The sun dipped low behind the campus buildings, casting long shadows across the university courtyard as Isabel hurried toward the faculty library. Her thoughts were still stuck on her conversation with Adrian the day before—his voice, the weight in it, the way his hand had lingered just a moment too long on her wrist. It had meant something. She knew it had. But that didn't make the ache in her chest any easier to understand.
She hadn't seen him today. Not in class, not in passing, not even a flash of his usual tailored jacket in the distance. It was as if he had vanished, leaving her mind racing and her heart caught in a constant tug of hope and doubt.
Inside the library, the usual quiet wrapped around her like a blanket. Isabel found a corner desk beneath the old oak-framed window and dropped her bag. She needed to focus. Finals were a few weeks away and everything was happening too fast. Her hands trembled slightly as she opened her textbook—Advanced Financial Reporting—but the numbers swam in front of her eyes. She gave up.
"You look like your brain's melting."
Isabel blinked up to see Jude grinning down at her, a half-empty coffee cup in one hand, a mischievous glint in his hazel eyes.
"I think it already did," she muttered.
Jude slid into the seat across from her. "Alright, spill. You've been zoning out all day. Is it… him?"
She didn't answer, but Jude caught the look in her eyes.
"Jesus, Isabel," he whispered, "Did something happen?"
She nodded slowly. "He kissed me."
Jude's brows shot up. "He kissed you?" he whispered louder than necessary, earning a sharp "Shh!" from the nearby librarian. He leaned closer, voice lowered. "You're kidding me. Adrian freaking Cole kissed you?"
She felt the heat rise to her cheeks. "It wasn't planned. It just—happened. And now he's avoiding me."
Jude's expression turned serious. "You do realize this isn't just some random guy, right? He's your professor. His family basically owns half the university. If someone finds out—"
"I know, Jude," she cut in. "You think I haven't been telling myself that over and over?"
The weight of it all hung between them like smoke. Jude took a deep breath and softened his tone.
"Do you want it to continue?"
That was the real question, wasn't it?
Isabel didn't respond, not with words. Instead, her eyes answered for her—eyes filled with longing, fear, and something unspoken she hadn't felt in years: hope.
---
That night, Adrian sat alone in his study. Papers were scattered across his desk, untouched. The room was silent, save for the occasional creak of the old wood beams. He stared at the glass of scotch in his hand, his thoughts miles away.
He shouldn't have kissed her.
He'd told himself it was a mistake—a moment of weakness. But the truth sat heavier than guilt. It didn't feel like a mistake. It had felt right. Too right.
Adrian ran a hand through his dark hair, frustration simmering beneath the surface. The problem wasn't just the university code of conduct or his family's rigid expectations. It was her. Isabel wasn't like anyone he'd ever met. She was brilliant, brave, and honest in a way that disarmed him. She didn't want anything from him, and that made her even more dangerous.
His phone buzzed. A message from his sister lit up the screen.
Vanessa: Dad's been asking questions. Be careful.
He sighed. That was the last thing he needed.
---
Meanwhile, in a dim bar downtown, Daniel watched Isabel's Instagram story on his burner phone. She'd posted a blurry photo of her coffee cup, but he recognized the sleeve. That was Jude's favorite café on 9th.
He clenched his jaw.
She thought she was free of him. That she could move on like he never existed. He took a swig of whiskey, then pulled out a notebook filled with notes and times—her schedule, her friends, everything she'd done over the last two weeks.
Daniel wasn't going to let her slip away so easily.
---
The next day, Adrian walked into his office and found Vanessa waiting for him, perched on the edge of his desk like she owned the place.
"You've got a storm brewing," she said without preamble.
Adrian closed the door. "Tell me something I don't know."
She arched a brow. "Dad's starting to get wind of something. He called me last night, asking why your name was floating around the student body."
Adrian stiffened. "What did you say?"
"That you're too boring to be scandalous, obviously," she smirked. "But I'm not going to be able to cover for you if this gets bigger."
Adrian sat down heavily. "It was one kiss."
Vanessa gave him a long look. "And how many times have you replayed it in your head since?"
He didn't answer.
Vanessa stood. "Just be careful. If it becomes more than that, you'll have to choose between her and the life our parents expect you to keep pretending to care about."
As she left, Adrian stared at the door for a long time.
---
Later that evening, Isabel returned to her dorm and paused when she noticed her door slightly ajar. She pushed it open cautiously.
"Jude?"
No answer.
The room was empty—but her bag was tossed on the floor and her books were scattered. Panic flared in her chest. She grabbed her phone, hands shaking. Before she could call, she heard footsteps in the hall.
Jude appeared in the doorway, holding two bags of takeout.
"Jesus, you scared me," she said, exhaling in relief.
"I was only gone ten minutes," he said, frowning at the mess. "Did you leave it like this?"
"No." She stepped back, suddenly cold. "Someone was here."
---
To be continued…