The Morel house was already awake when Aïnis Morel came down the stairs that morning.
The large windows of the living room let in a soft light. The sun was slowly rising above the perfectly maintained gardens of the estate.
In the dining room, the table was already set.
Shining silverware.
Still-steaming tea.
Toast arranged with precision.
Like every morning.
And like every morning, her father was already seated.
Victor Morel was reading documents on his tablet, his glasses slightly lowered on his nose.
He looked up when Aïnis entered.
— You're awake earlier than usual.
She sat down across from him.
— I had insomnia.
Victor watched his daughter for a moment. He knew that calm expression she used whenever something was bothering her.
— Exams?
— Maybe.
She slowly poured tea into her cup.
In the entrance, standing motionless as always, was Jake Blake.
Dark suit.
Discreet earpiece.
Straight posture.
But his eyes were monitoring every movement in the room.
Aïnis felt his presence even before looking up.
And despite herself, her gaze slid toward him.
Just for a second.
Blake immediately looked away.
As if that simple exchange was already too much.
Victor spoke again.
— Blake told me he mentioned his new assignment to you.
Aïnis's cup stopped halfway to her lips.
— Yes.
A silence passed.
— It's an excellent opportunity for him, Victor continued.
— I suppose.
She took a sip of tea.
— He deserves it.
Victor narrowed his eyes slightly.
— You seem surprisingly calm about it. Don't worry, you'll have a new bodyguard in Blake's place. Blake has already proven himself.
Aïnis set the cup down.
Her fingers slid gently across the table.
— Important decisions don't really belong to me, do they?
So you don't need to reassure me since my opinion doesn't count.
The sentence was soft.
But it carried a truth Victor did not comment on.
The silence lasted a few seconds.
Then Victor closed his tablet.
— You should go. You'll be late.
Aïnis stood up.
When she passed near Blake, their shoulders were separated by barely a few centimeters.
She whispered:
— Good morning, Blake.
— Good morning, Miss Morel.
Professional.
Perfectly controlled.
But his gaze remained fixed on the door long after she had left.
It was becoming more and more difficult for him to take his eyes off her.
The ride to the university
The car moved slowly through the still quiet streets of the city.
Aïnis looked out the window.
Buildings passed by.
Rushed pedestrians.
Normal life.
But inside the car, the air seemed heavier.
Blake kept his eyes on the road.
His hands firmly on the steering wheel.
— Did you sleep well? he finally asked.
— Not really.
— Exams are coming.
— Yes.
The silence returned.
Blake knew that Aïnis no longer saw him as just a bodyguard, but he would never admit it out of fear.
Aïnis discreetly observed his profile.
He seemed focused.
But his jaw was slightly tense.
As if something was turning in his mind.
Despite his distant appearance, he was handsome and pleasant to look at for her.
He fascinated her.
She wondered if he saw her as a woman or just a girl.
She suddenly whispered:
— Six days left.
Blake tightened his grip slightly on the wheel.
He knew exactly what she meant.
— Yes.
Nothing more.
The car stopped in front of the university.
Blake immediately got out to open the door for her.
— Have a good day, Miss Morel.
She nodded.
— Thank you.
Then she entered the university.
But just before passing through the door, she turned around.
Blake had already returned to his car.
Professional distance.
Again.
Always.
Outside the university
Blake never stayed inside the establishment.
That was the rule.
He stood outside the large metal gate surrounding the university.
From there, he had a perfect view of the main entrance.
Students came and went.
Laughter.
Conversations.
Student life.
But Blake stayed apart.
Leaning against the car.
His phone vibrated in his pocket.
He looked at the screen.
Jasmine.
His little sister.
A smile appeared on his lips.
He answered.
— Hi, Jas.
The girl's voice immediately exploded through the phone.
— Hans!! You called yesterday but I was asleep! What's going on?
He laughed lightly.
— I have good news.
— Tell me!
He looked for a moment at the university gate.
— I got a promotion.
Silence.
Then a scream of joy.
— WHAT?!
— Easy…
— Jake that's incredible!
He could already imagine Jasmine jumping all over their small apartment.
— That means we can pay for Miché's school more easily?
— Yes.
— And my dance classes?
He smiled.
— Yes, those too.
His sister stayed silent for a moment.
Then she whispered:
— I'm proud of you.
Blake's throat tightened slightly.
— Thank you.
But Jasmine knew her brother.
— Hans…
— Yes?
— Why don't you sound happy?
Blake stared at the gate.
Students passed by.
And somewhere behind those walls was Aïnis.
— I am happy.
— You're lying.
He sighed softly.
— It's just… a lot of changes.
Jasmine didn't insist.
— Will you come visit us soon?
— Of course.
— Promise?
— Promise.
They talked for a long time.
About school.
About Miché.
About normal life.
Then the call ended.
Blake looked at his phone for a few seconds.
Then he took a deep breath.
That's when the phone vibrated again.
The name on the screen made him grimace.
Léna.
His girlfriend.
He answered.
— Hi.
The woman's voice was immediately tense.
— Oh, so you remember I exist?
Blake closed his eyes.
— Clara…
— How many days has it been since you called me?
— I've been busy.
— Always that excuse.
She sighed loudly.
— Listen, that's enough.
— What?
— We're seeing each other tomorrow.
— Tomorrow?
— Yes.
— clara, I'm working.
— Find a day off.
— It's not that simple.
— Hans.
Her voice became colder.
— If you care even a little about this relationship… you'll find a solution.
Silence.
— I want to see you.
— Tomorrow.
— And I'm not taking no for an answer.
Then she hung up.
Blake remained motionless.
The phone still at his ear.
He sighed slowly.
Asking for a day off.
From Victor Morel.
That was the last thing he wanted to do.
At the university
Aïnis was sitting at a table with her friends.
But she was barely listening.
She stared at her coffee.
— Well, said Sofia.
— What's going on?
Aïnis looked up.
— Nothing.
— Lie.
Maya looked at her carefully.
— You make that face when you're pretending everything is fine.
Aïnis sighed.
— Blake is leaving.
The two girls froze.
Silence.
Sofia slowly put down her cup.
— Wait… say that again.
Aïnis sighed.
— Blake is leaving.
Sofia's eyes widened.
— Like… permanently?
— Yes.
— When?
Aïnis stared sadly at her drink.
— In a week.
Sofia dropped back against the chair.
— Is this a joke?
Maya, meanwhile, carefully watched Aïnis's face.
She noticed the details.
The way her fingers nervously played with the spoon.
The way she avoided her friends' eyes.
— Your father decided that? Maya asked softly.
Aïnis nodded.
— He offered him a promotion.
— And Blake accepted?
The question hung in the air for a few seconds.
— Yes.
The word came out more difficult than she wanted.
Sofia frowned.
— Wait… I don't understand.
She leaned toward her.
— That guy has been protecting you for months. He follows you everywhere. He watches over you like your life depends on it.
— And now he just leaves like that?
Aïnis shrugged slightly.
— It's his job.
Maya tilted her head.
— And you?
— What about me?
— What do you think about it?
Aïnis stayed silent.
The noise around them suddenly seemed very far away.
Then she murmured:
— It's not like I have a say in it.
Sofia looked at her for a long moment.
Then she followed Aïnis's gaze toward the window.
From there, they could see the large university gate.
And right behind it…
Sofia immediately noticed something.
— Are you attracted to him?
Aïnis looked away.
— No.
— Yes.
Maya smiled slightly.
— You're in love with him.
The word fell onto the table like a stone.
Aïnis immediately shook her head.
— No.
— Then why do you look like you've lost someone? Maya replied calmly.
Aïnis opened her mouth.
Then closed it.
Because she couldn't find an answer.
Sofia crossed her arms.
— Wait a second…
She looked at Aïnis suspiciously.
— Does he know?
Aïnis blinked.
— What?
— That you love him.
— I don't love him!
— Mmh.
Maya took a sip of her coffee.
— And him?
Aïnis frowned.
— What about him?
— Does he feel something for you?
Aïnis looked again at the gate.
Then looked away.
— I don't know. It's impossible that he loves me. I'm just a kid in his eyes.
Sofia sighed.
— You know what's the worst thing about all this?
— What?
— Guys like him don't look at a girl like you like that… for no reason.
Aïnis frowned.
— What does that mean?
— It means he looks at you like a man looks at a woman.
Aïnis's heart skipped strangely.
Maya leaned closer to her.
— And your fiancé in all this?
The name hung in the air.
Raphaël.
Aïnis sighed.
— Raphaël is… nice.
Sofia burst out laughing.
— Oh no.
— What?
— When a girl describes her future husband as nice, that's a bad sign.
Maya nodded.
— Very bad sign.
Aïnis shook her head.
— You're exaggerating.
— No.
Sofia pointed at the gate.
— The real question is that one.
Aïnis followed her gaze.
Blake had just hung up his phone.
He ran a hand through his hair, visibly irritated.
Then he looked toward the university.
Toward the place where she was.
Their eyes met through the gate.
Just for a moment.
Sofia whispered:
— If you let him leave… without doing anything…
Maya finished softly:
— You'll regret it for the rest of your life.
Aïnis felt something tighten in her chest.
Because deep down…
she knew they might be right.