Chapter 8: Chapter 8

I confidently strode down the hallway wearing a simple backless top and a short fairy skirt. Tracking down the classroom where my favorite professor was teaching. Mind the sarcasm.

Two days passed, and during that time I did not attend any class. I spent my time relaxing and catching up on some projects that have been on my mind since I returned from the Philippines. I am a fashion designer, and I have my own clothing line. Even though it was not extremely famous, I could say that it was known somehow. I have four branches, two in America and two here in the Philippines.

I didn't bother knocking and just walked into the room. Just like that, Zachary's eyes immediately met me in the middle of his teaching. His jaw tightened, and he looked at me intently.

"Ms. Rodriguez," he mumbled and looked at his watch. "Are you aware that you are thirty minutes late for my class?" He raised his eyebrow and scanned me from head to toe.

One thing I liked about this school was that they don't have a dress code. I'm free to wear whatever I want, and I could easily seduce this professor too.

"Sorry, sir. Traffic," I blurted out, and then smiled sweetly at him.

I knew he wouldn't buy my lame excuse. Anyway, I didn't bother to pay attention to that any more and just walked towards the place I wanted to sit. I made myself comfortable and glanced at him. He let out a deep breath before continuing to teach.

While Zachary was busy ahead, I couldn't avoid watching him. His features changed. His thick eyebrows are now more defined to match his eyes. I don't know if his nose is more pointed now or if it's just because of the perfect shape of his jaw. His hair is also a bit longer compared to his clean-cut haircut before. He looked like those red-flag male characters on Manhwa.

I stopped staring at him when our eyes met. Although the expression on his face was cold, the wonder in his eyes did not escape me. It was as if he was bothered that I was staring at him. I unconsciously frowned when he gently licked his bottom lip and turned his attention to his other students while discussing.

Is that a tongue piercing?

It doesn't look like it was just pierced. Knowing the healing timeframe for it, that must have been there even before we met.

I thought he didn't like those things?

"Hi?"

The person next to me caught my attention when he spoke softly to my side. There was shame on his face as he carefully held his neck. He smiled at me and then extended his hand.

"I'm Kiyel.   You are?"   he introduced.

I couldn't help but laugh because there was a trace of shyness on his face. He's handsome, although he has soft features compared to Zachary. I smiled back at him and extended my hand.

"Atasha," I stated, shaking hands with him.

"You're new?" he tried to confirm that I had immediately nodded.

"You? You've been studying here for a long time?" I asked and leaned in my chair to talk to him better.

He shook his head slowly. "Actually, I'm also new here," he said. "I guess luck is on my side; I am meant to be in the same class as yours." He chuckled.

I jokingly rolled my eyes at him and then laughed. "Try hard, Kiyel. You can't take me to such an extreme. I'm too immune to sugarcoated pick up lines."

"Such a frank." He held his chest, acting like he's hurt.

I shrugged. "Well, at least you're now aware that those kinds of lines don't affect me."

"You're making me a playboy, Atasha," he uttered, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Aren't you?" I let out a soft laugh.

"You're hurting my ego, lady. I am dead serious right here, the moment my eyes laid at you I know you're the one," he said and winked at me.

We both laughed at what he said.

"That's cringe—"  I stopped speaking when a figure stepped between Kiyel and me.

I quickly looked up and saw Zachary's dark face. "Maybe you both want to listen to my class?"

Kiyel immediately adjusted his seat and apologized. Zachary didn't say a word to him and just stared intently before shifting his gaze to me, menacingly.

"You're two days absent, Ms. Rodriguez. Now you're just coming in to chat with the person next to you?" There was a trace of annoyance in his tone.

I slightly pouted my lips and bent sensually. "I'm sorry, professor," I uttered and rested an arm on my chair, placing my jaw on top while gazing up at him. "Did you wait for me?" I murmured.

His jaw clenched. His eyes didn't escape my sight, which quickly passed through the middle of my chest that are now slightly exposed in front of him. He averted his eyes and licked his lips.

"Sit properly, Ms. Rodriguez, and fvcking listen to my class," he said coldly and walked back to the front of the class.

I smirked and followed his order with a smile. Our eyes met again as he continued discussing his lesson. The threat didn't go away, even though I didn't know what it was for.

A few more minutes passed, and the class finally ended. The others started to leave, while some were still organizing their things. A touched broke my stare as I watched Zachary. It was Kiyel. He smiled and handed me his cell phone, even though I could see a little shyness on his face.

"Can I get your number? Just for some school project, miss," he said.

I couldn't help but laugh, and then I took his phone. "Make sure you pass, mister," I joked while scribbling my number.

I was about to return it when a hand grabbed it in the air. It was Zachary. Kiyel's expression was shocked while I raised my eyebrows in wonder.

What is he doing?

"This is not her number," he said, and he started typing on the phone.

My mouth fell open, and my eyes widened at his point. "Are you saying that I'm a lia—" My words were cut off when he glanced at me with his cold gaze.

"That is not your number, Ms. Rodriguez," he said in a dismissive tone before giving the phone back to Kiyel.

I just blinked while watching him.

"She's my fiancée's sister; I know her number," he said nonchalantly and looked back at me.

Excuse me? How dare he say that f*cking thing? It's better for me to be introduced as an adopted child than that Satan's sister.

"Let's go, Atasha. Your father is asking us for dinner." He didn't wait for me to answer and just pulled me on my arms.

My brain almost exploded at what to think first. Kiyel, who was left behind, and his intervention, or what he said my father was calling us.

"Stop dragging me, Zachary," I hissed when I composed myself.

We are now walking out of the campus, and he was still holding me. I could feel the tightness on his grip, even though his hand was a little bit careful. He ignored what I said and continued walking to the parking lot as he dragged me with him. I'm almost thankful that I'm wearing sneakers today and not heels, cause I might sunk into the road.

"I have my own car, Zachar—" I couldn't finish what I was going to say when he suddenly stopped and faced me darkly.

"Hop in," he said with authority, and opened the passenger seat of his car.

I couldn't help but be annoyed. "I said I have my own car, Zachary. I also know the address of our house, so there's no need for the two of us to go together."

I caught my breath when he towered over me, sending his death glares directly into my eyes. "Are you going to get in or I'll fuck you here?"

My eyes instantly widened. He took that opportunity to put me in the car and carelessly closed the door. He quickly turned around in the driver's seat and silently started the car.

"This is none of our business, Zachary!" I was pissed when I recovered from the shock.

I noticed the tightening of his grip on the steering wheel even though he didn't look at me.

"Oh, my God. You even tricked Kiyel!" I fanned myself with my hands in anger.

I couldn't take it. He's acting like a madman, and I couldn't understand him at all!

He doesn't like me, and he doesn't love me even more. We're just basically fuck buddies. He needs my body, while I need him to get revenge.

"And what? You made some number, and that's what was given to him—" I shrieked when he suddenly stepped on the break. "Fuck you!" I cursed.

He looked at me darkly. The vein in his neck almost burst from the annoyance.

"What? Are you done tasting me? That's why you're now looking for another man, Atasha?"

My jaw dropped at his statement. I couldn't move or speak at all. I kept repeating what he said in my mind.

"What the hell are you saying?" I asked when I got my composure back.

He scoffed and shook his head. "Stop acting innocent, Atasha. I know you're flirting with him. Why? Are you not satisfied anymore?"

I blinked several times. "What?" I asked with a frown.

He didn't speak. He just shook his head once again, like he was disappointed at something, and continued maneuvering the car.

"Where are we going? This is not the way to the house," I said when I noticed the route we were taking.

"Keep your mouth shut, Atasha, or else I'll put my cóck there to keep you silent, you little whore."