I snap out of the daze I find myself in as Aiden berates Coraline for a crime she did not commit, and rush to her side. Aiden’s rant gets cut midway when I shoot him a glare, but the thunderous expression on his face does not change. For a moment, I wonder if he is drunk, but no, he looks stone-cold sober. This means that pushing Coraline and demeaning her like this was done intentionally. I turn back to Coraline, anger humming in my chest. I did not like her, but that was another issue. It wasn’t right to be treated like this by her own boyfriend. “Here, let me help you get up,” I ask her gently, and she nods, clearly shaken by Aiden’s actions. She lets me help her to her feet. Aiden continues to glare at us, a storm brewing in his eyes. I know I’m not helping my case right now, but damned if I leave a girl alone in a situation like this, no matter how badly she treated me. “You don’t have to go with him if you don’t feel safe,” I whisper to Coraline. Distantly, I saw the Maybach

“Well, well, well,” Aiden sneers, and I feel my fists clenching on either side of me, “look who it is.”“Aiden,” Coraline breathes next to me, and in the next moment, moves behind me. I feel so damn protective of her that I move my body right in front of hers yet again, just like the night at the restaurant.“Hello, Coraline,” his voice is anything but pleasant when he voices her name, “I see you’re still shagging the cockroach.”“He’s ten times, no, a thousand times the man you are,” surprising me, Coraline growls, “What the fuck are you doing here, Aiden? Are you stalking me?”“Is that what you think this is?” he demands.“What else am I supposed to think? We broke up, Aiden, don’t you remember? I left. You’re the last person I expected to see here.”“Well, I could say the same,” a gloating smile takes over his mouth, “Do you know why I’m here, Coraline?”“Clearly, we don’t,” I find myself saying, “which is why we asked in the first place.”He ignores me, his attention on Caroline,

Gerald sighs, “I guess we have some things to talk about.”“Damn right we do,” I step closer to him, “like who the hell you actually are? I thought you were a butler.”“It is my role at times,” Gerald replied, looking tired, “Young master, perhaps we can talk about this later. Right now, I believe that the lady you accompanied here today has got an interview to attend to.”We both turn to look at Coraline, who is looking like she had no idea what was happening.“Of course,” Gerald continues, “that is if the young lady still desires to have a position within the company. I can imagine an experience like the one she had the misfortune of witnessing today might deter her. Miss. Coraline, would you like to have the interview now, after everything?”The direct address startles Coraline out of her thoughts, “um, yes, sure. If you have me,” she adds quickly, “I can do the interview.”“Very well, both of you follow me.”We do as he says and trudge toward the Zelt Technologies building. The wh

Coraline and I decided that the day was too good to waste by going home, so after lunch, we take a detour to the park nearby. We walk the cobblestone path that leads us around the park which looks beautiful with all its lush trees, freshly cut grass, and well as ponds filled with ducks and swans that dot it here and there. I feel myself become more and more relaxed as we glide through the path, listening to the sound of the wind rustling through leaves, people playing with their children or walking their pets, and spotting various kinds of birds flying through trees, all while engaging in pleasant conversation with Coraline. I nearly forget the altercation we have mere hours ago at Zelt Tech with Aiden and his goon of a manager, followed by the revelation of Gerald’s actual status in my father’s employment. All in all, it had been such an eventful day. Something that seems to be a frequent happening in my life as of late.“I hope I’m not offending you by asking this,” Coraline pipes

When I wake up the next day, I just want to dive back under the covers and sulk like a petulant teenager. The memories of last night ring in my head, causing something like a headache. But today is a day full of lectures, and if I want to make it to the King’s College university on time all the way from Clandestine city, I have to be quick.After taking care of all my needs, I sneak out of the house through one of the back doors. Technically, I could call my own personal driver and have him drop me off at the campus.But where’s the fun in that?So, I take the train straight to Empire city and then use the tram to drop right at the entrance to the university.For some time, the day went on peacefully. I attended the lectures, took notes, talked with the professors about any doubts I had, got them cleared out, and moved around the campus.But then the lunch break came.The cafeteria is crowded, as is the norm, and I make my way to the food court as discreetly as possible so as not to d