Chapter. 16

{Third person's pov}

Everett stepped out of his car and opened the door for Arizona, They both walked inside the campus together.

Everett was talk of the town and everyone in the college knew him, and seeing Arizona with him people were both confused and curious.

Arizona held her bag tightly, she wasn't liking those looks from the students, and what surprised her further was Everett intertwining his fingers with hers.

She immediately looked at him but his face was all calm and composed.

“If they’re going to look anyway, let them look properly. No one here should mistake you for someone standing alone.”

His thumb brushed once against the back of her hand, small, grounding.

As they approached the administrative block, a few professors straightened immediately upon seeing him. Students moved aside almost instinctively.

Everett didn’t slow down. The authority around him was effortless.

But the moment he noticed Arizona clutching her bag tighter again, his tone softened just slightly.

“Breathe normally,” he murmured without looking at her. “You’re walking into a meeting, not a courtroom.”

Then his eyes flickered briefly toward her.

“And if anyone in there disrespects you, you let me handle it.”

He reached the office door, opened it calmly, and gestured for her to walk in first, while his hand remained firmly intertwined with hers.

There was Max and his parents and so was the head of the department. "Mr. Everett!" The man said.

"I am Max's father," He immediately forwarded his hand, Everett looked at Arizona. "I know who you are sir, Our company works for your company." Max's father added.

“I’m aware,” Everett said evenly. No apology for not shaking hands.

The atmosphere in the room shifted instantly. Max’s father slowly lowered his hand, awkwardness flashing across his face before being replaced with forced professionalism.

“Please, sit,” the HOD said nervously. Everett pulled out a chair for Arizona first before taking the seat beside her, not across, not separate.

His posture remained relaxed, one arm resting lightly against the chair while the other remained close enough that Arizona could feel his presence grounding beside her.

Then Everett’s eyes landed on Max. “So,” he said quietly, “you’re the one who thought grabbing my wife on campus was acceptable.”

Max visibly stiffened. “It was a misunderstanding...” his father started immediately.

“No,” Everett interrupted smoothly, not even raising his voice. “A misunderstanding is mistaking a schedule. Or a date.”

His gaze never left Max. “A woman saying no and trying to walk away is not difficult to understand.”

The room fell silent. Even the HOD looked uncomfortable now.

Max shifted in his seat, irritation flashing over embarrassment. “Sir, she slapped me in front of everyone...”

“And you touched her in front of everyone,” Everett replied instantly.

“You’re fortunate she stopped at a slap.” The boy’s father straightened slightly, trying to regain authority.

“Mr. Everett, boys at this age can become emotional. There is no need to escalate things over a childish matter...”

Everett finally looked at him fully. And somehow that was worse. “Your son harassed a woman repeatedly after rejection,” he said calmly. “Then physically restrained her when she attempted to leave.”

“That stopped being childish the moment she said no.”

The room fell silent the moment they left. The door clicked shut behind them, leaving only Everett, Arizona, and the visibly nervous HOD inside.

Everett remained seated for a second longer, expression unreadable. Then he turned slightly toward the HOD.

“I assume,” he said calmly, “that my wife won’t be facing disciplinary action for defending herself.”

The man straightened immediately. “O-Of course not, Mr. Everett. There seems to have been a misunderstanding regarding the reports...”

“There wasn’t,” Everett corrected smoothly. “There was pressure.”

The HOD swallowed hard. Everett didn’t continue humiliating him after that. He simply stood up.

As he adjusted the sleeve of his coat, the HOD attempted an awkward smile toward Arizona. “Miss Arizona, we hope you continue your studies comfortably.”

Everett’s eyes flickered toward the man once.

“Mrs. Everett,” he corrected automatically.

Then he looked at Arizona, his tone shifting immediately, quieter, steadier. “Ready?”

The contrast was almost unsettling. Cold with everyone else. Careful with her.

When she stood, Everett naturally took her bag from her shoulder before she could object.

“You don’t need to carry everything yourself,” he said absentmindedly, like it was the most normal thing in the world.

Then he placed his hand lightly at the small of her back, guiding her toward the door.

As they stepped outside, the tension in the corridor eased slightly, but whispers still followed.

Everett ignored them all. Until one student murmured too loudly, “That’s her husband?”

Everett stopped walking. He looked sideways at Arizona for a brief second before speaking quietly, dry amusement barely touching his tone.

“You seem disappointed.” He asked Arizona.

“People were probably expecting someone less handsome.” She replied, "And who would have thought once the most eligible bachelor is now my husband."

Everett looked at her properly then. And there it was again, that unexpected softness she managed to pull out of him without even trying.

His brows lifted slightly, almost amused. “Is that your way of saying you’re impressed?” he asked dryly as they continued walking through the corridor together.

But the corner of his mouth had already betrayed him.

A faint smile. Rare enough to make two passing students immediately stare.

“You’re also forgetting something,” he continued calmly. “Most eligible bachelors are usually unbearable.”

“I’m simply tolerable on selective days.” His hand remained steady against her back while the other carried her bag effortlessly.

The campus whispers grew quieter now, not because curiosity disappeared, but because Everett’s presence made people think twice before approaching.