Prom Lover

Cap 4 - Under pressure . . .

Viktor's Perspective

Viktor's gaze followed Natalie as she crossed the room. Her every movement felt deliberate, drawing him in with a gravity she didn't even understand. **So close now**, he thought, his obsession swelling within him. As the new professor, he had mastered the art of deception. The others saw him as the perfect addition—polished, professional, trustworthy.

But no one knew. No one could see the real Viktor lurking just beneath the surface.

Natalie was his. **She just doesn't realize it yet**, Viktor mused, his gaze lingering on her as she sat down. **But she will.**

His thoughts, however, drifted back to Sharon. The wife who had trapped him. She had dragged him from Russia, from the only place he'd ever called home. He hated the way she had done it, using guilt and manipulation to force his hand. **And for what?** A life in this suffocating existence. She thought she owned him. **But soon, I'll be free**, he thought. **She'll be gone, just like the others.**

---

Viktor's memories of his father were sharp and cruel. The man had been nothing but a drunk, a violent presence in their home. Viktor had learned early how to navigate around him, to stay quiet, to hide. But one night, everything changed. His father came home in a drunken rage, like so many nights before, but this time it was different.

His mother—already weakened by cancer—was trying to calm him. She stood between Viktor and the fury. But Viktor was no longer afraid. As his father raised his hand to strike, Viktor acted, the knife cold and certain in his grip.

He didn't flinch as the blade sank in, didn't feel remorse as his father collapsed at his feet, lifeless. His mother didn't scream. She simply looked at him, a strange mixture of sadness and understanding in her eyes. **She had always known he would do what needed to be done.**

Two years later, cancer claimed her too. Viktor was left alone at ten years old, but that didn't matter. **He had grown up fast, too fast.** His world was cold, and he liked it that way.

---

The knock on the classroom door was sharp, pulling Viktor from his thoughts. Sharon's voice followed, "Viktor?"

He felt the familiar surge of irritation. He hated the sound of her voice, the way she appeared like an unwanted shadow. She was a constant reminder of the life he loathed. He opened the door to see her standing there—her hair pulled back in a way that was supposed to look neat but only made her look tired. She wore that same bland expression, the one that always seemed to say, *I'm still here.*

"What do you want, Sharon?" he asked, his tone cold, controlled.

"We need to talk about Vladimir," Sharon replied, her voice strained.

**Vladimir.** That name softened the sharp edge of his thoughts. He didn't hate Vladimir. In fact, Vladimir had been the only person Viktor ever cared about. The only one Viktor had tolerated. But Vladimir was gone, and Viktor knew the grief still weighed on Sharon. It was perhaps the only thing left that tied him to her. **A useless bond.** He didn't care about her grief, he did miss Vladimir, made him doubt about who he truly loved.

"Later," Viktor said dismissively, glancing back at the classroom full of students. "I'm busy."

Sharon hesitated, her eyes searching his face for something—some sign of the man she thought she married. But there was nothing. There never had been. Viktor had been careful to play his part when they met at the supermarket years ago. He'd charmed her, made her believe in a future that had never really existed. **Just like with everyone else.**

Before she could respond, he shut the door. **She won't be my problem much longer.**

---

Alan's Perspective

Alan had been growing more suspicious of Viktor every day. He had noticed the way Viktor's gaze lingered on Natalie, the way he hovered too close, his words too smooth. It made Alan's skin crawl. There was something wrong, something twisted beneath Viktor's perfect facade.

After class, Alan pulled Natalie aside. "We need to talk," he said, his voice low and urgent.

Natalie sighed, already bracing herself for the argument. "Alan, not this again..."

But Alan wasn't giving up. "Listen to me. There's something seriously wrong with Viktor. He's always around you, always too close. It's like he's... watching you. It's not normal."

Natalie hesitated. She had noticed Viktor's attention, but it felt impossible to believe that a teacher—especially someone as respected as Viktor—could be anything other than professional. "Maybe we're overthinking this," she offered weakly.

Alan's expression hardened. "I'm not overthinking it, Natalie. I'm going to the director."

---

Director's Office

Alan sat across from the director, his frustration mounting with every passing second. He had explained everything—how Viktor seemed too involved, how his presence around Natalie was uncomfortable—but the director didn't seem to take it seriously.

"Viktor?" she repeated, as if the very idea was absurd. "He's one of our best new professors. I've had nothing but positive feedback from students and staff. He's very professional."

Alan leaned forward, his voice tight with frustration. "You haven't seen the way he looks at her. It's not right."

The director's expression remained unchanged. "Unless you have concrete evidence, Alan, there's not much I can do. I trust Viktor. He's shown nothing but dedication to his students."

Alan clenched his fists in frustration, standing abruptly. "You're making a mistake." He stormed out, pulling Natalie behind him. **This isn't over.**

---

Viktor's Perspective

Back in his office, Viktor smiled to himself. **They went to the director.** The thought amused him. Alan's desperation was palpable, his fear laughable. It wouldn't matter. The director, like everyone else, was firmly under his spell. They trusted him, believed in him. He had woven his web so tightly that no one would ever believe the truth about him.

His thoughts returned to Sharon. **Weak. Pathetic.** But not for much longer. **She would be gone soon, just like his father.** Viktor remembered the feeling of the knife in his hand, the way the old man had crumpled at his feet. He had been young then, but even as a child, Viktor had known how to solve problems.

Sharon would be no different. An "accident," something no one would suspect. **And once she's gone, I'll be free.**

Free to have Natalie.

Viktor leaned back in his chair, his thoughts dark and consuming. **It's only a matter of time.** Soon, everything would fall into place. Sharon would be out of the way, and Natalie would be his.

**No one will see it coming.**

To be continued