《The Professor, My Mate》全部章節：第 51 章 - 第 60 章

LESSIE I stood in front of the mirror, brushing the last bit of gloss over my lips, I couldn’t stop Dante’s words from replaying in my head like a haunting refrain.“You’ll wear my mark forever, Just so you know that I own you.”I shivered, shaking my head hard as if I could physically throw the thought away. Not tonight. Not when I was about to go on an actual date. With Kieran.“Girl, if you keep frowning at your reflection like that, you’re going to scare him off before he even sees you,” Sandra teased, sitting cross-legged on my bed. She’d insisted on helping me get ready, and judging by the mountain of makeup and dresses scattered across my sheets, she’d taken that job very seriously.I let out a nervous laugh. “Sorry. My brain’s just… crowded.”“Well, clear it out,” she said, hopping up and circling me like a fashion critic. “Because you look absolutely stunning. Honestly, I should’ve bet money on this. I knew Professor Hotshot had a thing for you.”I snorted. “Sandra!”“What

LESSIE “And if I were to cash in that second date request right now, what do you think your answer would be?”His voice was smooth, playful just like always but the question made my pulse stutter. I sat there on my bed, phone pressed to my ear, biting down on my lower lip as if that could steady the rush of giddy warmth that spread through me.Kieran had this way of sounding like he knew exactly what effect he had on me and maybe he did.It was late in the afternoon, sunlight filtering through the thin curtains and painting soft golden streaks across the floor. Sandra’s bed across from mine was still empty, perfectly untouched. I hadn’t seen her since that night when I’d walked in on her snorting lines of cocaine. Two whole days. And every time I glanced at her side of the room, a dull ache settled in my chest.But right now, that ache was being slowly drowned out by Kieran’s deep, teasing voice in my ear.“I think,” I said, trying to sound nonchalant but failing miserably, “my a

LESSIE The moment I saw him, my pulse faltered.Professor Dante stepped into the lecture hall like a storm disguised in silk, silent but charged, drawing every gaze his way. The English auditorium was halfway through the class already, the air thick with the sound of scribbling pens and the professor’s voice gliding across literature themes. But when he entered, everything dimmed. Conversations stuttered. Pens froze. Even the fluorescent hum of the lights seemed to dull in his presence.He didn’t belong in this class. Everyone knew that. Dante was a professor, not a student, not a guest lecturer, not anyone who should have reason to step into an undergraduate English class. And yet here he was in a dark suit, unbuttoned collar, and a smile on his lips.My throat tightened.The lecturer, Mrs Adams narrowed her eyes as she saw him stride up the steps. Her voice faltered, just for a beat, before she caught herself. “Ah Professor Dante,” she said, in a tone that was equal parts co

LESSIE After Celeste left, the room was so silent I could hear my own heartbeat pounding inside my chest.Sandra hadn’t said anything at first. She just stared at the door for a long time, as if Celeste might come back.Then her eyes slowly turned toward me.“Lessie…” Her voice was soft but trembling. “Tell me it’s not true.”I couldn’t even look at her. My throat tightened as guilt clawed at the back of my chest. I wanted to deny it. I wanted to lie so badly, to pretend Celeste had made it all up. But my body wouldn’t let me speak. My silence spoke louder than words.“Lessie,” she repeated, her voice breaking. “Is it true?”I nodded. Just once. Barely. But it was enough.Sandra blinked, and I could see the shock ripple through her face. “How could you be this careless? How did you allow yourself get caught in that position with your professor! Do you know what could happen if the school finds out?”“I know,” I whispered. My voice cracked mid-sentence, barely a sound. “You don’t

LESSIE If there was ever a contest for the most excruciatingly boring yet extravagantly expensive event in human history, this party would win without even trying.From the moment we arrived, I felt out of place — like a thrift store dress hanging in a designer showroom. Everything shimmered: the chandeliers that looked like crystal rain, the marble floors that reflected every movement, the perfectly dressed people with their perfectly trained smiles. Even the air smelled rich, like champagne and money and self-importance.I stood beside Taide, forcing myself to look composed while my heels slowly murdered my feet. He hadn’t said a word since we walked in, which was fine by me. Conversation with Taide lately felt like wading through glass.His father was there too, the ever-charismatic Mr. Cardenas, surrounded by political figures, professors, and donors. He moved through the room like he owned it. Maybe he did. The university, the money, the prestige, it all seemed to orbit him