The Taste of Two のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 11 - チャプター 20

Adrian simply smiled.I sat up with difficulty—and as my body moved, the pain returned, greeting me like a stark reminder of my folly last night. I bit my lower lip, trying not to show any reaction.But Adrian noticed everything. Because of my involuntary flinch, a satisfied smirk played on his lips. “You should finish your breakfast quickly. You have a class scheduled for eleven, don't you?”I blinked in confusion. “How do you know that Mr. Ha—”“Adrian, Baby,” he said, full of warning. “When we are alone, I won't accept you calling me Mr. Hale. Understand, Baby?”I swallowed nervously. “Alright.”Slowly, I began to enjoy the breakfast he had made just for me. I never imagined this would happen in my life.Adrian gently stroked my hair, then let me eat. He chose to sit on the sofa across the room. As usual, he was busy looking at his tablet. Perhaps… working?My eyes occasionally drifted toward him. Adrian Hale, the very definition of a man who, though no longer young, possessed a ch

Right now, I genuinely wished the ground would just open up and swallow me whole. Never—not even in my worst scenarios—did it occur to me that Ethan would have class today. I didn’t know his schedule, but I knew he was standing right in front of me, watching every flicker on my face, waiting for the most believable explanation I could possibly give him.Come on, Leah. Think! What lie can you possibly tell Ethan, so he doesn’t get suspicious?“You’re not deaf, are you, Leah?” Ethan narrowed his eyes at me. “Hurry up and tell me why my dad brought you here,” he pushed, his tone sharpening—nothing like his usual laid-back self.“I—I… I don’t know,” I mumbled, trying to sound convincing. “Maybe—maybe he happened to be driving by?”Ethan let out a short, humorless laugh. “Driving by? My dad doesn’t ‘happen to’ pass by anywhere, especially not this campus. His schedule is practically presidential. Maybe worse, considering how busy he is.” He stepped closer, forcing me to instinctively step

“Why is Professor Yohanes calling me?” I muttered—more to myself than to Ethan.“Who?” Ethan asked, curious again, slipping back into that annoying, sulky tone. He tried to peek at my screen.“None of your business, Ethan.” I quickly hit the answer button. “Hello, Professor?”Professor Yohanes’s voice came through deep and formal, instantly tightening every muscle in my body. Professor Yohanes—full name Professor Yohanes Smith—taught Advanced Inferential Statistics. The hell course of my department. I already knew my score in that class was teetering on the edge.“Leah,” he said, coldly. “Where are you? I’ve reviewed your assignments and midterm quiz results. They’re disappointing.”My stomach twisted painfully. “I’m off campus right now, Professor. I’m sorry. Could we… meet tomorrow to discuss my results?”

What did you just do, Leah? I cursed myself silently.The moment it was over, Professor Yohanes was already straightening his clothes, preparing to go teach his next class. Meanwhile, I was trying to make sure I didn’t look like a complete disaster even though I still felt…Sticky.Damn it. I didn’t bring a change of underwear, and why did I even let myself do something like this? I tried to regulate my breathing. Regret wouldn’t fix anything, even though my heart was still pounding— not from adrenaline or fear, but from the disgust I had to swallow whole.“A-plus, Professor. I need to make sure it shows up in the system,” I said. My voice had steadied again, firm and cool, a final mask before I could walk out of this room for good. I didn’t want to leave a single opening.Prof. Yohanes chuckled softly, leaning his elbows on the desk. “Of course, Leah. Everything’s already arranged. You don’t need to worry. I’ll make sure you get the grade you deserve. After all, you worked hard for i

I blinked, stunned. He wasn’t wrong.“And… I don’t like being refused, Kitty.” He brushed a quick kiss against my lips. “If I say you’re my girlfriend, you’re my girlfriend. If I say I’m taking you home, then that’s what’s happening.”My eyes widened in disbelief.Ethan and all his impossible demands. And in the end, I gave up and sat in his car, letting him drive us to the meeting place. The ride was wrapped in silence. I didn’t look at him; he said nothing. All I could hear was the thudding of my own heartbeat, looping the one thing I least wanted to face today:Adrian. And his wife—Aunt Margaret. Not even the brief kiss Ethan forced on me could distract me from it. Why was I… upset? Why was there a part of me that recoiled at the thought of them together?Ridiculous.***Margaret greeted me with a warm hug, as if I weren’t someone who had been sleeping under her roof. She asked endlessly about how I’d been while she was gone and apologized for leaving right after I moved into the r