Orion's eyes gleamed with a hint of triumph at seeing Lemira so excited.

He stood up, adjusting his shirt and trousers. "I'm heading out. I'll have the staff at Bistrova deliver lunch for you."

"You don't have to go through all that trouble. I can just eat at the campus cafeteria."

"There isn't enough time."

Lemira glanced at the clock. "There's plenty of time."

But before she could protest further, the man leaned in, pressed her back into the cushions of the sofa, and deepened the kiss.

Lemira pushed weakly against his chest. "A-aren't you supposed to be heading to the office?"

"I have a few minutes."

Orion caught her wrists, pinning them softly against the backrest.

Lemira's eyelashes fluttered in sheer embarrassment. With her hands raised above

her head, she was completely defenseless against him.

She stared up at the ceiling, her face flushed and her almond eyes misty.

Her throat felt incredibly dry. This man was simply too wicked.

Why had she never noticed this side of him before?

When he finally pulled back, Orion kissed the corner of her mouth. "I'll satisfy your craving for gossip tonight."

Lemira stayed completely silent, her face blazing.

She turned her head to check the time and realized she really was running late.

Orion stepped into the bathroom, emerging a full ten minutes later.

Something clicked in Lemira's mind, and she felt a surge of indignation. "You were in there for a long time. Were you doing something bad?"

Orion nonchalantly adjusted his tie. "Ten minutes isn't nearly enough time for that,

and you should know that better than anyone."

His strikingly handsome face remained completely composed, as if he were discussing the weather.

Lemira suddenly recalled how long he had spent in the bathroom the previous night —it had been over half an hour.

She remained quiet, her face still red, until she heard the front door click shut behind him.

Lemira reached up to touch her lips; they were definitely a little swollen.

Thinking back to the juicy gossip she had just uncovered, she immediately texted Stella: "Well, well, well. Your handsome protector is quite a catch. He could easily make living off that face, yet he insists on relying on his body."

Stella was sitting in the middle of a lecture. The moment she read the message, the

temperature of her cheeks skyrocketed.

She could read exactly what Lemira was implying.

After a brief moment of panic, Stella typed back: "It's not what you think!"

"I already heard everything about your little history. Confess now, and I'll go easy on you."

Stella hesitated before replying: "I'll tell you about it later."

She glanced over her shoulder at the man sitting in the very last row. He had zero presence, blending entirely into the background, yet she could still perfectly trace the broad dines of his shoulders. He looked exactly the same as he did in her memories.

She honestly hadn't expected him to actually accept the job when she casually sent

him a message.

It had caught her completely off guard.

After class ended, Stella lingered behind, slowly packing her things into her bag.

The man approached from behind and silently took the bag from her hands. The soft pink backpack looked almost comical against his rugged frame.

Yet he didn't seem to care in the slightest.

Stella watched his broad back as he walked ahead of her. She lowered her gaze and pressed her lips together. She wouldn't let herself be captivated by him again.

Being rejected once was humiliating enough; she had no intention of making a fool of herself a second time.

When Lemira saw Stella's reply, her mind instantly started weaving a dramatic web of their past romance. She was definitely going to interrogate Stella later. She had hidden this way too well.

At noon, Lemira enjoyed the exquisite meal delivered from Bistrova, took a short nap, and then headed straight to campus.

She had been constantly worried about Stella's safety, but knowing an elite former mercenary was guarding her around the clock put all those fears to rest.

Just as Lemira reached the university gates, someone called her name from behind. "Lemira, stop right there."

Lemira turned around to see Asher

Langston. The idiot was dressed in a

sharp suit and holding a massive

bouquet of flowers, trying desperately to look put-together.

Asher marched up to her. "Where is Stella?"