I couldn't afford to run
not with my period cramps clawing at my stomach.
So, against every warning bell in my head, I stepped into the car.
The leather seat was warm, smelling faintly of cologne and… lilies.
My heart skipped. He knew.
The driver didn't speak, just started the engine and drove smoothly through the morning haze.
My phone buzzed.
A: "My ruin, don't hesitate. I booked the car. It'll drop you safely at college."
I stared at the screen, my throat dry.
I should've been terrified, but somehow… I wasn't.
The fear that once strangled me now felt like a strange comfort
like someone watching over me.
When the car stopped, the driver smiled politely.
"We've reached, Miss Elina."
I stepped out, clutching my bag tight.
Who are you...A?
---
By the third lecture, my cramps were killing me.
I laid my head on the desk, trying to survive the war inside my abdomen.
Mira noticed, her whisper barely audible.
"You okay?"
"Just cramps," I muttered.
"Oh. Then suffer silently, the hottie professor's next!"
I shot her a half-dead glare. She smirked.
Then Professor Asael Desmond walked in.
The noise in the classroom dropped instantly.
White shirt. Rolled sleeves. A faint scent of something clean, expensive.
The kind of man who doesn't try to look perfect...he just is.
"Good morning,"
he said, his tone calm yet commanding.
Even the air seemed to adjust to him.
I forced myself to take notes. Focus, Elina. Surgery basics. Anatomy. Not the voice. Not the lips.
But damn...his voice scratched somewhere deep in my brain.
I'd heard that tone before, in a whisper against my skin.
When his eyes swept across the room, I looked away.
When they lingered..just for a second..on me, my pulse betrayed me.
He continued, explaining about nerve pathways and incision angles, sketching on the digital board with effortless precision.
The class was spellbound. Even Mira, who usually whispered memes during lectures, looked like she was watching a live concert.
Finally, the bell rang.
The students sighed in relief, packing their things.
Then his voice broke through the noise.
"Miss… you."
My pen froze midair.
"Yes, you...the one who looks ready to pass out."
A few laughs erupted, but they died instantly when his eyes narrowed.
"Stop laughing. ..."
Silence.
Every gaze now on me.
He wasn't angry his tone was too composed for that but the weight in his voice made my stomach twist.
"Meet me in my office after class."
My heart thudded.
Mira blinked at me, whispering, "You're so screwed… or so lucky. Not sure which yet."
I didn't answer. My fingers trembled as I zipped my bag.
I didn't even know what I'd done wrong.
But when Asael looked away, something in his gaze lingered..too steady, too knowing.
Like he wasn't seeing me for the first time.
---
The corridor outside Professor Asael's office was quiet ...too quiet. My footsteps echoed against the marble, heart drumming somewhere between fear and curiosity.
Students passing by threw glances and whispers.
"Lucky girl…"
"She's in trouble for sure…"
"He never calls anyone to his office…"
I stopped in front of the door.
The golden plate read Professor Asael Desmond.
My fingers hesitated before knocking.
"Come in."
That voice again calm, deep, controlled.
I pushed open the door. The faint scent of coffee and cedar filled the air.
His office was neat, books aligned, sunlight slipping through half-closed blinds.
He stood near the desk, sleeves rolled, pen in hand like he had been waiting.
"Sit," he said quietly.
I obeyed, clutching my bag, nerves coiling tighter.
When I looked up, a steaming cup sat before me .. plain white mug, filled with hot water.
"Drink that," Asael said without looking up. "It helps."
I blinked. "Helps what?"
He met my eyes. "The pain you're trying to hide."
My fingers froze around the cup. "How...."
"You kept shifting in class, holding your lower side," he said softly, not unkindly.
"You shouldn't push yourself through pain just to pretend everything's fine."
The warmth of the cup spread through my palms ...comforting in a way I didn't expect.
"I'm sorry, sir," I murmured. "It's just… first day. I didn't want to miss."
"You don't need to apologize for being human," he said, a faint smile touching his lips. "Just take care of yourself next time."
The words weren't flirtatious, but the care in his tone disarmed me.
For a man with eyes that sharp, his concern felt strangely gentle.
He leaned back, observing me with quiet focus. "What's your name?"
"Elina."
I finished the drink slowly.
"Can I leave now, sir?"
He nodded once, already turning to his computer. "Yes. And Elina…"
I froze.
"Next time, if you're not well .. skip the class. I'll handle your attendance."
The way he said it .. calm, decisive ...made it sound less like permission and more like an unspoken rule.
I stood up, confused,
My fingers brushed my pendant absentmindedly ... the one A had left for me.
And that's when I noticed
Asael's eyes dropped briefly to it.
Just a second.
But enough.
When I turned to leave, his voice came low, almost a whisper
"Take care of your cramps, Miss Elina."
My breath caught.
I walked out silently, the cup's warmth still lingering on my palms.
And though nothing about his words was strange… something in the way he knew exactly when to care made my chest tighten.
---
As soon as I stepped out of the office, I nearly collided with Mira.
She stood there, pretending to scroll her phone, but her grin gave her away instantly.
"So?" she whispered, eyes gleaming.
"How was the private audience with Professor Perfect?"
I rolled my eyes, clutching my notes tighter. "It was just... academic. He gave me a lecture on health management."
"Oh yeah?" she leaned closer, mock-serious.
"And did that lecture come with hot water and a soul-staring contest?"
I froze for half a second. "You.... how do you even..."
"Girl," she interrupted with a smirk, "you walked out blushing and holding your cup like it was love potion. Everyone saw."
I sighed, trying to sound casual. "He's just... observant, that's all."
"Observant?" Mira chuckled. "If observant looks like undressing with his eyes, then yes, very observant indeed."
I lightly smacked her arm. "Shut up, Mira. You're insane."
"Maybe," she winked, "but if he ever calls me to his office, I won't say no."
Her laughter echoed through the corridor, and I couldn't help but smile
though deep down, something twisted inside me.
Because no matter how much I denied it...
his gaze wasn't just observant.
It knew...