Chapter 4 — First Lecture

Caleb

The faint squeak of a marker on a whiteboard drifted through the polished halls of the Mathematics Building, mingling with muted voices and the occasional shuffle of papers. Caleb Ryker stood just beyond the doorway, his tall frame blending into the muted tones of the corridor. From his vantage point, he could see her—Noelle Hall—commanding the attention of the room with a confidence that struck him like a sharp intake of breath.