When Fates Entangle (The Alderidges Book 1)

Six: Lesson

VERENA

At exactly seven in the evening, I knocked at his office door.

His deep voice rumbled from inside. "Come in."

Smiling, I went inside and closed the door behind me. "You should really reward me for being on time."

I stood there, facing him as he sat behind his desk, the sleeves of his shirt rolled up to his elbows, his hair looked messy and he was without his spectacles.

He held a cup in his hand, sipping from it slowly, his eyes coming to rest on me.

The smell of tea wafted up to me and I asked, "Is that Earl Grey tea?"

He put his cup down and grabbed his spectacles, wearing them. "Yes."

"Can I have some too?" I asked excitedly.

"No."

"Wow, that's rude. I am your guest--"

"You are my student." He stated firmly. "You are here to study, nothing else. Now sit down."

I pouted angrily and slumped down in the chair in front of his desk.

He kept watching me from behind his spectacles making his gaze seem even more pointy and intense.

I squirmed in my chair when his gaze didn't waver and in the end, I said, "Why are you looking at me like that?"

He leaned back, steepling his fingers under his chin and cocked his head. "Your father's a smart person so I am trying to comprehend how his smartness wasn't passed down to you."

Heat spread through my cheeks, turning them red. "Are you calling me stupid?!"

"I never used that word." He answered nonchalantly.

I glared at him. "Yeah, you implied. I am not stupid!"

His eyes narrowed. "Watch your tone."

I took a deep breath and calmed myself. "Fine. And...you know my father?"

"I am acquainted."

"So now what? You are going to complain about me to him directly?"

His demeanour changed at that and he sat up straight. "That's up to you. Make sure it never comes to that. Besides, people are not aware of me being a professor here and I would like to keep it that way."

I remembered all the news that I read over the past year about him. People know he is on a break but they all think he is just lying in his home, relaxing and stuff. I believe only the University people know what exactly he is doing and he must be paying them to keep their mouths shut.

"Yeah, about that. Why are you keeping all this such a secret? What's wrong with what you are doing?"

"I think I made it clear on the very first day that I won't be answering any personal questions. Now back to study."

Sighing, I pulled out my books and notebook from my backpack and laid them out on his desk.

My eyes went to his left hand which was bare of any ring. Again.

I didn't question that because honestly, I did want to study and score well so I told him the part which I didn't understand.

He nodded, his eyes focused on the book and he grabbed my notebook and a pen from his desk.

Now, I was more intrigued when I noticed him writing with his right hand. "I thought you were left-handed."

He continued writing and spoke, "I can write with both."