Chapter 18 Mystery Unravelled
NANCY’S POV
My heart practically stopped beating when I saw the note in Mr. Landon’s hand.
For the briefest second, none of us moved. We just stared at him while he held the note between two fingers, the small folded paper looking impossibly obvious now.
Mr. Landon wiggled his hands lightly, then said in a calm voice, "Nancy, I believe this belongs to you."
Hearing him say my name made my throat dry for some reason, and this scene in particular reminded me of the days when I went against my Dad's orders and was reprimanded.
It made me hesitant to step forward and take the note from him, but eventually, I did.
“Thank you,” I muttered quietly, unable to say his name.
I felt like I would stumble on it, or worse, stutter. It didn't make it better that I could smell his musky cologne from where I stood.
When I reached for the note, our fingers brushed. It was only a second, but my heart still jolted at the brief contact like it always did every time I laid my eyes on this godlike man.
Diana leaned over immediately, and that reminded me of her presence and how weird and inappropriate my thoughts were.
“Oh, good, you found it. What does it say?”
I swept a glance towards her, then quickly slipped the paper into my bag. Mason had already told her the content, I didn't need her announcing it before her Dad again.
Mason, who had seen me give her the stink eye, chuckled, and that caused Mr. Landon to glance at him.
For a second, I thought I saw interest flicker behind his eyes.
“Would you like to elaborate on what the content of your note meant, Mr. Kravitz?”
What is the content...
Holy shit!
He had read it.
The casual tone he had used to voice his question didn't lessen the undertone of authority, and while I glanced between Diana and Mason, wondering if it was okay to tell him we were going to a party later tonight, Mason shrugged.
"Not really."
I gasped, and my gaze snapped to Mr. Landon.
I hadn't expected that Mason would outright refuse to tell him. Since Mason didn't, was that a cue for me and Diana to keep our mouths shut?
But we would eventually have to ask his permission to go to the party, right? Unless we didn't.
My mind spun, and my thoughts just made me even more confused than I already was.
Eventually, I decided to just keep shut and let Mason and Diana handle it. One was better acquainted with him after all, while the other was his biological daughter.
“It’s a pity then, because neither of these two ladies will be meeting up with you tonight."
My head snapped up at the same time that Diana's did.
"Dad...”
"Mr. Landon..."
He shot us both a glance that made the rest of the words I was about to say fizzle out in my throat.
I swallowed.
Something about the way Mr. Landon was watching made the air feel heavier, and it made it hard to protest. The fact that even Diana hadn't protested was evidence enough.
“It was just a note,” I said quickly, trying to diffuse the situation.
Mr. Landon looked back at me, but his expression didn't change. "Of course it is."
His calm agreement didn’t reduce the tension that had lessened between us; it only served to make it worse.
Diana took a step forward, then cleared her throat, “Dad, it’s just a party.”
Mr. Landon’s gaze moved to her slowly, “It’s just a party,” he repeated.
“Yes.”
“And you thought it appropriate to make those plans during my lecture?”
Diana hesitated for a minute, as though pondering her answer. “Well…It wasn’t exactly during, right?” He turned to me uncertainly, seeking confirmation
It was Mason who answered; he cleared his throat lightly. “Technically, sir, it was after class.”
Mr. Landon looked at him again. It wasn’t a look of anger, but it did make Mason straighten. “Mr. Kravitz, that wasn’t meant for you to answer.”
Mason shrugged again, but the smile on his face faded a little, “I’m just saying it’s not a big deal…”
“Perhaps not for you.” Mr. Landon cut in before he could finish, and then his attention shifted back to me.
“Nancy.”
My shoulders stiffened automatically.
“Yes…Mr. Landon?”
“You live in my house.”
It wasn’t a question, but I answered nonetheless, nodding.
“Yes.”
“And while you’re under my roof, your safety is my responsibility.”
I opened my mouth, but no words came out in rebuttal because technically, he wasn’t wrong.
He continued calmly, “Late-night gatherings with large groups of unsupervised students are rarely what they advertise themselves to be.”
“It’s just music and hanging out,” Mason cut in.
Mr. Landon didn’t even look at him this time. “I wasn’t asking you.”
The quiet authority in his voice made Mason fall silent.
Diana huffed beside me.
“Dad, you’re overreacting.”
“Am I?” Mr. Mason turned his head slowly to her.
“Yes.”
He folded his arms once she said that, then voiced calmly, “Then perhaps you would like to explain why the invitation had to be written on a folded note instead of spoken aloud.”
“Well, it’s…It’s…” Diana fumbled for a response.
Finally, Mason spoke again.
“It’s not like we’re sneaking off to do something illegal. Why are you being so uptight about it, Mr. Landon?”
Diana sucked in a few breaths, and so did I.
It was clear that we both hadn’t expected Mason to respond in the way that he did.
Mason, however, remained unruffled, even when Mr. Landon’s gaze deepened on him.
Mr. Landon studied him without speaking for a minute, and then he said, “This confidence of yours will either serve you well one day or ruin you.”
“Want to guess which it will be?”
Mason frowned, but he didn’t say anything in response.
I shifted uncomfortably as both men watched each other closely.
This situation had escalated way beyond what it should have, and I didn’t even know who was responsible for it.
“Mr. Landon,” I lifted my head with a cautious look, “I didn’t actually say I was going yet.”
His eyes moved back to me.
“No,” he said. “You didn’t, but you seem to be considering it.”
“I…” My shoulder dropped in resignation.
He wasn’t wrong about that either.
Diana crossed her arms suddenly, “You can’t just forbid her from going.”
“I can.” Mr. Landon’s response was immediate.
My eyes widened.
He wasn’t really going to do that, right?