Chapter 67: Marshmallow.

The next morning, Dua sprang up from bed in a panic, her heart racing as she realized she was late for class. Stumbling into her slippers, she rushed toward the bathroom, but Steven's voice jolted her from her frantic thoughts. "Are you alright?"

Turning toward him, she noticed him sitting on a chair with his arms crossed, his brow slightly furrowed in concern. He gestured to the corner of his lips, a knowing look on his face. "You ended up not fixing it up."

Dua's fingers instinctively touched her cut lip, and she flinched at the jolt of pain. “That’s the reaction I expect,” he said casually. “Believe me, you won’t want to go to school today when you look in the mirror.”

A wave of anxiety washed over her. She rushed to her dressing table, her stomach twisting as she caught sight of her reflection. Her lips were swollen and bruised, a sight that made her scream.

“Oh my God, what do I do?” Panic laced her voice as she turned back to Steven.

“Go take your bath and come back first.” He told her, but she shot him an unimpressed look.

“Looks like you’re satisfied with your new look,” he teased with a smirk.

“Hey!!!” Dua yelled, giving him a killer glare that would have made anyone else shrink back.

Steven shrugged innocently, turning his gaze away as she stormed into the bathroom, feeling frustrated and embarrassed.

When she emerged a short while later in casual wear, a cloud of sulking enveloped her. She approached the bed, her thoughts heavy.

“Why are you in casual wear?” Steven asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I’m skipping school today,” Dua replied, climbing onto the bed with a huff.

“Because of what I said?” His chuckle made her glare even harder.

Noticing her refusal to answer, he strode towards her, a first-aid kit in his hand. As he climbed onto the bed, Dua instinctively moved to the edge, creating distance between them.

“You’re still afraid of me? Didn’t you just yell ‘Hey!!!’ at me, giving me a killer glare? Or was that someone else?” His voice held a teasing lilt.

"What do you want?" she asked, her gaze fixed on the floor, avoiding his piercing eyes.

"I want to help you," he replied softly, setting the first aid kit on the neatly made bed. He reached out to touch the swollen area on her cheek, but she instinctively flinched away.

"What are you trying to do?" she questioned, her voice tinged with apprehension.

"Do you want to keep looking like a marshmallow?" he shot back, a hint of teasing in his tone. At that, she cooled off marginally, giving him reluctant access to examine her injury.

He placed his fingertips gently on her swollen cheek, murmuring soft incantations under his breath. His eyes fluttered shut, as if he were drawing energy from somewhere deep within. Moments later, he opened them again and met her curious gaze.

"What was that?" she raised an eyebrow, skepticism etched on her features.

"You'll find out soon enough," he said, a sly smile playing at the corners of his mouth as he opened the first aid kit, revealing an assortment of supplies.

As he tended to her wound, his gaze would occasionally flicker back to her face, and a warm smile spread across his lips, magical in its own right.

Finished, she quickly scooted away from him, an odd tension between them now palpable in the air. "Is thank you not part of your vocabulary?" he quipped, and she muttered an almost sheepish "thank you."

"Come downstairs for breakfast. And by the way, you can go to school now," he said, standing up and moving toward the door.

"Go to school now?" She scoffed, only to have a realization hit her. "Wait... go to school now?" In a rush, she darted to her dressing table, eyes widening in shock at her reflection in the mirror. The swelling had vanished, leaving behind only the neatly bandaged cut he had cared for.

She sprinted downstairs, ignoring the curious glances from others gathered at the table. "What the heck did you do to me?" she shot at Steven, who remained unfazed as he loaded up his plate.

Desmond looked up, concern etched on his face. "Are you... alright, sis?"

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Dua replied, her voice steady as she settled at the table.

The moment Steven left, she stood up and followed him. “Are you going to tell me what you did to me or not?” she demanded, her tone firm, but the worry in her eyes betrayed her impatience.

Instead of answering, he simply turned and held out her school bag. “You’re late for class,” he said coolly.

“I know, but…” she started, frustration bubbling just beneath the surface.

“It’s your favorite class, literature,” he reminded her, that infuriating smirk reappearing.

“Fuck you!” she shot back, storming out of the house. Steven chuckled, unfazed by her anger.

As she stepped outside, a group of men in sharp suits approached, bowing with a mix of formality and intimidation. Dua jumped, startled. “We’re your personal bodyguards, ma’am,” the leader stated, his voice steady and authoritative. “From now on, we’ll follow you everywhere to protect you and report your whereabouts to boss.”

“Do whatever you want, just don’t line up in front of me like that,” she hissed, brushing past them towards the car, irritation simmering under her skin.

The ride to school was swift, and Dua appreciated that the professor hadn’t arrived yet when she made it to class. She slipped into her seat between her friends, exchanging quick hellos.

“What’s with the men in black?” Jay asked, his gaze darting nervously between the guards stationed in the corner, keeping a vigilant watch.

“They’re my bodyguards, assigned to me by my husband,” Dua explained, trying to suppress the embarrassment clouding her thoughts.

“Bodyguards? Why all of a sudden?” Maya leaned forward, concern creasing her forehead.

“On my way home yesterday, I was kidnapped,” Dua said, her heart sinking at the memory. Gasps erupted around her.

“Oh my God, are you alright?” Lena asked, her eyes wide with worry.

“I’m fine, just this minor cut,” Dua replied, lifting her chin to reveal the small bruise on her lip.

Turning her attention to the bodyguards, she raised an eyebrow. “Did he say you had to be in the classroom with me?”

"He specifically told us to keep an eye on you, ma'am," the leader reiterated.

"Good! Make sure you don't blink while you're at it," she replied, rolling her eyes in a sarcastic manner.

"Shouldn't we turn in our math assignments since the Literature professor isn't here yet?" Lena suggested, glancing around the empty classroom.

"You guys go ahead without me; I didn’t do the assignment," Dua said, her voice trailing off.

"Why not?" Jay asked, concern etching his features.

Dua flashed an awkward smile, unable to explain the real reason.

"Here," Maya chimed in, revealing her notebook with a flourish. "You can copy mine."

"Really?" Dua responded, her eyes lighting up in surprise.

Maya nodded firmly. "Of course! We’re friends, right?"

Dua’s heartfelt gratitude shimmered in her smile as she quickly pulled her math notebook from her bag, flipping it open. Her excitement turned to bewilderment, however, as she stared at the filled pages in disbelief.

"But you said you didn’t do the assignment. How come your pages are filled with workings and the answers?" Jay asked, peering over Dua’s shoulder.

"I'm just as shocked as you are. I have no clue how this happened," Dua replied, her voice quavering with confusion.

Meanwhile, unbeknownst to her, Steven had quietly helped her with the assignment the night before, working diligently while she slept.

"Were you just trying to pull our legs, Dua?" Lena raised an eyebrow, skepticism lacing her tone.

"I swear, I didn’t do this! I can’t explain it!" Dua insisted, desperation creeping into her voice.

"If you didn't do this, then who did?" Maya asked, narrowing her eyes and crossing her arms.

Dua thought hard for a moment, and only one name surfaced in her mind. "My husband," she finally uttered, a mix of realization and awe washing over her.

Everyone fell silent as she processed the revelation, a smile creeping on her face as she considered Steven’s thoughtful gesture.