Chapter 14: Fourteen

MICHAEL

I suppose I've always had a thing for older women because my first love was Céleste. She was effortlessly elegant with a sensual French accent in my head.

I was barely eighteen but her bluish green eyes always made my heart race and sent a thrill through me. I swear, I got goosebumps when she was around, or whenever her floral perfume wafted into my nostrils, I could already imagine she tasted like strawberry down there. She was in her mid-20s as a maid in my father's mansion.

My father knew I had a soft spot for her so he would always encourage me to have fun with her but never take her serious, to him she was nothing but his worker, a commoner, beneath me, he didn’t see her as a person only a toy for my amusement, satisfy my sexual curiosities but I didn’t listen, I was far more interested in her heart than in her body.

But like Betty, Celeste never made it easy for me, she was just as hard to get, yet somehow I managed to win her affection with my charm and we ended up being good friends even though I wanted more. It was as if she truly understood me, like she could see right through the arrogant cockiness, still my feelings for her never died, if anything, they grew stronger every day and my father never missed a chance to remind me to always treat her like what she was but I would never listen.

That faithful night I was going to confess my feelings, I thought she was done for the day so i headed towards her room to go check on her but something pulled me towards my fathers study, the door was slightly open, when I saw her bent over his table while he fucked her from behind, her mouth was slightly open and she moaned softly like she was enjoying it, no wonder he always warned me never to take her serious because he was having an affair with her while my mother was rotting away in the room next to his study.

I was so furious that I burst in and that was it, she was sacked the very next day, while I was grounded for a week.

I guess my love story ended before it even began.

~

I grip the steering wheel tightly, my throat going dry, the kind of dryness that only a hot cup of coffee would fix. Maybe it was from driving around inhaling dust, but that was the only way I could get rid of the anger or the sadness I felt. And I can’t help but think that my father was the architect of this disaster, if he hadn't shown up then things would still be the way they used to be.

I liked the old Betty, the one who got feisty not angry, I could still see the warmth in her eyes when she yelled at me even when she slapped me, I knew her pearl still tingled and breathe because she knew I wasn’t giving up, But this new Betty hated me with a fire I hadn’t seen before and I felt the urge to clear the air, tell her I wasn’t the man she thought I was, The question was, would she ever believe me?

I drove towards Krakow cafe, pulling into the cafe parking lot.

As soon as I stepped out of the car, I saw someone familiar, a figure leaning against the brick wall just a few steps from the entrance. At first, I squinted, unsure of who it was, but as I moved closer, my heart raced and the dryness in my throat disappeared. It was Betty.

She was still in her work clothes, it was a bit stained and her hair was still tied up in a ponytail, she looked pale like she had just seen a ghost, she looked drained of color and her eyes they were almost closed like she was about to pass out, my instincts kicked in and I knew I had to save her even though she hated me so much.

I’d almost stopped myself thinking this was a dream, because just few minutes ago she was yelling in my face calling me an entitled spoilt brat, and I was going to prove to her that I wasn’t just like that for no reason maybe she would pity me and forgive me, and here she was looking like she was in trouble. I guess this was my cue to save her.

Finally, I was close to her so I tapped her gently on the shoulder. “ Professor Betty?”

She didn’t respond.

“Are you okay?” I asked again, my voice laced with surprise.

“Michael?” She moaned, her eyes fluttering open softly, she looked like a mess internally like she was having a breakdown. “I’m fine.”

She held her stomach like she was trying to stop it from dropping to the ground, she was fidgeting, her hands trembling, I had never seen her in this state before, professor Betty I knew always kept her composure despite the situation so whatever was happening must be so serious for her to act this way. She avoided my gaze, staring at the road blankly.

“Are you sure you are fine by yourself? You look…”

She shot me a glare, “ Can you please stop pressing?” She bawled, her voice sharp and laced with anger but she still had a twang of exhaustion to it. “ I just told you I am fine, can everyone just get the hell away from me?”

I nodded, understanding she needed an alone time, even though I was deeply hurt, I wish she would just let me help her, despite her angry state she looked fragile like she was too tired to even stand on her own, her grey eyes had lost it sparkle still I started to back away, knowing maybe she needed some privacy, some space to process what was happening to her. It was hard but I need to respect her; for her sake.

But before I could take another step, her hand caught my arm sending a jolt through me, almost like a thunderbolt but a different kind of storm, it was electric, raw, and undeniably sensual.

“Please don’t go..” she whispers, her eyes still fixed on the road, “ I’m sorry for yelling at you, you don’t deserve that, I’m just having a rough day.”

I turned to stare at her, she looked pale before but now her cheeks were flushed, her eyes were a bit open, and her hands had also stopped trembling. Maybe this was my opportunity to apologize, tell her I wasn’t a cocky bastard for nothing but I doubt she had the time to listen to my sob story.

Before I could say anything, she held my arm again, “And…. Sorry for saying those words to you earlier in the classroom.”

Wow, it was as though she was reading my mind, I shook my head slowly. “ No. You don’t have to apologize, I’ve been an asshole to you and I am so sorry, you are right, I have been spoiled and disrespectful to you.”

She gave me a fleeting smile, “Thanks for saying that, I appreciate it.”

We went silent for a few seconds, then I decided to break it, “ Do you want some coffee? I was going to go in to get myself one!”

“No, I’ll just book a ride home, grab some rest, but thanks.”

“At least let me drive you,” I offered.

She smiled sheepishly, almost like she did in that picture on FaceGram. “ That won’t be necessary Michael, I wouldn’t want people to get the wrong idea.”

Before I could say anything else she was already walking away, her fragile figure getting into a cab. I was so tempted to run after her, maybe to insist on driving her home but I knew I had to respect her desires. She said no for a reason, don’t press!

I hopped back into my car, put the key in the ignition, and drove out of the parking lot onto the quiet road.

I drove him pulling up at the garage, I saw my father standing in the foyer, a document in hand as he conversed with a man, I didn’t pay attention to any of them I just wanted to slip in quietly and rest my head, or maybe reminisce on the brief encounter I had with Betty. But my dad had spotted me and was moving towards my path.

Shit! He always does this and it was so annoying, how many times would I tell him I want nothing to do with whatever business meeting he had going on?

“Michael! “ He called out loud, I rolled my eyes, “That’s so rude walking past me and my guest without uttering so much as a word, where did you learn such manners ?”

I stopped walking but before I could respond, he motioned to the man standing next to him.

“My friend, please forgive my son, he isn’t usually like this, he must have had a bad day at school,” He said, he wasn’t wrong, my day started terrible bit that little conversation with Betty made my day better and all I wanted to do was lie on my bed and remember how hot she looked or how she held my arm. “Michael, meet Professor Adam Lewandowski.”

I blinked twice, surprised. “Professor?” I repeated.

“Yes,” Dad nodded. “He's not just teaching at the university, he’s also someone I’ve worked with on a few major projects at the company, he is also a renowned author, you should learn from him.”

Adam’s lips turned up, his brown eyes piercing and sharp, "Hello, Michael, a pleasure.”

There was something about him that didn’t just seem right and his face looked unmistakably familiar like I knew him from somewhere.

“Likewise,” I said, coldly.

“He’d also be happy to help with Professor Betty, they both had had history, as it happens that she’s got dirty secrets and history of being downright evil,” my father chipped in, "Don't worry son, I’ll make sure I teach her a lesson, no one messes with the Bolton’s and goes Scot free.”