Chapter 5
Kelly was paying the price for her momentary lapse in judgment. Over the next few days, she felt like a shell of herself—like someone else had taken over her body.
She hadn’t even graduated college yet. There was no way she could keep the baby. But she was too afraid to tell her parents.
However, she would need her parents’ consent to get an abortion. Plus, she’d need time to recover afterward. If anyone at school found out, her academic future would be over.
For the first time in her life, she felt a fear so real and raw it left her paralyzed. Even Melissa had started noticing that something was off.
“What’s going on, Kelly?” she asked.
Kelly’s face had been pale for days, and her mind was scattered, as if she was a lost soul.
Kelly shook her head weakly. “I’m fine.”
She was anything but fine.
“If something’s going on, tell me. We’ll figure it out together.” Melissa hesitated for a second before asking, “Is this about Jude?”
Jude wasn’t even a blip on Kelly’s radar anymore. Melissa was still a student, and Kelly didn’t want to worry her.
So, she forced a smile and reassured her, “I’m fine, really. Don’t worry.”
Melissa didn’t push further. So, she tried to change the subject. “We have Professor Butler’s class later. Let’s head over early to snag the best seats.”
To her surprise, Kelly seemed reluctant. “Can I… maybe skip class today?”
“No can do. You know how strict Professor Butler is. He takes the attendance for every single class. Honestly, it’s kind of overkill. I can’t speak for other classes, but no one dares skip his lectures.”
Kelly was about to be the first. But she didn’t have the guts to go through with it. She hadn’t skipped a single class in two years, and now that Leon knew who she was, having Melissa sign in for her would be like handing herself over on a silver platter.
Before class even started, Melissa dragged her to the lecture hall. As luck would have it, they ended up snagging seats in the front row.
“Why don’t we sit in the back instead, Melissa? There are still seats back there,” Kelly suggested.
“No way! This spot is perfect.” Melissa sat her ass down. “We’ll get to enjoy Professor Butler’s good looks up close!”
Kelly thought about slipping to the back alone, but when she turned around, she noticed that all the seats were already taken. She had no choice but to sit down in the front.
Soon, the bell rang. Kelly hid behind Melissa, attempting to make herself as invisible as possible.
Leon walked in right on time—tall, sharp, and perfectly composed. His beige trench coat made him look like he’d walked out of a high-fashion editorial. His sharp eyes and brows, along with his striking features, gave him an air of calm and serenity.
The whole room went silent the moment he stepped up to the podium. He briefly scanned the students before announcing, “Let’s begin.”
This time, Kelly didn’t dare let her mind wander, jotting down every important detail Leon taught in her notebook. Without realizing it, her eyes couldn’t help but follow his every move.
Leon was easily the most charismatic person she had ever met. There was a quiet strength about him, something refined and effortlessly compelling.
He didn’t just teach; he explained things with ease and clarity, making complex ideas simple to grasp. The entire class hung on his every word.
Kelly found herself completely absorbed. Her gaze stayed fixed on him until he looked over and their eyes met. Kelly snapped back to reality and hurriedly lowered her gaze.
All of a sudden, she wondered how Leon would feel if he knew she was pregnant. He was the child’s biological father, after all. Should she tell him?
Kelly bit her lip, torn. She didn’t want to be tied to him, not any more than she already was.
Finally, the bell rang. Leon closed the presentation and said, “That’s all for today. If anyone has any questions, feel free to ask me right now.”
“I have a question, Professor Butler!”
“Me too!”
In an instant, a few students gathered around Leon, and as he answered their questions, his eyes flicked toward the front row. Kelly was already halfway to the door, her backpack slung over her shoulder like she was fleeing a crime scene.
This wasn’t the first time, either. They’d crossed paths on campus twice this week. Each time, as soon as she spotted him from a distance, she took off like a deer caught in headlights. It was obvious that she was avoiding him.
He’d looked into her student file. She was 21 years old, had perfect attendance for two years, was consistently ranked in the top ten of her grade, and received a scholarship every year. She was a model student by every standard.
He lowered his gaze and shifted his attention back to the students in front of him.
…
Kelly didn’t usually go home on weekends, but with everything that had happened recently, she felt unsettled and hoped to find some comfort at home. So, she returned home on Friday evening.
As soon as she opened the door, the mouthwatering aroma of stir-fried food hit her, and she heard her mother, Helena Lancaster’s, voice from the kitchen. “Is that you, Jackson? Dinner’s almost ready. Just give me a few more minutes.”
Kelly set her backpack down and walked to the kitchen door. “Mom, it’s me.”
Helena turned around, spatula in hand, and froze when she saw her. “What are you doing here?”
“It’s the weekend,” Kelly explained.
Helena frowned. “You should’ve told me you were coming back. I didn’t prepare dinner for you.”
“I told you yesterday.”
“Did you?” Helena responded dismissively. “Well, I must have forgotten. I don’t keep track of this kind of thing. You’re hardly ever home anyway.”
Kelly fell silent. Melissa’s parents would always call before the weekend to see if she was coming home for dinner. In this household, she felt like she barely mattered.
“Don’t just stand there! Go set the table. Also, call your dad and ask him to bring home some pasta.”
“Oh, okay.” Kelly hastily washed her hands, brought the dishes out, and called her father, William Valencia.
As soon as the food was ready, William walked in with a takeout box. He kicked off his shoes and started grumbling,
“You should’ve told me you were coming home! Pasta is so expensive these days. Even the takeout boxes cost extra. This stupid little box cost four dollars… We could’ve bought burgers for the whole family with that!”
“Everything’s getting more expensive, but your salary isn’t going anywhere. We’re barely making ends meet here!” Helena snatched the takeout box from him. “Why did you pay for a box? The plastic bags are clean enough. Next time, just use those!”
