Chapter 4

I couldn't help but wonder if Chase was regretting his decision. My mind buzzed as I stared at his swollen lips. My entire body was tingling as if ants were crawling all over my skin.

"I want more," I said.

Chase's Adam's apple bobbed as his eyes darkened significantly. "Anne Silva, do you know who I am?"

His low and hoarse voice was magnetic and seductive. I couldn't really process what he was saying. All I knew was that I wanted him desperately.

"Are you going to give me what I want, Chase Grant?" I demanded.

The world spun in the next second as my lips were captured in a searing kiss. A strong and warm hand slipped between my legs, pushing my skirt up. He then pulled my underwear down.

The house was empty when I woke up the next morning.

It was blatantly obvious that Chase wanted me to leave of my own accord. It made sense. He had always been cold when we met in the past, and we hadn't talked much at all. If I didn't know any better, I would have assumed that he hated me. He might have just slept with me last night because he pitied me.

My mind went blank when I noticed all the condoms in the trash bin. A wave of embarrassment crashed over me in the next second. I hastily got to my feet. I had nothing to complain about. After all, I had slept with the campus heartthrob multiple times last night.

I was utterly exhausted when I made it back to my dorm. I collapsed onto my bed and slept till the afternoon. As a result, I was still dazed when Natalie shook me awake.

"Anne, have you finished my final project for me?" she asked, becoming visibly upset when I didn't respond.

"Why are you like this? Don't tell me you forgot about me just because you got a boyfriend?"

Her questions got the attention of the other people in the dorm.

"How dare you prioritize your boyfriend over your best friend? How dare you betray me just because of a man?"

I couldn't believe how shameless she was.

Natalie had been pretty since she was young, and she was constantly surrounded by her admirers. On the other hand, I was fat and ugly when I was young. Out of the kindness of her heart, she had befriended me.

"Don't worry about them, Anne. I think you're really cute!"

Her words had essentially turned me into her slave all the way till university. The entire situation was incredibly ridiculous when I thought back on it.

I was just about to make a retort when she sighed and said, "Forget it. I guess it's not that surprising that you're obsessed with men, given your personality. You should leave the team and let me check on your boyfriend."

My temper exploded. If I left the team now, I would basically be serving all the fruits of my research to her on a silver platter. How would I get into graduate school then?

I scoffed before rising to my feet. "What do you want to check? Are you going to help me check how big he is and how long he can last?"

A deathly silence descended upon the dorm the moment the words left my lips.

Natalie's face had turned a ruddy red. "What nonsense are you spouting, Anne?"

"I meant every word that I said," I replied with a scoff. "Also, stop showing up at our dorm whenever you please!"

I got to my feet, threw the door open, and left for a meal. I hadn't eaten anything yet, which made me worried that I wouldn't have enough strength to slap Natalie across the face if a fight ended up breaking out between us.

I didn't expect to see Justin waiting downstairs. He looked tall and handsome as he cradled a gift box in his arm. He looked exceptionally eye-catching.

"Anne."

Justin walked over to me. His voice was no longer impatient like yesterday. Instead, he sounded gentle. He spoke in a comforting tone. "I've been waiting for you for a long time. I'm sorry for giving this to you so late. Don't be angry with me, okay?"

He then offered the gift box to me.

I felt sick to my stomach just thinking about what had transpired between him and Natalie last night. Not wanting to spend another second looking at him, I stepped around him and tried to walk away, only for him to grab my wrist.

I swung my hand with all my might, freeing my wrist from his grasp.

Justin arched an eyebrow. "You're still not done throwing a tantrum?"

I scoffed. "What tantrum? Didn't you understand what I meant last night? We're over."

Justin raised his eyebrow even higher, asking, "Are you sure you're willing to break up with me? Don't you want to keep working with my uncle?"

I paused.

Justin's uncle was the teacher overseeing my research, and also the teacher I wanted to study under for my graduate program. That was one of the key reasons I hadn't caused a bigger fuss last night.