Ivery under King protection

**Ivery Clark POV**

*Alrigo is…what ?*

My breath caught in my throat as the weight of it settled over me, heavy and suffocating.

Principal Williams’ face drained of color, his stern demeanor faltering. “Mr. King..?" He stammered, rising from his chair.

Alrigo’s eyes narrowed slightly, a predator sizing up his prey. “Yes. I hope my name might ring a bell. The King family has been running this college for generations. My grandfather, may he rest in peace, was deeply invested in its success. And now, as his heir, the responsibility falls to me.”

What!? His grandfather was the chairperson of this institution!?

I had known Alrigo was powerful — anyone who spent five minutes in his presence would understand that. But this? How could he hold a position like this and never once mention it?

My mind spiraled, the shock hitting me in waves. It was almost absurd.

This man, this mafia lord who had swept me into his world of danger and possession, was the director of my college too!?

The color drained completely from Principal Williams’ face. He stood abruptly, almost knocking over his chair in his haste. “Mr. King —” His voice cracked, and he cleared his throat, visibly flustered. “I — I had no idea. Please, forgive me. I wasn’t informed you’d be visiting today.”

Alrigo raised a hand, silencing him effortlessly. “I wasn’t planning to,” Alrigo said smoothly, his hands tucked into his pockets as he took a step closer. “But certain… circumstances required my attention.”

His presence was magnetic, his tailored suit and confident stride exuding a power that felt almost suffocating in the small office.

Principal Williams scrambled to pull out a chair for him. “Please, have a seat, sir,” he said, his voice trembling.

Alrigo’s gaze shifted from the stunned Principal Williams to me, and when his eyes locked onto mine, it felt like the entire room held its breath.

His expression softened, but only slightly, and then, as if he couldn’t help himself, the corners of his lips curved into a smirk.

“Come here,” he said, his deep voice breaking the silence, the command laced with an undertone of amusement.

My heart stopped.

Was he serious? He couldn’t be serious.

The weight of every gaze in the room bore down on me, their shock and confusion mirroring my own.

Fayre’s mouth hung open, her usual smugness obliterated by pure disbelief.

Even Principal Williams looked as though he might faint, his wide eyes darting between Alrigo and me like he couldn’t comprehend what was happening.

I sat frozen, my mind racing. Come here? What was he thinking? Did he not see where we were? Who was watching?

Heat crept up my neck, embarrassment and anxiety swirling into a storm inside me. I clenched my hands in my lap, my nails digging into my palms as I tried to decide what to do.

If I went to him, it would confirm every suspicion in the room. But if I didn’t, I risked defying him — a thought that sent an entirely different kind of chill down my spine.

“Ivery.” His voice was lower this time, his smirk fading into something more unreadable.

It wasn’t a request — it was a command.

I swallowed hard, my pulse thundering in my ears. My legs felt like lead, but somehow I found myself rising from my chair, my movements stiff and uncertain.

“What are you doing..?” Fayre blurted out, her voice sharp and incredulous. Her eyes darted between Alrigo and me, her disbelief morphing into something darker. “Why is he talking to you like that?”

Principal Williams cleared his throat, clearly uncomfortable. “Mr. King, I’m not sure —”

Alrigo silenced him with a single glance, his smirk returning with a hint of amusement as if he was enjoying the chaos he’d caused.

I took a shaky step forward, my head spinning. My thoughts were a mess of confusion, fear, and something else I didn’t dare name. When I finally stopped in front of him, close enough to feel the weight of his presence, I dared to look up.

His eyes softened as they met mine, though the smirk remained firmly in place. “Good girl,” he murmured, low enough that only I could hear.

My breath hitched, the words sending a jolt through me I couldn’t explain.

“You… know her?” Principal Williams finally managed, his voice a mix of confusion and unease.

Alrigo’s smirk deepened as he turned his gaze back to the others. “Of course I do,” he said smoothly. “She’s under my protection.”

The room exploded into whispers, Fayre’s face twisting in fury and disbelief. My cheeks burned as I stood there, caught between wanting to disappear and being unable to move away from him.

Under his protection.

The words echoed in my mind, their meaning sinking in like a weight I wasn’t ready to carry.

The tension in the room was suffocating as Alrigo settled into the chair Principal Williams had offered earlier, his composed yet dangerous aura filling the space.

He crossed one leg over the other, his piercing gaze fixed on the trembling principal.

“Now,” Alrigo began, his voice calm but carrying an unmistakable weight, “I’ve just been informed of the baseless accusations against her. Care to explain why a student of her caliber is being punished without concrete evidence?”

Principal Williams swallowed hard, his hand shaking slightly as he adjusted his glasses. “Well… you see, Mr. King, it’s due to… her past history."

My cheeks heated. Did Alrigo know? If he did, how much did he know? How long has he been watching?

Shit, Alrigo had seen my weakness, my desperation. The humiliation of being falsely accused, of having Fayre’s venomous lies poison the air, of sitting there while they dismantled my future.

"Allegations have surfaced, Mr. King. About bullying and, um, a legal incident—”

“And where is your evidence?” Alrigo interrupted, leaning forward ever so slightly. The casual tone in his voice made it even more chilling.

“I… uh…” Principal Williams stammered, his face paling further. “The claims came from credible sources, and we were concerned about the reputation of the college—”

“You mean hearsay,” Alrigo said, his voice cutting through the excuses like a blade. “Let me ask you something, Principal Williams. Do you truly believe I take someone under the King name without conducting a thorough background check? Without confirming their identity, their integrity, their worth?”

The room fell into a suffocating silence. I could barely move, barely breathe, as Alrigo’s words hung in the air, sharp and unrelenting.

Principal Williams looked like he wanted to melt into the floor. “No, of course not, sir. I didn’t mean to question —”

“Oh, but you did,” Alrigo interjected, his tone deceptively soft. “Not only are you doubting her character, but you’re also doubting the King family. A rather bold move, wouldn’t you say?”

Principal Williams visibly flinched. His hand shot up to wipe the sweat forming on his brow. “I — I wasn’t implying anything about the King family, sir. It was a misunderstanding. A terrible misunderstanding!”

Alrigo’s smirk was cold, predatory. He tapped his fingers against the desk, the rhythmic sound almost hypnotic. “A misunderstanding that nearly cost this institution its credibility. You were ready to dismiss her scholarship, to tarnish her future, based on unverified claims. And for what? To appease gossip? Maybe this institution doesn't need an unfit principle like you.”

Principal Williams fell to his knees—actually fell—his voice breaking with desperation. “Please, Mr. King, I assure you, this won’t happen again. I’ll reinstate her scholarship immediately. I’ll handle any disputes personally. Just… please don’t remove me from my position. I’ve served this college for years. I beg you!”

I stared, wide-eyed, my heart racing. The once-dignified principal was now groveling before Alrigo, his earlier authority reduced to nothing.

Alrigo stood, his towering presence making the elder man seem even smaller.

Fayre’s voice cut through the tension like a blade. “How is this even possible?” she snapped, her hands curling into fists at her sides.

Her glare bore into me, seething with disbelief and venom. “How can a mere poor girl like *her* have anything to do with Valerie King Enterprises?”

Fayre took a step closer, her lips curling into a sneer. “What did you do, Ivery?” she hissed. “Did you use your usual sly tricks? Cheat your way into his favor like you always do? What dirty trick did you play?”

Her words felt like knives, each one sharper than the last. I clenched my fists, nails biting into my palms as I fought the urge to lash out.

“You always been like this,” she spat. “You play the victim, pretends you're so innocent, but you're nothing more than a manipulative little—”

“Enough,” Alrigo’s voice sliced through the air, cold and commanding.

His dark eyes narrowed as they fixed on Fayre. “Who is this?” he asked, his tone sharp and laced with irritation.

Fayre’s bravado faltered for a brief moment, but she quickly straightened, tossing her hair back with a forced confidence. “I’m Fayre Smith,” she declared, her voice rising. “The only daughter of Cooper Enterprises.”

Her emphasis on “only” was pointed, as if she were staking her claim to something important, something irrefutable.

Alrigo raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. “Cooper Enterprises?” he repeated, his tone flat, dismissive even.

“Yes,” Fayre said, her chin jutting forward. “Unlike her,” she shot me a scathing glance, “I don’t have to stoop to desperate measures to get what I want.”

I felt my stomach twist, shame washing over me in waves. Her words were poison, and no matter how untrue they were, they still struck deep.

Alrigo’s expression darkened, his patience clearly wearing thin. “Desperate measures?” he repeated, his voice dangerously low.

"Yes then what. I don't know what dirty things she did to get your attention." She scoffed, eyeing me.

Alrigo’s sharp eyes narrowed as Fayre made her declaration.

“Are you the only daughter of Ramsey Smith?” he echoed, his voice calm but carrying a razor’s edge.

His gaze flickered over her with calculated disdain before he reached into his pocket and retrieved his phone.

“Good,” he murmured under his breath, a cold smile playing at his lips.

I watched in stunned silence, the tension in the room so thick it felt like I couldn’t breathe. Fayre blinked, momentarily caught off guard by his lack of response to her dramatic proclamation.

Alrigo dialed a number and pressed the phone to his ear. “Paolo,” he said, his voice like ice, “I need you to handle something.”

Fayre’s confident posture faltered, her brow furrowing as she glanced nervously between Alrigo and Principal Williams.

“Yes, effective immediately,” Alrigo continued, his tone unyielding. “Cancel all contracts with Ramsey Smith. Every single one. Inform our partners of this decision, and let them know that any company maintaining ties with Smith Enterprises will risk losing our business as well.”

Fayre’s face drained, “What !?"