“How did you know about this?” Thea asked her voice coming out hard and defensive. Lucian smiled at her and leaned back with a satisfied grin on his face. He caught her. And he knew it… “Let’s just say that I have my own network.” He said, “As soon as I heard your lectures, I knew that you were the head behind ‘Boundless’. The best outreach program in the country.” He announced, his praise sounding like nails grating against glass to her ears. He could distinguish this merely from her voice. She knew she should have had someone else teach those online lessons for the program. Now her identity was out there. If Lucian unmasked her, who knew who else would be able to tell who she was? “Is this why you came to my lectures?” She asked feeling her skin prickle and somehow the room grew smaller around them. Since when did the restaurant feel so empty? Since when did his gaze turn from sexy to terrifying? Or was it always like this and she was only too intoxicated to realize it?
Lucian silently watched as Thea walked into her house closing the door behind her, then he started his car and drove away from the house trying not to clench the steering wheel so hard.He screwed up… He screwed up big time and he needed to do some damage control.With the way things are right now, he would be lucky if she agrees to remain his friend from now on. Not to mention his wife…Anger rose within him as he remembered her face when he mentioned “Boundless”. He had underestimated the hold that program had on her. It was almost a dirty move to play on her seeing how she reacted.Damn, he even reduced her to tears and managed to wound her pride twice since they met. What kind of screwed-up plan was he following?!Lucian sped up the road heading toward the coast. He needed to clear his head a little. Maybe that would help. Or maybe it won’t and he would keep screwing things up with her.As he reached the place, his phone rang and he sighed looking at the screen.“It’s a total bu
Lucian slowly helped the woman into the bench noting how pale she still was. He was worried that her condition might be more serious than they anticipated. If only she would let him take her to the hospital. But he could tell that she was a highly stubborn person and tied not to get on her bad side by insisting. He watched as she rubbed her stomach for a few moments then an Idea sprung to his mind. “Give me a minute. I will park my car and be right back,” He told her and jigged off toward his car which was still blocking the empty street. Hurriedly parking the car near the portable coffee shop at the end of the park, he got off and quickly made his order. Maybe this will help settle her down a little bit if his guess is right. If it doesn’t, he will take her to the hospital. He watched from afar as he walked toward her. She pressed her hand against her mouth and her body convulsed as if she was trying to stop herself from dryheaving. Yupp… This was definitely what he thought it
“I am sorry to keep you waiting,” Lucian said as he made his way into the dean’s office.The older man looked up at him through his rimmed glasses and smiled.“That’s quite alright, I heard the details from James. Sorry that my granddaughter caused you so much trouble,” He said standing up and shaking his hand,Lucian was taken aback for a moment. Lucian barely got the information that the woman he met was the dean’s granddaughter. As expected for a man who runs the campus.He needed to be wary of him.“Not at all. I am glad that she seems to be doing well now,” Lucian answered with a professional smile.“Well then, let’s finally talk about this program. I can see that you finally made it happen.” “Yes, It took a few years of work. But we can finally sign on it…” Lucian said with a smile.“Although we might be signing on it. Research is a long time commitment, don’t expect too much too soon.” The dean said eyeing him with a serious look on his face and Lucian then smiled at him.“Thi
A few days later, Lucian found himself sitting in the lecture hall, staring at Thea as she animatedly explained how the relations between cells work to an engaged audience.He had known that he was late for the meeting and Haden had filled him in before disappearing off with that other professor.But he still wanted to come for the chance of meeting her again. She was already nominated by her seniors to lead the project. And from what he heard, this class wasn’t even hers to teach, and she was informed to fill in last minute. Something he learned from the receptionist who looked concerned after talking to her department head.Clearly, the man had a problem with not being chosen as the lead researcher for this project and was playing silly games on Thea. She didn’t look like she was filling in though. She was completely in her element.He looked around the hall for a few moments, he could note a few male students whose eyes followed her around like lost puppies. He was pretty sure that
“Here you go…”Lucian wanted to laugh so hard as he watched Thea’s expression as she looked from him to his car. But instead, he calmly maintained the door open for her.“We didn’t say anything about not driving together. Besides, Taking two cars in rush hour is kind of a waste of time don’t you think?” He explained and she raised one eyebrow.He smiled at her reaching out to her hand then slowly tugged waiting for her to walk toward the car. She reluctantly went along with him her delicate and elegans steps like a gently breeze passing by him and making him yearn for more.“You can’t have it your way all the time, you know…” She grumbled.“I already know that. I’m just trying to take whatever I can get away with for now. It’s going to be a long battle,” He admitted and she rolled her eyes in exasperation.She thought he was joking around… He wasn’t.“So… Where to?” He asked.“So now you’re asking for my opinion?” She retorted good naturedly.“You’re the one who knows these surroundin
“... Partiality is a real concern when it comes to academic research. I am sure that even your department suffers from backlash over things like this hence the obvious effort the dean was making for transparency,” Lucian said barging into the conversation.The meeting was going smoothly as they tried to determine who was going to be joining their program but he just had to disrupt the equilibrium.He didn’t know why he was doing this. He had spent the last few days agonizing over how to approach Thea and ask her what he had been meaning to ask for a while now. Deciding to come to this meeting even though his presence wasn’t necessary was partly because he simply wanted to see her after the accident.But when she came into the room, unlike how he anticipated seeing her for days, her eyes barely rested on him as she moved on to talk to Haden, which irritated him.“Lu-! I mean Mr. Salvator! That’s a rude thing to say!” Haden said looking at him as if he grew a second head. And maybe he d
“AAAh I’m an idiot…” Thea said with a deep sigh as she hung upside down on the couch. Peter passed by her avoiding her legs and walked over to his desk completely ignoring her. “Everybody, an idiot is right here, call that police…” Pen commented from her place on the couch in front of her and Thea wanted to sink deeper into despair. “What’s her deal anyway?” Pen asked “She’s been like that since she came back from dinner with Lucian Salvator,” Peter answered not bothering to look up from his paperwork. “Ugh… I feel like my brain is dissolving away from idiocy overload,” She said with a deep sigh burying her face into the cushion. “Woah, this must be serious… she’s in full breakdown mode,” Pen said, “What did you do to embarrass yourself this much,” Peter asked and Thea sighed again remembering that night. “Ugh… It’s just that it’s been a very stressful week. Lucian was joking around like always…” She lied omitting the proposal thing altogether, She was still unable to summon
“Oh lord…” Thea mumbled as she closed her eyes looking down at the book in her hands barely seeing the words.“Did you say something?” Lucian asked as he leaned forward on the kitchen counter to look at her.“No, nothing,” she said with a smile, and he nodded, going back to preparing whatever it is that he was preparing.Thea stole another glance at him, feeling her heartbeat faster at the sight of him in his unbuttoned shirt and waistcoat hugging his muscles in a perfect fit that made her almost swoon. It had been like this since she got back from the hospital, so much that it had gotten unbearable.At first, Lucian was simply more attentive, especially since she was having trouble dealing with the pain from moving around. He had been adamant about not leaving her alone to the point of intending to sleep on the chair bestie her!In the end, he slept the whole night on the bed beside her on top of the covers when she insisted that he shouldn’t sleep on the chair. He didn’t touch her n
For a while, it was quiet. An absolute quietness that was both peaceful and disturbing. There were moments like flashes when voices would reach her sometimes calling her name and sometimes talking amongst each other. But she was never able to pull through long enough to truly know what was going on.It was by the time that her awareness grew more alert when she heard them. The two distinct voices she knew so well.“How could you let this happen?! How could you when she was right beside you?!”“When are you going to stop blaming others for your own problems? You lost Thea because you acted like you could control her. Stop trying to blame me and start trying to figure out how to redeem yourself!”These words were followed by the distinct sound of a slap. And even in her sleep, Thea would later realize what truly went on that day.“…”“Are you alright?” Another voice asked.“Yeah… can you go check on him?”The silence that followed after that was deafening. Thea tried shifting her hand a
“You didn’t answer my question,” Lucian said in the same calm tone as if this man hadn’t just threatened to violate her in front of him. “Who. Is. Behind. You” Lucian enunciated each word coming out of his mouth.Thea’s eyes moved away from the sight before her to look at Lucian’s hands. They were clenched in tight fists that she could distinguish through the darkness. She didn’t need to doubt whether or not Lucian was provoked by this man’s words. Because she could feel the rage coursing through his tight muscles ready to spring out at a moment’s notice.The man paused looking at Lucian with a blank face, the smile completely gone as he looked at him. Thea thought for a moment that he was going to turn violent when he simply asked.“Why? Are you going to pay me more than them?” He asked.Thea felt instant relief when the man said that, if he could be convinced with money, then…“If we can reach a deal,” Lucian answered, and the man smirked.Something was wrong, seriously wrong. His e
Thea's head felt as if it was going to split in pain as she began to regain her consciousness. She groaned and tried to shift wondering why she was having another hangover when she didn't even remember drinking. That's when the memory of her last moment of consciousness hit her brutally like a slap.Thea opened her eyes frantically looking around her. In a panicked move that did nothing but kick her back to the concrete ground with a hard thud as her hands remained tied behind her back unable to do anything to block the impact.The air got knocked from her lungs and she gritted her teeth looking around her trying to distinguish where she was only to hear a voice from near her."Hey... It's okay, don't move abruptly,"Thea turned around and felt her eyes well up with tears as she looked into the blue eyes she had been trying so hard to avoid for more than a month."What happened?" She asked as she tried to sit up this time succeeding as she maneuvered herself up."We were kidnapped. I
"What the hell did you just do?" Thea looked back at her friend to find her looking at her with a deep frown as she held her phone in her hand mid-gesture as if she was too shocked to continue what she was doing."I asked him to leave..." Thea answered simply and Pen sighed."I know. I was there. But why would you do this? He came all the way here from his meeting and raised hell because they took you in like this,""Well. that's all pretense. We're supposed to be a loving couple after all. I just don't want him involved too much in my problems," Thea stated as she turned around intending to walk outside."Are you okay with this?" Pen asked."Of course. This is for the best," She stated feeling a pang in her chest at the words she uttered.Somehow, she could see Lucian's blue gaze as it filled with hurt when she asked him to leave. His face as he looked up at her on the stairs telling her that he wanted to be with her. "Are you sure you're okay with this? Didn't you go a bit too far
Everything was a lie… Every single thing. Every moment, every word, and every touch. Even the sincere moments of consolation that drew out her strength, and the silly fights over small things. It was all a well-orchestrated scheme to make her hopelessly fall in love. How ridiculous is that? Just how much effort did it have to take to make her believe this? A pang rang through Thea’s chest as she felt the moment of realization she had been avoiding for more than a month draw near. “Did you hear what I just said, Professor Keaton?” The detective asked and Thea looked at him a bit out of it trying to gather her thoughts. “Sorry, can you repeat that?” She asked as she looked at him. “I was asking if you knew something about the money. Your uncle keeps insisting that you used it for illegal activities and we can’t find any trace of it in your accounts,” the detective said making Thea sigh. “As I said for the fifth time. There are no unusual activities and the money went to charity,” s
"Professor... Professor Keaton!" Thea was startled as she looked back at her student who was looking at her with a worried expression on her face."Yes... Sorry, I was lost in thought for a moment there," She said with a soft smile."You seem more tired after coming from your honeymoon, Professor. Are you sure that you're okay?" She insisted and Thea smiled at the young woman and nodded."Of course, I was just thinking about something. did you want something?" She asked."Oh, yes. There was another bouquet for you from your husband. I left it in your new office, and the data from last week's tests are out," She said with a sly smile as she handed her the results printed on a document.As she looked down at it to find a little envelope on top."This is.." She began only to find her student already walking away with a grin."Came with the flowers!" She announced as she disappeared into the other side of the lab.She lifted the envelope to find her name written on it with the distinct
Lucian woke up with a start as his hand slipped from the edge of the table making him lose his equilibrium. Looking around him, he sighed when he realized that he was still sitting in the kitchen with the lights on waiting before his silent phone.He had returned home that evening from work eager to try and have dinner with Thea, knowing that she should be home before him. As he waited and waited, he realized that Thea was probably dining outside and had his meal in lonely silence mulling over how to win her over again.Walking through the house, he sighed at the unfamiliarity of the place. It was a new house even for him. A place he had been hoping to live in with her. Now that he was, he realized that just living with her was never going to be enough. Because even though she was by his side, she felt farther away than when she disappeared last month.Reaching for his phone, he took a deep breath and tapped the screen calling her phone. The call went straight to voicemail. Worry star
Thea walked into the coffee shop looking around for her friend. She waved at her from across the room, and as she was walking toward her, she could see that she wasn't alone.Thea paused giving an exasperated sigh as she glared at the grinning, other person, who wasn't supposed to be there. Instead of looking guilty or even bothered, he smiled at her and lifted his cup in greeting.Thea looked at the door ready to walk outside, but the sight of the mint tea waiting for her on the table made her hesitate. Making a split-moment decision, she gave in to temptation and sat down reaching for the cup and inhaling the fresh herbal scent."Told you that the tea would be a good bait..." Peter said with a smirk and Pen sighed."Sorry. He insisted on coming as soon as he knew that we were meeting," She said.Thea took a sip from her tea and savored it completely ignoring the two."Well, she's not answering my calls and she's never in her office when I visit. If I go to her house, Lucian will pro