Chapter 3

The digital clock on Lauren’s phone flipped to 6:00 PM just as she reached the third floor of the faculty building.

Exact to the minute. Saktong-sakto, dahil alam niyang ayaw ni Dr. Anne Clair Montgomery sa mga taong huli kahit isang segundo lang.

Ang hallway ay madilim na at tahimik, maliban sa liwanag na nanggagaling sa ilalim ng pinto ni Anne. Kumatok si Lauren nang dalawang beses.

"Come in," rinig niyang sagot mula sa loob.

When Lauren pushed the door open, the room smelled different tonight—less like clinical morning coffee and more like rich, dark espresso and a hint of expensive vanilla jasmine perfume.

Anne wasn't wearing her formal blazer anymore. Sinuot niya ang isang oversized, soft knit cream sweater na nakatupi hanggang siko, and her hair was loosely pinned up with a simple silver claw clip.

She looked softer, less like an untouchable academic deity and more human.

"Good evening, Dr. Montgomery," Lauren said, putting down her heavy backpack near the door.

Anne looked up from a massive stack of vintage blueprint architectural scans spread across her desk. She checked her minimalist wrist watch, then locked eyes with Lauren.

"Excellent timing, Miss Miller. Punctuality is a structural necessity in my office."

A small, confident smirk played on Lauren's lips. "Sabi ko naman sa inyo, Doc. I don't miss deadlines."

"We'll see if that confidence holds up tonight," Anne murmured, gesturing toward a smaller wooden table placed directly adjacent to her desk.

On it was a high-end desktop monitor, an empty coffee mug, and a tall stack of historical reference books.

"That’s your workstation. Your primary task tonight is to cross-reference the 1920s heritage building restoration plans with our modern seismic code updates."

Lauren walked over and sat down. When she pulled the chair in, she realized just how close their desks were.

Kung iuunat niya ang kamay niya, madali niyang maaabot ang tasa ni Anne. The proximity made her throat suddenly feel dry.

"I need you to look for specific structural anomalies in the archival data, Lauren," Anne continued, her voice dropping into that smooth, low cadence she used when she was deeply focused.

She stood up and walked over to Lauren’s table, leaning over the back of Lauren's chair to point at the computer screen.

"Look at this paragraph here. The original engineers used unreinforced masonry walls. I need you to calculate the exact structural reinforcement required without altering the historical facade."

Because Anne was leaning over her, Lauren could feel the subtle warmth radiating from the older woman's body.

The soft fabric of Anne's cream sweater brushed lightly against the shoulder of Lauren’s denim jacket.

Every time Anne exhaled, the faint scent of vanilla jasmine drifted past Lauren’s face, completely distracting her from the numbers on the screen.

Lauren swallowed hard, forcing her eyes to stay glued to the monitor. "G-Gagamitan ba natin ng carbon fiber wrapping, Doc? Or steel plate bonding?"

Anne paused.

She noticed the slight tremor in Lauren’s voice, and when she looked down, she saw how stiffly Lauren was holding her shoulders.

A knowing, dangerous look passed through Anne’s eyes, but she didn't step back.

Instead, she leaned in just a fraction closer, her breath warm against the shell of Lauren’s ear.

"What do you think, Miss Miller?" Anne whispered softly, her professional tone suddenly laced with a quiet, magnetic intimacy.

"You're the one who likes breaking conventional rules. Tell me how you'd save a fragile structure from collapsing."