Chapter 56 EVERYTHING COLLIDED
Clara’s POV
“Jake!”
The name left my mouth the second Professor Asher dismissed the class.
Jake stiffened.
Just for a second.
He didn’t turn. Didn’t look at me. He simply stood there, staring straight ahead like he hadn’t heard a thing.
Then he slid out of his seat, swung his bag over his shoulder, and walked past me - straight to his clique.
My brows knitted together.
Why was he… avoiding me?
I watched him laugh lightly at something one of his friends said, his posture loose, careless, as if my voice hadn’t cut through the room moments ago.
My chest tightened.
Somewhere at the back of my mind, I knew why he was acting this way. I wasn’t completely clueless.
Things had shifted between us - words left unsaid, feelings mishandled. I knew I’d hurt him. And I knew he had hurt me too.
But still…
We had things to talk about.
At the very least, I needed to thank him.
Mrs. Brooklyn’s words echoed faintly in my head.
“Jake Williams was the one who rescued you.”
He’d been absent for a whole week. And yet the moment he walked into the classroom earlier, my eyes had locked onto him like he was the only person there.
I hadn’t expected him so soon. I knew he’d show up eventually - but not like this.
Not without a word. Not without even looking at me.
Why would he tell Mrs. Brooklyn not to say a word to me?
Was he that angry at me?
I lowered my gaze, forcing myself to breathe as I gathered my notebook and pen.
Approaching him while he stood there with his friends felt wrong, exposed and desperate.
I told myself I’d wait.
But then I saw him heading for the door.
Panic sparked.
“Jake!” I called again, louder this time, standing up quickly.
He didn’t slow down.
Didn’t turn.
Didn’t even hesitate.
He walked out with his friends like I wasn’t there at all.
My heart dropped.
Without thinking, I took a step forward, ready to run after him - to stop him, to say thank you, to say something—
And suddenly, a hand yanked me back.
The door slammed shut with a loud bang, the sound echoed sharply through the now-empty classroom.
My back hit the door, breath rushed out of me as a solid presence caged me in.
I froze.
Slowly, I lifted my eyes.
My breath caught instantly.
Professor Asher.
He stood impossibly close, one arm braced beside my head, the other near the door, trapping me between the wall and his body.
His expression was unreadable - dark, intense, focused entirely on me.
I stared at him, stunned.
For a second, I genuinely forgot he’d still been in the room.
My heart pounded wildly as I stood there, unsure whether to move, speak, or breathe - my eyes flicked once behind, and towards the door Jake had disappeared through, then back to Professor Asher.
For a moment, neither of us moved.
The silence pressed in on me, thick and suffocating, broken only by the sound of my own heartbeat pounding in my ears.
His presence felt overwhelming this close - too solid, too aware. I could feel the heat of him, the authority in the way he blocked my exit without touching me again.
I tore my eyes away first.
My gaze dropped to the floor as I swallowed hard.
“P-please… step aside, sir,” I said quietly.
The words barely left my mouth before he scoffed.
“Ah,” Professor Asher murmured. “Step aside.”
There was something almost mocking in the way he repeated it. My fingers curled around my notebook, gripping it like an anchor.
“Why?” he asked calmly.
The question caught me off guard. I hesitated, then answered anyway, my voice uneven.
“I need to… return to my dorm.”
For a split second, his lips twitched.
Then he chuckled - soft, low, controlled.
“Return to your dorm,” he repeated.
“Or chase after your long-lost boyfriend, Jake Williams?”
My head snapped up.
“What?” I frowned at him, confusion knitting my brows.
Where had that come from?
The word alone made my chest tighten.
“I—” I started, unsure whether I was offended, embarrassed, or simply stunned.
He cut me off instantly.
“I believe,” he said coolly, “That I asked you to wait behind after class. Didn’t I, Miss Bennett?”
The way he said my name - measured, precise - sent a strange shiver down my spine.
My mouth closed.
Slowly, I lowered my eyes again, the weight of his words settling heavily on me. I didn’t know what to say.
Didn’t know how to explain myself without saying too much, today.
I shut my eyes and released a slow, shaky breath, trying to steady myself.
This was spiraling too fast.
“Sir,” I said finally, my voice barely above a whisper, “Iwouldn’t want anyone to get the wrong ideas… seeing us like this.”
I swallowed. “Please. Just step aside.”
The words had barely settled before he cut in.
“Wrong ideas?” Professor Asher repeated coolly.
My eyes flew open.
“That sounds quite contradictory,” he continued, his tone calm but edged with something sharp, “Coming from someone who asked me to keep my distance—”
My heart stuttered.
“—yet had no problem informing the entire class,” he went on evenly.
“That I asked you to meet me at the warehouse to submit the project reports.”
I snapped my head up so fast my neck hurt.
My brows pulled together as I stared at him, trying to understand what he was implying—why it suddenly felt like he was turning things upside down.
His gaze didn’t soften.
If anything, it sharpened - assessing, weighing, stripping me bear with a single look.
“Yet that is exactly what circulated,” he said calmly. “And now, here you are - concerned about appearances.”
My pulse stumbled.
Why did it sound like I was being accused of something I didn’t even understand?
I hugged my notebook closer to myself, suddenly feeling very small beneath his presence.
I shook my head slowly, confusion washing over my frustration.
“What are you even saying?” I asked, my voice strained. “Idon’t understand what’s happening right now.”
He didn’t answer. Just stood there, jaw tight, eyes fixed on me like he was waiting for something.
“I acted based on what I was told,” I went on, my words tumbling out now. “Why are you suddenly twisting this like I planned it?”
Why would I ever agree to meet you there if you hadn’t supposedly said anything?”
His brows pulled together slightly, but I didn’t stop.
“I told you to keep your distance for a reason,” I said firmly. “Not because I was trying to be dramatic. Not because I wanted attention.”
“But because of both our images. You’re my professor. I expected you to respect that.”
My fingers tightened around my notebook.
“So, when I was told that you asked me to come to the warehouse to submit the project reports—” I let out a shaky laugh.
“Of course I was shocked. You said you’d come get them yourself. That’s what you told me.”
His expression darkened.
“And everything in me screamed not to go,” I continued, my voice cracking slightly despite myself.
“My instincts were practically begging me to turn back. But I still went.”
Silence.
“I got there expecting to find you,” I said quietly. “I waited. Minutes passed. You never showed up.”
My throat tightened as the memory surged forward.
“Then the door slammed shut,” I whispered. “I was trapped inside.”
His jaw clenched harder.
“I screamed,” I said, my voice rising.
“I screamed my lungs out, calling for help. No one came. No one heard me. I thought that was it—that that place would be my end.”
My chest felt tight, like the air had thickened all over again.
“The cement started swallowing the space,” I said, swallowing hard. “The walls. The floor. Everything. I was terrified out of my mind.”
I looked up at him then, my eyes burning.
“And when help finally came,” I asked, bitter now, “Do you know who it was?”
He didn’t respond.
His brows were drawn together, lips pressed into a thin line.
I muttered, almost under my breath, “It was Jake.”
That did it.
Professor Asher’s eyes widened - just slightly - but it was enough. Enough to tell me he hadn’t expected that.
“So, before you accuse me of chasing him,” I continued, my frustration spilling over, “Yes. I won’t deny it. I was trying to catch up to him.”
His gaze hardened again.
“I wanted to say thank you,” I snapped.
“That’s all. That’s why I called his name.
That’s why I followed him.”
I shook my head, exhausted.
“But for some goddamn reason,” I added, my voice trembling now, “You never let me be.”
The words hung heavy between us.
“You clearly have a problem with me,” I said flatly. “Or maybe with Jake. I don’t know anymore. But why are you so hell-bent on controlling every aspect of my life?”
He straightened slightly, dominance rolling off him in waves.
“And out of all days,” I continued, anger sharpening my tone, “You chose today to keep me behind. The very moment Jake comes back.”
I laughed once, humorless.
“You didn’t see any other way to do it, did you?” I asked. “Because it feels less like concern—and more like control.”
I finally stopped, breathing hard, my hands shaking at my sides.
“And I’m tired,” I finished quietly.
My heart began to thump wildly the moment the last word left my mouth.
What had I just done?
I’d raised my voice.
At him.
The realization hit me like cold water. My stomach dropped, dread curling tight in my chest.
This wasn’t just any man standing in front of me - this was my professor. The one who graded my work.
The one with the authority to ruin my academic life with a single report if he chose to.
I clamped both hands over my mouth, eyes wide.
Oh God.
I was in trouble.
And what made it even worse, terrifying, really—was that he hadn’t reacted at all.
Professor Asher just stood there, staring at me.
No anger.
No shouting.
No visible emotion.
Just that unreadable, inscrutable look that made my skin prickle.
I stayed pressed against the wall, barely breathing, my pulse roaring in my ears.
Slowly, I lowered my hands and opened my mouth to apologize - panic already
choking the words—
But he cut me off.
“Hm,” he said calmly.
The sound alone made me stiffen.
“You mentioned being told that I asked you to meet me at the warehouse.”
My breath caught.
“That clearly means,” he continued evenly, “Someone fed you that information.”
His eyes locked onto mine.
“And you followed it blindly, Miss Bennett.”
My throat went dry.
“Which is why,” he said, his voice firm now—commanding, “Iwant to know who told you this.”
He paused.
“What is the name of this person, Clara?”
My body froze completely.
Not Miss Bennett.
Clara.
The way he said my name - sent a chill straight down my spine. He was serious.
Dead serious.
I stared at him, confusion spiraling through me.
Why was he asking this… like he genuinely didn’t know?
I squinted slightly, trying to read his face.
Was this some sort of test?
Was he pretending? Pulling my leg?
But no.
There was no amusement there. No mockery.
Just sharp focus.
Why would he joke about something like this—with me?
I parted my lips, about to answer—
When suddenly—
“OWWWW! It hurts—please! Someone helps me!”
I flinched hard.
The scream came from outside the classroom, loud and panicked, echoing down the hallway.
Professor Asher snapped his head toward the door instantly, eyes narrowed.
Another scream followed, louder this time.
“OWWWW! It hurts—please! Someone helps me!”
His expression shifted.
“Elsie?” he called sharply.
Before I could even process it, I pushed myself off the wall just as Professor Asher yanked the door open and strode out into the hallway.
I rushed after him.
And then I saw her.
Miss Elsie lay sprawled on the floor, clutching her stomach tightly, her face twisted in pain, eyes squeezed shut as she groaned.
“Oh my God…” I breathed.
The moment she spotted Professor Asher, her eyes fluttered open.
“A-Asher…” she whimpered weakly.
He broke into a run.
“Elsie,” he said firmly as he dropped to her level, crouching beside her. “What’s wrong? Talk to me.”
She couldn’t.
She only groaned, fingers digging into her belly as another wave of pain hit her.
I crouched beside them too, my heart pounding.
“What’s happening?” I whispered, looking between them helplessly.
Professor Asher scanned the hallway quickly, sharp and alert, checking for anyone nearby—any sign of an accident, anything.
There was no one.
He turned back to her immediately.
“Elsie,” he said, his tone authoritative but steady, “You’re going to be fine, alright? I’ve got you.”
She only moaned again, shaking her head slightly.
Without hesitation, he slipped one arm beneath her knees and the other around her back, lifting her up with ease.
“I’m taking you to the infirmary,” he said decisively.
She let out a small cry as she clutched his shirt, burying her face against his chest.
I stood quickly and followed as he walked away, my steps slower, my mind still spinning.