LOGINEnamored with her professor, freshman college student Alex, couldn't deny the shift in the air when she finally saw the renowned professor Zane Orion in the flesh. This illicit attraction had a history, as she was already familiar with his literary works, him being the object of her fantasies and before being accepted into NYU. Secretly, she had chosen NYU over her hometown of Boston, leaving behind her family and all that was familiar, just to attend his class in New York. Fifteen years, her senior, Zane, was a divorced father and also her professor and mentor. Despite the college's strict rules against student-teacher relationships, their forbidden connection could not be ignored, not in his class and when they were alone in a room. His dark, piercing gaze would make her heart race and her legs tremble, drenched and desperate for his touch, his mouth on her, to teach her more than just in class. Oh. There's something about Alex that snap something within professor Zane, the way his body reacts furiously at the sight of her, his possessive and feral nature about to be exposed, the moment Alex had walked into his class, Professor Zane knew she's going to be more than just his student, he would break down her already well crafted wall the moment he finds himself buried deeply in between her legs.
View MoreElyndor City.
Business District. Sa gitna ng mga nagtataasang gusali na kumikislap sa ilalim ng gabi, nakatayo ang isa sa mga pinaka-kilalang kumpanya sa lungsod. Ardyn Venture Holdings. Isang subsidiary company ng Ardyn International na nakatuon sa startup investments at business partnerships. Kahit gabi na, maliwanag pa rin ang ilaw sa pinakamataas na palapag kung saan matatagpuan ang opisina ng presidente. Sa loob ng malawak na opisina, tahimik na nakaupo si Vaelisse Elionne Ardyn sa gilid ng kanyang mesa. Nakayakap siya sa isang matangkad na lalaki. Mahigpit. Sapat para magmukhang magkasintahan. Bagsak ang mahaba niyang itim na buhok sa balikat nito habang nakasandal ang ulo niya sa dibdib ng lalaki. Sa panlabas na tingin, isa itong romantikong eksena. Ngunit sa loob-loob ni Vaelisse, pakiramdam niya ay unti-unti nang nadudurog ang puso niya. Dahil alam niyang may taong paparating. At kailangan niyang marinig nito ang lahat. "Babe..." malambing niyang tawag. Bahagyang natawa ang lalaki. "Yeah?" "Sa tingin mo ba..." marahan niyang sabi habang mas hinigpitan ang yakap. "Masyado akong mabait minsan?" Napataas ang kilay ng lalaki. "Mabait? Ikaw?" Napangiti si Vaelisse. "Oo naman." "Ang dami kong binibigyan ng oras kahit hindi naman worth it." "Especially people who don't belong in my world." Tahimik na napabuntong-hininga ang lalaki. Alam nito kung para kanino ang bawat salitang iyon. "Babe..." anito. "Hindi ka ba nagsasawa?" "Of course not." Bahagyang ngumiti si Vaelisse. "Sometimes entertaining people is fun." "Pero eventually..." Huminto siya sandali. "Sawa ka rin." At eksaktong sandaling iyon— CLICK. Bumukas ang pinto. Kash! Nahulog ang folder mula sa kamay ng lalaking nakatayo roon. Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Caelan Dravik Valecrest. Nakatitig siya sa eksenang nasa harapan niya. Kay Vaelisse. Sa babaeng pinakamamahal niya. Sa babaeng pinangarap niyang makasama habambuhay. At sa lalaking niyayakap nito. Sa harap mismo ng mesa nito. Parang tumigil ang oras. Nang makita siya, dahan-dahang naghiwalay ang dalawa. Ngunit wala man lang guilt sa mga mukha nila. Kung mayroon man— tila mas nainis pa sila dahil naistorbo. Pakiramdam ni Caelan ay may kamay na humawak sa puso niya. At unti-unti iyong dinurog. "E-Elisse..." Nanginginig ang boses niya. "Sino siya...?" Humina lalo ang tinig niya. "A-anong ginagawa ninyo...?" Takot siyang marinig ang sagot. Takot siyang marinig ang katotohanan. Mabagal na nagtaas ng kilay si Vaelisse. Malamig ang titig niya. Walang emosyon. Walang pag-aalala. Parang hindi nito kaharap ang lalaking minahal nito sa loob ng maraming taon. "Caelan Dravik Valecrest." Buong pangalan. Walang lambing. Walang init. Parang isa lamang estranghero. "Tapos na tayo." Pakiramdam ni Caelan ay bigla siyang nabingi. Ngunit hindi pa doon natapos. Bahagyang ngumisi si Vaelisse. "Ay hindi pala." "Tapos na akong makipaglaro sa'yo." Parang may sumabog sa isip ni Caelan. "A-anong...?" "Stop embarrassing yourself, Caelan." Tumayo nang maayos si Vaelisse habang inaayos ang manggas ng kanyang blazer. Pagkatapos ay direkta siyang tumingin sa mga mata nito. At tuluyan siyang winasak. "Did you really think someone like you could stand beside me?" "Ako ang presidente ng Ardyn Venture Holdings." "Tagapagmana ng Ardyn International." "You're just a small businessman." "I was only entertaining myself habang nandito ako sa Elyndor." "You were never part of my world." Bawat salita ay parang punyal. Paulit-ulit. Paulit-ulit. Paulit-ulit. Hindi makapagsalita si Caelan. Nanginginig lamang siya habang nakatitig sa babaeng minahal niya nang buong puso. Sa babaeng pinangarap niyang makasama habambuhay. Ngunit ngayon... tila isa lamang pala siyang biro rito. Bahagyang natawa ang lalaking nasa tabi ni Vaelisse. Pagkatapos ay tiningnan si Caelan mula ulo hanggang paa. "So this is the guy?" "I expected better." Nanikip ang panga ni Caelan. Ngunit mas masakit ang sumunod na sinabi ni Vaelisse. "Hindi mo ba talaga naisip?" "Magkaiba tayo ng mundo." "Habang ikaw masaya na sa maliit mong kumpanya..." "Tagapagmana naman ako ng Ardyn International." "You can't even compare yourself to the people around me." "Hindi kita kailangan." At pagkatapos ay malamig siyang tumitig dito. "Higit sa lahat..." "Hinding-hindi ako bababa para lang pantayan ka." Tuluyang nabasag ang natitirang kontrol ni Caelan. Biglang pumasok sa isip niya ang lahat. Lahat ng alaala nila. Lahat ng gabing magkasama sila. Lahat ng pangarap na sabay nilang binuo. At ngayong nakikita niya ang eksena sa harap niya— pakiramdam niya ay isa lamang siyang tanga. Unti-unting nagsara ang kamao niya. Nanginig ang buong katawan niya sa galit. Sa sakit. Sa pagkawasak. Ngunit sa huli... wala siyang sinabi. Wala na siyang gustong marinig. Hindi na niya kailangan ng paliwanag. Sapat na ang nakita at narinig niya. Mabagal siyang yumuko. Pinulot ang nahulog na folder. Pagkatapos ay malamig na tumingin sa kanilang dalawa. Wala na ang dating lambing sa kanyang mga mata. Puro sakit. Puro galit. Dahan-dahan siyang tumalikod. Naglakad patungo sa pinto. Ngunit bago siya tuluyang lumabas— huminto siya. At sa unang pagkakataon... naging malamig ang boses ni Caelan Valecrest. "One day..." Mahina. Ngunit mabigat. "I'll make you regret this." Pagkatapos noon ay tuluyan siyang naglakad palabas. Punong-puno ng poot. Punong-puno ng pagkawasak. At hindi niya alam... na sa likod ng malamig na ekspresyon ni Vaelisse— unti-unti nang tumutulo ang mga luha niya. Nanginginig ang mga labi nito habang pilit pinipigilan ang paghikbi. "Sorry..." Basag ang boses niya. "Sorry, Caelan..." "Kailangan kong gawin ito..." "Para maprotektahan ka." At tuluyan nang bumagsak ang kanyang mga luha. Tahimik na tinapik ng lalaking kasama niya ang kanyang likod. Wala itong sinabi. Dahil alam nitong walang salitang kayang pagaanin ang sakit na nararamdaman niya ngayon. Makalipas ang ilang minuto, unti-unting tumigil sa pag-iyak si Vaelisse. Pinunasan niya ang mga luha sa kanyang mukha. Pilit niyang inayos ang kanyang ekspresyon. "Cassiel..." Mahina ang boses niya. "Okay na ako." "Handa na akong iwan ang lugar na ito." Napangiti siya. Ngunit puno iyon ng pait. "Sigurado akong hindi na siya ita-target ng mga kaaway ng pamilya." Bumuntong-hininga si Cassiel Ardyn habang nakatingin sa pintong nilabasan ni Caelan. "Ate..." "Napakasama mo." Diretsahan ang tono nito. "Nakita ko kung gaano nasaktan ang bayaw." "Mukhang pumunta pa naman siya rito para ibalita ang magandang nangyari sa kanya." "Pero ito ang nakuha niya." Mas lalong naging mapait ang ngiti ni Vaelisse. "Wala akong magagawa." "Hindi ko nga maprotektahan ang sarili ko ngayon." "Paano ko pa siya mapoprotektahan?" Napayuko siya. Mahigpit na nakakuyom ang kanyang mga kamay. "Nasa dilim ang mga kaaway natin." "Habang tayo ang nasa liwanag." "Hindi ko kayang hayaan na madamay si Caelan sa problema ng pamilya natin." Tahimik na umiling si Cassiel. Kanina lamang ay kararating niya sa Elyndor City upang ipaalam kay Vaelisse ang lumalalang sitwasyon ng Ardyn Family. Ilang miyembro ng pamilya ang bigla na lamang nawawala. May mga executives na hindi na muling nakita. Maging ilang researchers ay tila naglaho matapos umalis sa kanilang mga laboratoryo. At malinaw sa kanilang lahat— may kumikilos nang kalaban laban sa Ardyn Family. Kaya siya pumunta rito. Para balaan si Vaelisse. Dahil sigurado siyang susunod na target ang Ardyn Venture Holdings. At si Vaelisse mismo. Huminga nang malalim si Vaelisse. "Nakita mo 'yung folder na dala niya?" Tumango si Cassiel. "Business agreement." Ngumiti si Vaelisse. Sa pagkakataong iyon, may halong pagmamalaki ang kanyang ngiti. "Sigurado akong matagumpay niyang nakuha ang panig ng Aurex." "Sapat na iyon para makapagsimula siya." "Para matupad ang pangarap niyang makapasok sa mundo ng real estate." Bahagya siyang natahimik. Naalala niya ang determinadong mukha ni Caelan. Ang lalaking hindi kailanman sumuko sa mga pangarap nito. Then she whispered softly— "Caelan's company is growing too fast." "It's enough for him to survive on his own now." Ngunit unti-unting nawala ang kanyang ngiti. Napuno ng lungkot ang kanyang mga mata. "Ang sakit lang isipin..." "Hindi ko siya masasamahang umangat." "Hindi ko siya masasamahang i-celebrate ang mga tagumpay niya." Dahan-dahan niyang hinawakan ang kanyang tiyan. At sa unang pagkakataon mula kanina— lumambot ang kanyang mga mata. "Pero sasamahan naman ako ng baby niya." "Ng baby namin." Isang mapait ngunit masayang ngiti ang sumilay sa kanyang labi habang marahang hinihimas ang kanyang tiyan. "Baby..." mahina niyang bulong. "Iiiwan na natin si Daddy." Muling namuo ang luha sa kanyang mga mata. "Caelan..." "Sorry." "Sorry kung hindi kita masasamahang umangat." "Dahil aalis na ako." "Aalis na ako sa Elyndor City." "At hindi ko alam kung hanggang kailan ako magtatago..." "O kung muli pa ba tayong magtatagpo."He gives his charming smile and nods, "Hello to you too, Madeleine." He says good-naturedly. The audience is still cheering and clapping. Someone uses the teleprompter to ask for silence, and it still takes a few seconds for the studio to go quiet so Madeleine can continue. They love him. My heart fills with pride. And love, too. I am so grateful that we are past that dark phase in his life two years ago where it felt like he was losing everything, and it was my fault. "Let's get right into this book!" Madeleine says, and the audience erupts with cheering and applause again. But it is quickly controlled. "First off, I want to talk about the process. It is very rare to see projects like this. I know of authors coming together to write biographies or translating books. But actually writing together? That is new and different. Alex, I want to know what the writing process was like for you. Orion is already quite established and experienced, but this was your debut!" Madeleine asks me.
"I have no idea." I say, truthfully. I really don't. I have still not come to terms with the thought that I am not going to return to the college for the new session. Since Zane is not going back, it makes no sense for me to. That is how it works now. That is how it will be from now on. "Okay. We can put a pin on that for now, then. Back to my offer, what do you think, Alex?" Zane squeezes my knee with one hand, his eyes stay on the traffic ahead, as he navigates the car. I recognise this highway and where it leads. He is driving us to the cabin. His cabin. Our cabin. My heart is so full, I can barely breath. "You want me to co-write a book with you?" I ask him again, just to be sure I am not in a dream. Just to be sure that this is real. The sound of his laughter reassures me. It is real. I am going to be an author! "Yes, Alex. I want to work with you on a book that is going to be more successful than all the books I have ever released." He says as he pulls into the countryside, i
Alex POV::"Oh my God! What do you mean?" My voice comes out as a really loud scream that is very uncharacteristic of me, Zane just smiles, he takes my hand and leads the way out of the hallway, I follow him still confused but feeling a swirl of excitement ramp up in the pit of my stomach at the mere thought. I can't even begin to fathom it! "Come, let's go before you summon the whole department." He says and I laugh but the laughter bleeds off my face as soon as we step out of the department and there are a lot of people around and they all stop to stare at us as if we were stars in a movie and the director yelled for everyone to stare at us. I blush under the scrutiny. I didn't expect this much people to be out and about but I guess most people are already resuming. I think it is only my class that is resuming a week later, the rest of the department are resuming this week. I try to pull my hand from Zane's grip, he doesn't let go, he looks down at me with a questioning look in hi
Zane Orion POV::"We were just trying to determine how this scandal started. If you get what I mean." Mrs. Tyrell tells me, she sounds like she would rather be anywhere else, but Mrs. Manson looks exactly the opposite, I understand she wants to be rid of me and sent that announcement of my job termination to the press. I understand that as vice president of the college, she can't afford the fallout from the scandal, so she must do what is in the best interests of the college, but this is going too far. They are still trying to pin everything on Alex. They want a different story. "I thought the panel was referencing the interview. You should already have your answers to that." I say, holding Mrs. Manson's narrowed gaze. Alex squeezes my hand under the desk, I interpret it as her being nervous. I have missed her so God damned much, it is unreal. Sitting beside her, I keep taking full lungful of her scent. She smells just as I remember, the nostalgia of us together at my cabin, naked
"I told you to be careful because you are young, Alex. He is almost twice your age. I told you that he had more life experiences you can only dream of. This relationship, it isn't fair on you. You probably can't see it now but you are getting the short end of the stick. I can't watch you spend your
Do I even want to continue schooling here? I don't know. I have not been able to really think about the impact of this situation and what it meant for my interests. I came to this school because of Zane, if he is not going to be here, do I want to stay? I mean, I have to think about myself and what
"These feelings, you didn't consider them inappropriate seeing as he was your Professor and a respected member of this faculty?" Mrs. Tyrell asks when the rest of the room remains silent. "No, I didn't." I say, deciding to be truthful and straight to the point."Did you act on these feelings first?"
"I am sorry, Zane. We will put up a fight, but this scandal changes everything. I will be honest with you and put our chances at less than forty percent." Matt adds salt to my open wounds and it festers. My mouth goes dry. This is bad. The silence stretches. All my anger at Hilary and the world, eve






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