Dinner felt like a dream.Ella sat across from Theo in the softly lit restaurant, the glow of candles flickering between them. The world outside had faded away, leaving just the two of them in this quiet, intimate space. Soft music played in the background, a slow, delicate tune that matched the gentle hum of her heart.Theo looked unfairly good in the dim light—his sharp features softened by the warm glow, his deep eyes watching her with an intensity that made her breath catch.She had missed this.Missed him.For the past two months, she had convinced herself that this chapter of her life was over—that Theo had moved on, that he had put the past behind him. But now, sitting here, watching the way he still looked at her, she knew she had been wrong.There was no moving on. Not from this.“Is the food not good?” Theo’s voice was quiet, amused, pulling her out of her thoughts.Ella blinked and realized she had barely touched her plate. “No, it’s good. I’m just…” She hesitated, fingers
Ella never thought she would count down the days until graduation with this much exhaustion. She should have been happy—relieved, even—that she was still going to graduate after everything that happened. But the reality of those two months was far from anything she could have imagined.University became a battlefield.She wasn’t naive. She knew the rumors wouldn’t die overnight. She knew people would talk. But the sheer weight of the whispers, the lingering stares, and the judgment in people’s eyes made every single day unbearable.No matter where she went, it followed her.In the hallways, people would lower their voices when she passed by, but she could still hear them."That’s her, right? The professor’s girl?""I heard he left because of her.""Do you think she actually slept with him to pass?"It was relentless.Some people didn’t even bother whispering. A few girls laughed loudly when she walked past, throwing words like desperate and shameless in her direction. Some guys stared
A few days later, Ella received a formal notice from the university. It wasn’t just another warning or a request for a meeting—it was an official disciplinary hearing regarding her "misconduct."Her hands trembled as she held the paper, her breath hitching in her throat. She had been dreading this moment ever since the pictures leaked. But now that it was here, a heavy weight settled in her chest. Ella bit her lip. “What if… what if they actually expel me?” Her voice was barely above a whisper, the fear in it clear.Across campus, Theo read the same notice. His fingers tightened around the letter, his jaw clenching. He knew this was coming, but that didn’t make it any easier to accept. “They’re pushing this too far,” he muttered and his mind raced with possibilities, searching for a way out of this mess. However, he knew that this isn't going to be easy.Soon, Ella found herself sitting beside Theo in the meeting room, her hands clenched together on her lap to stop them from shaking.
Theo had never felt rage like this before. It wasn’t the kind that simmered beneath the surface, waiting to be swallowed down. No, this was a wildfire, burning uncontrollably, consuming every rational thought in his mind.The moment he saw the pictures, something inside him snapped. He wasted no time—he stormed straight to the administration office, demanding that the photos be taken down immediately. The faculty members hesitated at first, exchanging nervous glances, but there was something about Theo’s voice—his sharp, commanding tone—that made them scramble into action.The pictures were removed from the university website within minutes, but that wasn’t enough. It wasn’t just about deleting them. It was about making sure this never happened again. It was about him.Chole.Theo knew. He didn’t need evidence. He didn’t need confirmation. Everything about this situation screamed Chole’s name.His hands clenched into fists as he strode out of the office, his eyes scanning the campus.
Ella walked through the university gates, and immediately, something felt wrong. It wasn’t anything obvious at first, just an odd, heavy sensation settling in her chest. The kind of feeling that made her skin prickle, like when someone was watching her. She tried to shake it off, telling herself she was overthinking things, but as she moved deeper into campus, the feeling grew stronger.Then she noticed the looks.People weren’t just glancing at her in passing; they were staring. Some pretended to be busy on their phones but would sneak quick glances in her direction. Others didn’t bother to hide it at all. Their eyes followed her as she walked, whispers trailing behind her like shadows. A few students exchanged smirks, nudging each other as if they were all in on some kind of secret.Ella’s heart pounded as she tightened her grip on her bag. She didn’t understand—why was everyone looking at her like that? What was going on? She tried to keep her head down, but the weight of their eye
Ella walked through the university hallways with her head down, gripping the straps of her bag tightly. She had barely slept the night before. Every time she closed her eyes, she could feel Chole’s hands on her, his voice echoing in her ears. It made her skin crawl.But she wasn’t going to let it show.She had made a promise to herself—she wouldn’t let what happened control her.So she did what she had to. She pulled on a thick black turtleneck, hoping it would hide the bruise on her neck. She dabbed on some makeup just in case. If she acted normal, no one would notice.At least, that was the plan.She took a deep breath before stepping into Theo’s lecture hall. The room was already half-full, students chatting and flipping through notes. She quickly found a seat in the back, hoping to blend in.Theo entered the room shortly after, looking as composed as always. But when his eyes flickered over the students and landed on her, something in his gaze softened for a brief second before he