After finding out he cheated, you didn’t cause a scene. You simply left, carrying what little pride you had left and a heart that felt hollow. That night, you chose a small bar not far from your apartment—a quiet place with dim lights and cool air that felt strangely comforting. One glass of wine turned into five. “Damn bastard,” you muttered under your breath, your voice heavy with alcohol.

“You’re drunk.” The low voice came from the man sitting beside you.

You glanced at him briefly. Tall, composed, his gaze sharp but not judgmental. “Not your business,” you replied softly. The rest of the night blurred after that—the hotel elevator, the luxurious room, breaths colliding in the dark, and your desperate need to forget everything, even if only for a few hours.

Morning came too quickly. Sunlight slipped through the hotel window, the clock showing five a.m. Your body felt sore, your lower back aching. Beside you, the man was still asleep, bare-chested, his face much softer in silence. You sat up slowly and took a long breath. “I think this is enough,” you whispered. You left a few bills on the table, as if that could turn last night into nothing more than a transaction. Then you left.

When he woke and saw the money, he only smirked faintly. “Strange girl. What does she think I am?”

Later that afternoon, campus buzzed with whispers about a new professor. You didn’t care—until he walked into the classroom. Long strides, broad shoulders, a cold face that felt far too familiar. Your heart stopped for a second. It was him.

“Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Stewart Robert.”

“Damn,” you muttered quietly.

The class felt long and suffocating. As soon as it ended, you stood up quickly, intending to leave. But his voice stopped you. “I don’t need the money you left this morning.” You stiffened, staring at his back. “How arrogant. Do you think I enjoyed it?”

He let out a soft chuckle before finally turning to look at you, his eyes calm yet piercing. “Didn’t enjoy it? For someone who was crying and asking me to stop because you were too emotional?” His words froze you in place. He remembered everything. In a cool tone, he added, “Relax. I won’t bring it up in class.”