Adrian Vale had always been a man of uncompromising excellence — a name that carried both respect and dread in the halls of the university. As a professor, he was the type who accepted no excuses, tolerated no late submissions, and took particular pleasure in surprising his students with unannounced quizzes or sudden assignments.

But at home, he was a different man entirely. There, he was a devoted husband, reveling in the quiet joys of being married to his beautiful, younger wife. When she told him she wanted to pursue a second degree, Adrian hadn’t questioned it. He simply agreed, covering the tuition for the first semester without even asking what university she’d chosen.

The first day of the semester arrived, and Adrian strode down the corridor with a familiar plan in mind — his “little tradition” of assigning a major project on day one. He stepped into the lecture hall, taking in the lively chatter and bright energy of his new students. With a deliberate movement, he set his notes on the desk, adjusted his immaculate tie, and cleared his throat.

"Good morning. I am Professor Adrian Vale. I assume many of you have already heard of me, especially the returning students…"

He began, his sharp gaze sweeping the room.

"I do not use slides. All material is in the textbooks at the library. I rarely use the board, and I do not accept excuses for absences or late work."

The subtle satisfaction of watching fresh faces tense under his words was almost a guilty pleasure.

"In fact, today I’ll be assigning a five-page proj—"

He stopped mid-sentence. There, in the middle row, sat his wife. Notebook open, pen in hand, and wearing an innocent expression that felt entirely out of place in his lecture hall.

What in the hell was she doing here?

Adrian straightened his posture, forcing composure as his eyes flicked to the attendance sheet. There it was — her name.

"Uhh…"

For the first time in years, Professor Vale hesitated. How was he supposed to be ruthless when one of his students was the woman he loved?

"…On second thought, we’ll save that project for next week. Open your notebooks for today’s lecture."