~ TWELVE ~

(Not Edited)

I knocked on the door to Mr Stanley's office. No response. I went for the second knock.

After the third knock, his thick voice vibrated, "Come in." Was he crazy? Why did he ignore the first and second knock.

I cleared my throat then opened the door like I was spying on him. I stepped in then made sure the door was widely opened before walking to his desk.

"You asked me to see you." I tried my best to seem respectful, polite but the frown on my face didn't leave for anything.

"Yes, have a seat." He instructed.

As much as I didn't want to do so, I had to. He was still my professor after all. I pulled out a chair opposite to his seat and rested my hands on the table between us. "Okay?"

"Kealey, I like you." Whoa, that was so straightforward and unexpected.

I didn't respond to him for a moment. "I'm married." I wiggled my left fingers in front of him to advertise my ring to him.

"Okay, I still like you." He placed his hands on the table as well, almost touching mine so I retrieved my hands to my side.

"You're my professor." My face twisted more. "You're not supposed to like your student, remember." I reminded him through gritted teeth.

"It might sound crazy but I've loved you from the first day I met you. I think about you everytime, everyday. I dream about you, you make me happy and you turn me on." So… what could be more gross than this?

He stretched his arm and touched my shoulder but I slapped it away and bounced to my feet, pushing the chair backwards.

"I am married so you better stay warned." I painted my index finger at him. "My husband is Kaiden Coleman and there's no way I'd stoop so low to have a sexual relationship with an ugly old-ass fool like you!" I snapped. Okay, to admit, he was young and handsome, a dreamy man, but there was no way I could have anything to do with him. I was better off with Kaiden.

"I've seen your husband with other women. He doesn't love you. I'll cherish you, I promise."

"You're a nasty old fool. Asshole!" I didn't remember leaving my bag on the floor but it was there so I grabbed it and stormed out of his office. How could he be so shameless?!

I got to my car. George and Beth were already leaning against it.

"What happened, kishishi?" George asked. What the heck did that nickname mean?

"What's wrong?" Beth's voice rang concern as she asked.

"Nothing. Seth will drive us all home." I replied gruffly then opened the car door, sitting in it. I wasn't ready to tell anyone about it— yet.

***

"Kaiden," I called, walking to him. He was sitting on a couch in the second living room with his phone being punched by his fingers.

"What!" He groaned.

"My friends are coming over." I informed him.

"So?" He rolled his eyes, focusing his full attention to me and kept his phone on a stand. "What friends exactly?"

"Beth and George."

"Oh, those weirdos." He smirked.

I took my seat beside him. I didn't care if he was going to complain.

"What exactly is up with your friend, Ella." He inquired.

"Ella?"

"Whenever I see her, first thing, she talks to me nicely and is all shy, The next minute, she gets arrogant and insults me." He shrugged.

There was a plate of potato chips on the table so I took it and started munching it. "Ella— Adalyn, same thing. She has a special condition called D.I.D." Uh… did he say whenever I see her? Wasn't it only once or twice they had met each other?

"D.I.D? I've heard of that before. Oh, that explains it all!" He nodded, looking like he had just solved the world's most difficult puzzle.

"Do you need anything to eat? Or do you need anything from me? I won't be available for a while so don't ask me to do anything when I'm with my friends."

"What would I need from you other than you leaving my life for good." He scoffed.

"You're rude, and stupid. If you say so, bye then." I got up. I immediately missed the feeling of him beside me as I left the room. I wished I could always be in his embrace and hold him tight forever. I hated myself for being so stupid and loving this asshole like anything!

Anytime I tried to point out the bad things in him to stop myself from loving him, they always led to me seeing it from a positive side. It made me feel terrible.

The doorbell rang. The sound of the doorbell was so loud that it could be heard in the entire three-storey building. Creepy.

I used the elevator. I had grown used to it and it scared me like hell to climb or go down the stairs when there was the presence of the elevator.

I whistled till the elevator doors opened then I rushed to open the main door. I opened the door and behold, George and Beth stood there with a grin.

"Hey!" I pulled them into one hug. "I'm glad you could make it."

"Who wouldn't come when he has a chance to be in a multi-billionaire's house?" Beth admitted.

"Why wouldn't I come when I have the chance to see my chocolate-sugar."

"You should really stop with this sugary nickname. Her husband is home, I guess. He wouldn't like that." Beth warned.

George threw his hands up in surrender. "Okay, I apologize."

I nodded then laughed, ushering them in.

We got in then I went to the kitchen to get them chilled orange juice. Bella had resigned so Kaiden hired ten maids like I had asked him to. Only God knew where the hell they all were today.

I returned to them and handed a glass of the orange juice to each of them.

Beth took a gulp from the juice then spoke, "What do we do first?" She kept the glass on a table.

"Don't know." I shrugged, taking a seat beside her and placing an arm over her shoulder.

"How about we get to meet your husband and you tell us every dirty little thing you guys do at night!" She smirked.

"Beth!" George and I scolded.

"What? It's not like they're not married."

"I'm a professional at the rate at which a marriage is great so I'll let you know that their marriage will get nothing more than 20%." George said 'as a matter of factly'.

"Why'd you say so?" Beth's seriousness was evident.

"Isn't it obvious? They're both boring-ass turkeys and never even act like newly married couples anytime they're together." He took a gulp of his orange juice.

"That doesn't make—" Beth was protesting but I cut her off.

"George is right. I feel I can trust you. I'll tell you guys the truth. I badly need advice on what to do since my sister wouldn't talk to me." I lowered my head with a sigh.

"Sure you can trust us." Beth shifted closer to me.

I explained everything to them in detail.

***

After explaining my marriage story to Beth and George, they were great listeners. Though they laughed at some part of my story. I felt relieved to know that they supported me. Weird but it made me feel better.

"We should watch a movie or something, right?" George suggested.

"That sounds right. What movie would you like for us to watch?" I asked.

"You've got popcorn, right?" Beth asked.

"Definitely!" I winked.

"Let's watch—" Kaiden, appearing out of nowhere, cut George off.

"Kealey, we're going on our honeymoon." Uh… did I hear him properly?

"Excuse me, what?" I rubbed my Eustachian tube with my finger, just if there was something in there that was making me hear something else.

"Are you deaf? I said we're going on our honeymoon. Couples go on that so we're doing the same." He rolled his eyes, folding his arms over his chest.

The smirk he had on alerted me that he had something in mind for this honeymoon. The Kaiden I knew was never going to willingly go on a honeymoon with me.