DAMON

Everyone stilled.

My tone changed, more formal, more sharp.

"By friday, I'll be selecting a student to serve as my class assistant. This role will include helping with grading, compiling student presentations, and organizing notes for the upcoming exams."

Murmurs rippled across the room.

"A notice will be posted by that Friday, stating who it will be," i added, scanning the room.

My eyes flicked past everyone... then rested on her.

Barely a second.

"I expect punctuality, responsibility... and silence during lectures."

I didn't say her name, but the emphasis was clear.

When the bell rang, everyone started packing up.

I packed my things and went straight to my office.

Aria.

She looked different today.

She wasn't in her usual Jeans and top, but she was wearing a long dress that clinched to her body.

She's been coming late to class. It's becoming a habit.

Is it because my class was her first class in the morning?

What was she staying up late for, is she partying out with boys?

I felt like punishing her, like removing her from my class.

But if my wife were here, she'd tell me to forgive the younglings.

"We're supposed to teach them, not yell at them" she'd say.

Rose.

My dear Rose.

"There was an accident on the main bridge"

"You wife... was in the accident, her car went through the bridge and into the water"

I was in my office that day, an important board meeting, and as the CEO and owner of Carter & co legal group, i had to be there.

She had told me to drive her, but i couldn't. I was too busy at the office.

"It seemed like it was planned" Will had said.

I had enemies everywhere, but at the time i had just one person who had threatened me.

My old partner.

It was my fault she died. It was all my fault.

I miss my wife.

I can't keep fantasizing about a kid.

It had been 5 years and i still wasn't wasn't over my wife.

I can't even bring myself to go to her grave.

I was deep in thoughts when a knock came through my door.

I leaned back in my chair and breathed before saying "come in".

The door swung open and Will came inside.

Williams Caviar.

My right hand man. My best friend. Rose's Brother.

"Hey professor" he said with a sly smug on his face.

"Will, what brings you here?" i asked.

"Can't a friend come visit" he said seating down on the chair opposite mine.

"What are you really doing here William" I asked, my voice stiff. I rarely use his full name.

"The company is drowning" he said with a serious look.

"And?" i asked uninterested.

"What do you mean "And"?. Do you know what it took to build up your company worth billions?" he said.

I had nothing to say, i just fiddled with the pen in my hand.

"Look Damon, i get it, you're still grieving your wife, she's my sister too"

I gave a half laugh, half scoff.

"She wouldn't want you to waste your life, seeking after revenge like this" he continued.

"Well, she's not here to tell me that" i said dryly.

"You have to come back to work. You spent 4 years oversees, drowning in self pity, looking for an invisible man" he said with... pity.

"Then you came back, i thought you were done mourning. Just for you to come to this school" he said gesturing his hands around my office.

"Did you come here to sweet talk me into going back to the company, Will? Because if so, i wont."

"Oh, how the mighty has fallen" he said, his voice sharp.

"Look..." i tried to say.

"The investors are withdrawing, we lost 15 million last month and another 10 million last week. The boards are worried" he countered.

I sighed, readjusted the tie on my neck which suddenly felt too tight.

Pressure.

So much pressure.

"If you have nothing else to say, you can leave Will" i said turning my face away from his.

"I will leave, but i'll be back"

He stood up and turned toward the door to leave. But as his hands touched the door knob, he paused and looked over his shoulder, then he spoke again. Words that seemed like venom.

"Have you even visited her grave?"

As he got no reply from me, he shook his head in disappointment.

"I thought so. Coward"

Then he opened the door and left.

Coward.

I wasn't used to being called such things. Maybe i had indeed been a coward.

'oh, how the mighty has fallen' his razor sharp words rang in my head.

I dragged my chair backwards and stood up. Took my suit jacket and wore it.

I took my office bag. And then i left the office.

I walked through the hallway of the school, heading towards the car lot.

When i made a turn, i saw Aria.

She looked at me but i dragged my gaze away from her and walked past her like she didn't exist.

I didn't have the time to fawn over her. I had other important things, other important people.

I got to my car and drove straight to my mansion.

The moment i got into the house... the house i hadn't been in... in days because it reminded me of her.

The interior design, the couch style, the painting.

Everything was her idea.

I gave her everything she wanted, and yet, i took everything away from her, her life.

I dragged my feet up the stairs as i traced my hands through the stair's wooden railing.

The one she had picked.

I stopped at the top of the stair and looked at her... her picture, it was as if i was staring right at her.

Finally i got to the bedroom. The bed, the curtains, her vanity set was still there, her wardrobe. I hadn't touched it or removed it. I didn't let the maids touch it too.

I didn't have the heart to remove her things from the room... our room.

I couldn't.

ARIA

I was home alone after thursday's classes. Everyone was anticipating who the new class assistant would be.

I sat on my bed, my legs crossed, surrounded by half eaten snacks.

I was on my laptop.

I was supposed to be studying, but instead, i was on my laptop watching a video on youtube that says: how to read a man's body language.

Not like i needed that specific knowledge.

And it's totally not because i was trying to figure out if professor Carter's jaw clench and look yesterday meant anger or something else.

I sighed and removed my socks from my leg and threw it on the bed. The sock bounced and landed on the pizza box from last night.

"God i really need to get my life together" i groaned and rolled on the bed.

My phone beeped and i checked, it was a text from Laura... i mean who else do i really know?

Laura: Are you alive? Or buried under textbooks... call me.

I smiled softly but i didn't reply to her text immediately.

I leaned on my bed frame.

"Why wouldn't i just fall for a normal guy?" I muttered to myself.

'Wait. Fall?'

'Did I say fall? That's impossible'

I can't fall for professor Carter. He is my... professor.

Was that my only excuse? So what if he wasn't my professor, would i fall for him then?

No no no.

Ugh.

I closed my laptop and headed downstairs because i thought i heard voices.

Maybe it was Laura and the maids trying to put food in my fridge.

But when i got there, i was met with a warm look, red eyes... eyes just like mine.

The only other person i've seen with red eyes... my father.

"Dad?" i managed to say.

"Aria, my dear" he said as he hugged me tightly.

"Oh my God, dad, what are you doing here?" i asked, stunned.

"I came to see my daughter after 5 years and she's asking why i'm here', i'm a little hurt" he smiled.

"No dad, that's not what i meant" i said, hugging him again, "i'm really glad you came"

"I have missed you Aria" he said with his hand on my chin, "you look just like your mother"

"You always say that, but i took your eyes" i said holding his hands.

"Please come upstairs dad, there's plenty of rooms, i'll arrange one for you immediately" i said and was walking away but i stopped in my tracks when he said,

"I can't"

My heart broke, i knew that he couldn't. The reason he was here was because of... saturday.

The anniversary of my mother's death... five years ago.

But he never once went to see her at the real date. He always came earlier.

He seemed like he was hiding, or hiding something. He never told me where he was, he never calls. Just occasional indirect messages and a bank account filled with money.

"Dad, why are you doing this?" i said, hurt.

"It's not something you should worry about, Aria. And maybe in due time, you'll find out"

"Dad..."

"I have to go Aria. I love you." He said already walking out.

I followed him.

"I love you too dad" i replied in a slightly higher tone.

He turned back and smiled at me. The he went into his car.

He has a lot of body guards... too many. What were they protecting him from?

It feels like i would never find out.

I went back upstairs and slept on my bed.

Everything was too overwhelming for me. I lost my mother five years ago, and my father pretty much went into hiding.

I tried to think of what it could be. What the problem was, but couldn't.

I might be smart academically, but i didn't have foresight.

'I can't go into the past and find out what happened'

'I can't read my father's mind either'

"This is all so frustrating and infuriating" i groaned but my eyes stung a little.

I tried to blink the growing tears away.

I tried not to think too much about the whole situation, but sleep finally took me in.

*

*

*

"Aria" i heard someone call my name.

"Aria"

"Wake up" the hands tugged on me gently.

I slowly opened my eyes to see the intruder.

"What do you want Laura" i asked my voice hoarse.

"Let me sleep" i whined, pulling the sheets up my body.

She pulled the sheets back down and dragged me off of the bed.

"What do your want" i groaned.

"Wake up, i'm bored" she said in a pitiful tone.

"You woke me up because you're bored?" i asked, but she only grinned at me.

"What happened to your boyfriend... Jack"

"His name is Diego, Aria... DIEGO"

"Whatever, leave me aloneeee"

"If you don't get up, i'll go downstairs and take all the boxes of clothes and shoes i spotted on my way up" she said.

"Wait, what?"

"You didn't know, did someone break in?" she said with a worried look, "Wait, no... that isn't right. Do you have a secret admirer?"

"I highly doubt that" i muttered, more to myself than her.

I stood up and rushed to the bed again.

"ARIA!!"

"You can go pick anything you like in there, they're from my father. He came earlier" i said half asleep.

"Woah, he did? Your dad is so mysterious"

"I know right"

"Anyways, can i use your laptop?"

"Sure" i said absentmindedly.

Then it dawned on me. I didn't close my search tab. Once she opens the laptop she is going to see what i was googling.

I sprang from the bed and went for the laptop before she could reach it.

She looked at me with suspicious eyes and asked what i was hiding.

I opened the laptop and quickly deleted my search history.

"Wait, were you watching porn?" she asked, narrowing her eyes at me, then her phone dinged.

"Is that Jack" i said teasingly.

"Diegooo. Check your phone, they posted in our class forum that professor Carter has chosen his new class assistant"

I rushed to get my phone and clicked on our school's app, then scrolled through the forum to find who he had chosen.

The name was written in caps lock.

ARIA GIOVANNI.

ARIA

The next day i was literally sprinting to school so i wouldn't be late for my literature class.

My heart slammed against my ribs as i tried to control my breathing.

Professor Carter.

He chose me as his class assistant.

"But why?" i said in a low whisper.

When i finally made it to the class. He wasn't there yet.

'i'm early. Thank fuck'

I couldn't wait for Laura because i didn't want to be late.

I was looking for a seat when i noticed that my coursemates were staring at me.

"That's her" one pointed in my direction.

Oh no.

I didn't even think of the outcome and what people would think.

Professor Carter who ignores every female student that comes his way, professors too.

Suddenly chooses someone like me.

They would think i have some kind of connections with the professor.

The thought of the... "connections" sent a shiver down my spine.

I found a seat in the second row and settled in it. The girl next to me, crossed her arms, scoffed and rolled her eyes when she saw me.

God.

This is hell.

Just Wednesday here, nobody knew me. But now, everybody does.

They didn't just know, all the girl's pretty much hate me and the boys would think i have an illicit relationship with the professor.

Basically making me a slut.

Just great professor, out of everyone to send on a death row, it just had to be me.

James came into class and sat besides me.

Finally. A familiar face.

He gave me a warm smile as he set his bag aside.

"I told you he would pick me" he said with a grin.

I gave him a forced smile to hide my despair.

Just then professor Carter walked in. Professional as always.

Neatly tailored and ironed suit. His slick back hair. Neatly shaved beards, a wristwatch that seemed like it could buy my whole house. His black belt and it's golden buckle.

He removed his suit jacket and placed it with his bag, then he rolled his sleeves up.

Fuck.

I was staring. So was every other girl in the class.

The boys are probably rolling their eyes.

I spotted Laura at the other side of the class, when she saw me she used her hand to fan herself and rolled her eyes in like she was about to pass out.

That was her way of telling me "the professor is damn hot"

Then he spoke.

"Is it just me or is it summer already" he smiled.

That gave him a few chuckles and girls that were literally moaning to his voice.

I bet they were getting off of the thought of him. Why did i suddenly want to do that too?

No. No. No.

My face was heating up. I looked up and saw him staring at me for a brief second and i quickly turned my gaze to James who was looking at me suspiciously.

What the fuck.

"Before we start, i hear some of you uave... concerns about my new class assistant" he said with his back turned.

"Miss Giovanni has been the top student in literature since her first year, she also excels in other subjects. Her academic record is clean... perfect... one might say" he glanced through the whole class, waiting for someone to object him.

When no one did, he continued,

"If anyone here has a problem with that or think that he or she can compete with her academic skills, please... speak up"

The class was death silent. Nobody said anything.

They couldn't.

The professor wasn't wrong.

"Good" he smiled. "Let's begin"

He taught the class smoothly, talking about why villains aren't really villains.

He was emphasizing on the assignment he last gave us.

When the hour was almost up he spoke about the assignments.

"Most of you has passed the assignment, which is 30% of your cumulative GPA. I can't be any prouder of my students"

The students gave a sigh of relief when they heard him. Then he continued teaching.

After a few more minutes, the hour was finally up.

The students packed their bags and was already walking out the class.

James was holding me, guiding me outside when the professors voice cut through the air.

"Miss Giovanni"

I stopped, so did my breath.

"My office. Now"

James gave me a worried look. But i could tell that James was already suspecting me and the professor.

I waved him goodbye and followed professor Carter to his office.

I entered first into his office and when he came in, i heard the door shut softly... and then... click.

He locked the door.

I tried to turn around to face him but he was already standing in front of me.

He was so close that i couldn't breathe.

My heart was thudding painfully against my ribs as i slowly raised my eyes up to meet his.

His gaze was different. Soft.

His green eyes piercing in the very thing that made me whole.

"Aria..." his voice deadly low.

"Yes professor" i said, still staring at him.

I didn't think i would be able to hold his eyes for longer than five seconds, but i think i did.

Because it felt like we've been staring at each other for the past five minutes.

He brought his hands up and removed a strand of hair from my face, then he cupped my face.

He used his thumb and index to finger hold my chin up.

I swallowed hard.

"Do you do this on purpose?" he asked, his voice calm.

"Do what?" i asked.

But he didn't answer.

His gaze flicked to my lips, then he gently rubbed his thumb against my lower lips.

Heat was curling up inside me. My whole body tingled.

I pressed my legs together because my pussy was aching.

I've never met a man that turns me on with one touch and his voice.

He leaned in, closer to my face.

Our lips were mere inches apart. If i lift my feet up, we'd be kissing already.

"You don't know what you do to me, Aria" his fresh minty breath, fanned my face.