Chapter 7

"Good morning, class," Anne said, her voice echoing smoothly across the concrete walls of the lecture hall.

"Today, we will be diving into the structural mechanics of historical restoration. I expect everyone read the pre-lecture materials I uploaded last night."

Naglapat ang mga labi ni Lauren habang nakatingin sa harap.

Knowing what they actually did last night—which was far from just reading materials—made her chest tighten.

Pilit niyang pinanatili ang kaniyang seryosong mukha, as kung wala silang pinagsamang lihim mula sa nakaraang madaling araw.

Anne adjusted her reading glasses, opening a digital roster on her tablet. Isang pamilyar at nakakalokong sulyap ang dumaan sa mga mata ng propesor bago niya binalik ang kaniyang seryosong awra.

"Let's start with a quick assessment," Anne announced, her tone clinical and cold. "Miss Miller. Let's see if your analytical skills are awake today."

Lahat ng kaklase ni Lauren ay sabay-sabay na napalingon sa kaniya. Rinig ang mahihinang buntong-hininga ng relief mula sa paligid dahil hindi sila ang unang tinarget ng kilabot na doktor.

Lauren stood up slowly. She braced her hands against the wooden desk, forcing her shoulders to stay relaxed. Sinubukan niyang ibalik ang kaniyang signature na mapangahas na titig, pero sa pagkakataong ito, may kasama nang kakaibang kaba.

"Yes, Dr. Montgomery?" Lauren replied, ensuring her voice didn't crack.

"In historical restoration, when dealing with ancient timber-framed structures that have sustained significant environmental degradation, what is the primary risk of using standard modern epoxy injections for reinforcement?" Anne asked. She leaned slightly against the podium, crossing her arms as she stared intently at Lauren. She was clearly testing her poise, waiting to see if Lauren would crumble after their intimate morning counter-attack.

Lauren caught the underlying challenge. Alam niyang sinusubukan siya ni Anne kung kaya pa ba niyang maging ang matapang na estudyante sa harap ng maraming tao pagkatapos ng nangyari sa sofa.

Lauren took a slow breath, letting her architectural instincts take over. "Standard modern epoxies are non-porous, Doc. If you inject them into ancient timber, you trap the internal moisture inside the wood. Over time, instead of reinforcing the structure, it causes internal rot and accelerated decay because the historic material needs to breathe."

Bahagyang tumango si Anne, pero hindi pa siya tapos. She stepped out from behind the podium, walking slowly down the center aisle of the lecture hall, drawing closer to Lauren’s row. "Correct. Then what is the appropriate alternative, Miss Miller? How do you strengthen a fragile foundation without destroying its inherent character?"

The phrase fragile foundation echoed in Lauren’s ears, sounding dangerously double-meaning.

Nang tumigil si Anne sa gilid ng row ni Lauren, ang amoy ng kaniyang vanilla jasmine perfume ay bahagyang humalo sa hangin. Lauren locked eyes with her, refusing to look down.

"You use lime-based grouts or traditional timber Dutchman repairs, Doc," Lauren answered, her voice dropping into a firmer, more confident register. "You don't force modern components that will reject the original material. You adapt to what the historic structure already has, and you support it from the inside... carefully."

Isang matagal na tinginan ang namagitan sa kanila sa loob ng ilang segundo. The rest of the class was completely oblivious to the electric current passing between the student and the professor, thinking it was just another high-level academic debate.

A small, almost invisible quirk of satisfaction appeared at the corner of Anne’s lips. She had tested Lauren's composure, and Lauren had matched her move for move.

"Impeccable answer, Miss Miller," Anne murmured, turning around to walk back to the podium. "Sit down. Let's move on to the next question. Mr. Santos..."

Habang nauupo si Lauren, ramdam niya ang panlalambot ng kaniyang mga tuhod sa ilalim ng desk. Her heart was beating so loud she was convinced the person next to her could hear it. She had survived the recitation, but the game they were playing was getting riskier by the hour.