. "You're pathetic, Alex. You can't beat me, so you resort to this? Spreading lies like a coward?" 

Alex's expression darkened for a moment, but he quickly recovered, stepping closer until they were inches apart. "Careful, Lily," he said softly, his tone dangerous. "You're pushing your luck." 

Lily didn't back down, her blue eyes blazing. "Try me." 

The tension between them crackled, but neither made a move. Finally, Alex stepped back, his smirk returning. 

"This isn't over," he said simply, tossing the towel over his shoulder as he walked away. 

Lily stood there, her heart pounding. Whatever game Alex was playing, she wasn't about to let him win. 

To Be Continued...