Lily nearly choked on her coffee. "You went into his lair? Alone?"
Allena gave her a look. "You're acting like he's a vampire."
"Well, now that you mention it, he kind of gives off that vibe," Lily muttered. "But seriously, what did he say?"
Allena bit her lip. "He's... different. I don't know how to explain it. He talks like he knows something more than he's letting on. And he said he could teach me to see the real truth."
Lily set her cup down. "Okay, that sounds like the start of a psychological thriller."
Allena chuckled lightly, but her heart remained heavy. She could still feel Nathan's gaze piercing through her.
Lily propped her chin on her hand. "I wonder… what is he really hiding?"
Allena wanted to know, too.
—
Back at her apartment, Allena tried to focus on studying, but her mind kept drifting back to her conversation with Nathan.
Unable to resist, she grabbed her laptop and started searching for information about Nathan Vance.
The first results were academic articles. His publications in prestigious law journals. Degrees from top universities.
Everything seemed… perfect.
But the more Allena searched, the more she felt like something was missing.
No personal information. No family photos. No interviews offering a glimpse into his life outside of academia.
As if he only existed in the academic world—and beyond that, he had never lived at all.
Allena frowned. That was odd.
Then, an old article caught her eye.
"Young Genius Professor Mysteriously Resigns from Top Law Firm."
She clicked on it.
The article was dated five years ago. It was brief but clear: Nathan had once been a brilliant lawyer at the country's most powerful law firm. Then, suddenly, with no explanation, he resigned and disappeared from the legal world for several years before reappearing as a professor.
No reason was given.
No scandals.
No rumors.
Just… gone.
A strange feeling crept up Allena's spine.
What really happened five years ago?
And why was Nathan trying to hide it?
—
The next morning, as Allena entered Nathan's class, everything seemed normal. But there was something different in the way he looked at her.
That gaze.
As if he knew she had started digging.
Allena pretended not to notice and took her seat. But before class began, Nathan spoke.
"Allena Carter, see me after class."
A few students turned their heads, curious.
Lily, sitting beside her, whispered, "Oh my God, are you in trouble?"
Allena didn't answer.
She could only wait.
When the last student left the room, Nathan remained standing at the front, watching Allena still seated at her desk.
"So," he said, his voice calm but piercing, "you've been looking into me?"
Allena stiffened. How did he know?
"I was just… curious."
Nathan walked slowly toward her. "And what did you find?"
Allena hesitated. "That you resigned from a law firm five years ago without any explanation."
Nathan gave a faint smile—one that didn't quite reach his eyes. "And that made you wonder, didn't it?"
Allena's heart pounded. "Why would you leave such a successful career?"
Nathan didn't answer right away. He simply studied her, as if assessing how far she was willing to go for the truth.
Then, in a low voice, he said:
"Some things are better left unknown, Allena."
A sharp knock on the door made them both tense.
Nathan frowned, then walked over and opened it slightly.
From her seat, Allena couldn't see who was outside. But she could hear a man's voice—low and urgent.
"We need to talk. Now."
Nathan's expression darkened, but he eventually nodded. "Wait outside."
The door closed again.
For a moment, Allena caught something unusual in Nathan's face—an expression almost like… caution.
Before she could ask, Nathan turned to her with a sharp gaze. "Leave now, Allena."
His tone was firm, almost like a warning.
Allena wanted to protest, but something in his expression made her swallow her words.
She nodded slowly and stood.
But as she turned to leave, something caught her eye.
On his desk, among stacks of thick law books, was something that didn't belong.
A brown envelope with a Confidential stamp.
She barely had time to register it before Nathan noticed her gaze and quickly covered it with his hand.
His expression hardened.
"Allena."
His voice held a final warning.
Allena said nothing. She simply turned and walked out.
But one thing was certain.
Professor Nathan Vance was hiding something.
—
As Allena stepped out of the classroom, her mind was still filled with Nathan's intense, warning gaze. Her heart was still racing. What was he hiding?
She wanted to walk away, forget about all of this, but something held her back. A growing curiosity.
At the end of the hallway, she spotted the man who had spoken to Nathan earlier. A tall man in a dark suit, his face tense.
For a brief moment, his eyes met Allena's before he turned and quickly walked away.
Who was he?
Allena bit her lip, feeling torn. Should she just leave? Or should she dig deeper?
But before she could decide, a hand gripped her wrist.
"Allena."
The voice was low and deep, almost a whisper.
She gasped. Nathan stood in front of her—too close.
She could smell the faint scent of sandalwood and something sharp—maybe cologne, or maybe just the mysterious aura that always surrounded him.
"Professor?" Her voice was weaker than she wanted.
Nathan's eyes locked onto hers, searching. "You can't keep digging into things that aren't your business."
Allena swallowed but squared her shoulders. "I just want to know the truth."
Nathan stepped even closer. "Sometimes, knowing too much can be dangerous."
Allena felt her body tense. There was something in his tone—not a threat, but a genuine warning.
Yet, somehow, his proximity made her heartbeat quicken for an entirely different reason.
"What are you really hiding?" she murmured, barely aware she was speaking.
Nathan held her gaze for a long moment before finally whispering, "If I told you, you could never go back."
Allena held her breath.
What did he mean?
But before she could ask, Nathan let go of her wrist and walked away, leaving her with a thousand unanswered questions.
—
That night, as Allena lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, she tried to focus on the law book in her hands.
But her mind kept drifting back to Nathan.
His face. His gaze. That brief touch.
She sighed in frustration and shut the book. This was insane.
Why was she drawn to someone who was clearly hiding something?
Her phone suddenly vibrated. A message popped up.
Nathan: Don't go to campus tomorrow. I'll meet you somewhere else.
Allena's heart jumped.
How did he get her number? Why meet outside campus?
And why did this feel like the beginning of something far bigger than just a law class?
She gripped her phone tightly.
One thing was certain.
She was in too deep to turn back now.
Allena sat in a small café at the corner of the city, her fingers gripping a cup of coffee that had started to grow cold. Her eyes kept scanning the surroundings, waiting for the figure who had sent that strange message last night.
The café door chimed as someone walked in. Nathan.
As usual, he wore a dark shirt that fit snugly on his body, his jacket draped over his arm, and his expression was unreadable. But there was something different—his gaze was sharper, more alert.
Nathan walked over and sat down in front of Allena without saying a word. He leaned back in his chair and looked at her intently.
"Thank you for coming," he finally said.
Allena crossed her arms. "Don't beat around the bush, Professor. Why did you want to meet me outside of campus?"
Nathan sighed. He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out an envelope. With deliberate movements, he placed it on the table.
Allena frowned. "What's this?"
"Open it," Nathan said, his voice tense.
With some hesitation, Allena took the envelope and pulled out its contents. Several black-and-white photos fell onto the table. She picked one up and looked at it more closely.
Her heart nearly stopped.
They were pictures of her—Allena, taken from various angles. On campus, in the library, even in front of her apartment.
Her hands trembled as she picked up another photo. This time, there was a man standing in the corner, watching her. The same man she saw talking to Nathan yesterday.
"Who took these?" her voice was barely a whisper.
Nathan looked at her seriously. "Someone's been watching you, Allena. And he's not just anyone."
Allena swallowed hard, her eyes widening. "What do you mean?"
Nathan leaned forward, his voice low but firm. "The man in the photos is someone who's been after me for a long time. He works for people you should never get involved with. I don't know why he's interested in you, but I'm certain it has something to do with me."
Allena felt her body tense. "Wait… So this is all because of you?"
Nathan nodded slowly. "I can't explain everything right now. But one thing's for sure—you're in danger, Allena."
Allena clenched the edge of her skirt, trying to process the situation. She should be scared, but something else was bothering her.
Why did Nathan seem so concerned?
She looked at the man in front of her, searching for answers in his unreadable expression.
"Why do you care?" she asked softly.
Nathan stared at her for a long moment before finally answering, "Because I know what could happen if they get to you."
Allena held her breath. There was sincerity in his voice—not just a professor protecting his student, but someone who was genuinely worried.
But before she could say anything, the café door chimed again.
Nathan instantly tensed.
Allena followed his gaze and saw a man standing at the entrance. The man from the photos.
His eyes locked on them immediately.
Nathan stood up quickly, grabbing Allena's wrist. "We need to leave. Now."
Allena didn't have time to react as Nathan pulled her out of the café, his breathing heavy.