Chapter 190: An Uninvited Guest

The moment Maya walked into the room, she didn’t say a word.

Ignoring everyone’s curious gazes, she calmly walked to the head of the conference table, pulled out a chair, and sat down gracefully.

She crossed one slender leg over the other, placed her phone on the table, and leaned back in her chair.

Her expression remained as cold as ever.

The lively atmosphere from moments ago disappeared almost instantly.

No one dared to speak.

Everyone in the Student Union knew exactly what Maya’s personality was like.

Beautiful.

Capable.

But cold enough to freeze an entire room.

The silence lingered for several seconds before Bryce finally broke it.

A bright smile spread across his face as he looked directly at Maya.

"Well, well..."

"Look who finally decided to grace us with her presence..."

"Your Majesty!"

Several Student Union members chuckled awkwardly.

Bryce had always liked teasing Maya with ridiculous nicknames, despite knowing she hated every single one of them.

Pretending not to notice the warning in her eyes, Bryce continued enthusiastically.

"Perfect timing."

"I was just announcing some exciting news."

He stood up confidently and spread his arms dramatically.

"I’m officially inviting everyone on a trip to Lanai Island!"

The room immediately erupted.

Seeing everyone’s reactions, Bryce’s smile widened even further.

He cleared his throat proudly before continuing.

"This trip has already been approved by the university administration."

"It’ll count as an official Student Union group activity."

"So..."

"We’re not just going on vacation."

"We’re representing Ashford University."

The excitement in the room immediately intensified.

For many of them...

Lanai Island was the hottest destination in the country right now.

Countless people had tried to book tickets ever since reservations opened.

Most had failed.

Yet Bryce had somehow secured invitations before the island’s official opening.

It was impossible not to admire him.

Bryce rubbed his hands together with obvious satisfaction before turning back toward Maya.

His smile instantly became much gentler.

Almost flattering.

"What do you think?"

Maya slowly raised her eyes.

Her beautiful face remained completely expressionless.

The first words out of her mouth instantly killed Bryce’s smile.

"First..."

"Stop calling me Your Majesty."

Her voice was calm.

But ice-cold.

"I’m not anything to you."

The room instantly fell silent again.

Several Student Union members lowered their heads, pretending not to hear anything.

They all knew...

Bryce had just been publicly rejected again.

Most people would’ve been embarrassed.

Bryce, however...

Had long since developed incredibly thick skin.

After being turned down so many times over the years...

One more rejection barely affected him anymore.

He simply laughed awkwardly and scratched the back of his head.

"Alright, alright."

"Maya it is."

"If that’s what you prefer."

Without missing a beat, he immediately changed the subject.

"Anyway..."

"I’ve already spoken with the school administration."

"They specifically requested that you attend this trip."

"As Student Union President..."

"You’ll be leading the entire group."

"They also want you to oversee everyone’s safety and make sure the activity runs smoothly."

Bryce deliberately emphasized the words school administration.

He knew exactly what he was doing.

If Maya refused now...

She wouldn’t just be rejecting him.

She would be rejecting an official assignment from the university.

Exactly as Bryce had planned...

Maya couldn’t find a reasonable excuse to decline.

She silently looked at him for several seconds before finally speaking.

"...Fine."

"I’ll go."

Bryce’s eyes immediately lit up.

Before he could celebrate...

Maya continued.

"But..."

"I have one condition."

Bryce’s smile froze slightly.

"What condition?"

Maya met his eyes without the slightest hesitation.

"I’m bringing someone with me."

"My friend will be joining the trip too."

The moment Maya spoke...

The lively atmosphere inside the Student Union office instantly froze.

Silence.

Complete silence.

The constant chatter disappeared in an instant.

Even Bryce...

Who had been confidently leading the discussion since she arrived...

Suddenly stopped talking.

His smile stiffened slightly.

He hadn’t expected Maya to make such a request.

After a brief pause...

Bryce forced another smile onto his face.

"...Bring a friend?"

He stared at Maya, trying to determine whether she was joking.

Maya didn’t answer.

She simply looked back at him with her usual calm expression.

Her silence...

Only made Bryce even more uneasy.

His thoughts immediately began racing.

A friend?

Who exactly does she want to bring?

Is it... a guy?

The possibility instantly made Bryce’s expression darken.

For years...

Maya had never shown any interest in another man.

She always kept her distance.

So why would she suddenly want to bring someone along?

Could there really be another man in her life?

The more Bryce thought about it...

The more uncomfortable he became.

Almost instinctively...

The answer slipped out of his mouth.

"No."

His voice was much firmer than before.

"As far as I know..."

"The people attending this trip are all members of the Student Union."

"If someone isn’t part of the Student Union..."

"They can’t come."

The room grew quiet again.

Only after saying it did Bryce realize how harsh he sounded.

Several students exchanged subtle glances.

He quickly adjusted his tone, forcing an apologetic smile.

"It’s not that I don’t want to help."

"It’s just..."

"The number of invitations is extremely limited this time."

"You all know how popular Lanai Island is right now."

"It hasn’t even officially opened yet."

"People across the country have been fighting to get reservations."

"The invitation passes Lanai Group gave my family are limited as well."

"Even after pulling a few strings..."

"I only managed to secure enough spots for the core members of the Student Union."

He spread his hands helplessly, making himself appear completely innocent.

"So..."

"Unless..."

He deliberately paused before looking around the room.

"...Someone here is willing to give up their own place..."

"So Maya’s friend can take it instead."

The moment those words left his mouth...

Several students instinctively lowered their heads.

It sounded generous.

Reasonable.

Even fair.

But everyone present immediately understood what Bryce was doing.

He wasn’t really offering Maya another spot.

He already knew the answer.

Lanai Island.

The country’s hottest new luxury resort.

The very first group of guests before the official opening.

An opportunity like that...

Who would willingly give it away?

Bryce had deliberately pushed the decision onto everyone else.

That way...

No matter what happened...

He could still pretend he had tried his best to help Maya.

If nobody volunteered...

It wouldn’t be his fault.

It would simply be...

"Out of his hands."

The office gradually fell silent.

No one spoke.

No one raised a hand.

Everyone wanted to go.

No one was willing to sacrifice such a rare opportunity for someone they had never even met.