Monday morning arrived with a cold, crisp air. In the dining hall, Albert sat picking at his breakfast, his eyes constantly darting toward the staircase. He was worried—wondering if the medicine he had secretly given Louise worked and how much pain the Professor was still in.
Noah, noticing his distraction, tapped the table. "Hey, Albert! What are you searching for? Your breakfast is right in front of you. Eat!"
"I know, Auntie," Albert sighed. "I'm just waiting for Professor Louise. We're going to be late for college."
At that moment, Stove appeared, pushing Rosy's wheelchair. He was already in his police uniform, ready for duty.
"He's already gone, son," Rosy said gently. "He booked a private chauffeur service. Starting today, he'll be traveling to the University that way."
Albert nearly choked on his food. "What?! A chauffeur service? Since when?"
"Yes, son," Stove added, his expression grim. "His family must be incredibly wealthy. When Rowan approached us to keep Louise safe, I didn't realize the Stone family was this influential. I wonder... just who is his father really?"
Stove's hand gripped Rosy's shoulder tightly, a sudden tension filling the room. Rosy noticed the darkening mood and quickly changed the subject.
"Oh, forget about that for a moment! Albert, next month is your birthday. What gift do you want?"
Albert's face lit up instantly. "My birthday? That's right! And your anniversary is next month too. It's going to be a month of celebrations!" He stood up, his excitement returning. "Mom, we have to celebrate big this year. Especially since we have guests in the house. It's important!"
"We never say no to you, do we?" Noah teased, though her smile didn't quite reach her eyes.
Stove stepped forward, cupping Albert's face in his hand. His gaze was uncharacteristically heavy with worry. "Listen to me, Albert. Don't play around too much this year. Just finish your graduation safely. If anything happens at college... anything at all... you tell me immediately."
"Dad, I almost forgot," Albert said, his tone turning serious. "You're the City Commission Officer. That Ethan and his gang—you know they're gutter trash. They deal drugs because they work for that Jackman guy. Can't you do anything to stop them?"
Stove turned his back to Albert, his voice trembling slightly. "Ethan and his gang... they are just the tail of the snake. They work under the most influential leader in the country." Stove's voice broke as he uttered the name. "Oligarchy Leader... Roman Stone."
The room went deathly silent. Rosy looked terrified.
"Albert! Don't involve yourself with them!" Noah snapped, trying to break the tension. "Just go to college and focus on your studies. Go!"
Albert looked at his parents. They were both silent, looking shaken. Confused by their reaction, he grabbed his bag and headed for the University.
As soon as the door closed behind Albert, the atmosphere in the house shattered.
"Stove!" Rosy cried out, tears streaming down her face as she gripped the armrests of her wheelchair. "You promised never to mention Roman's name in this house again! What are you doing?"
"I'm sorry, Rosy... I didn't mean to—"
"What if Albert finds out?" she sobbed, her voice trembling. "What if he discovers he isn't our biological son? If he realizes he was adopted, he might start looking for the truth... and if he finds Roman", that monster will finish—
"No, no, honey... please," Stove whispered, his own eyes brimming with tears as he knelt beside her. "That will never happen. He is our son. That's the only truth he needs to know."
Noah stood nearby, wiping her eyes with her apron. "I am begging you both—never mention that past again. Albert is a Rev. You both must protect him from Roman Stone at all costs. That man must never find him."
Albert's motorbike roared into the university parking lot. The moment he spotted his group of friends, his eyes locked onto Dany.
"DANY!" Albert screamed, even before he had fully dismounted.
He parked the bike with a jerk and stormed toward him, his fists clenched tightly. Dany, seeing the look on Albert's face, scrambled behind the others, trying to hide.
"I'm so sorry, Albert! I didn't mean for it to go that far! I'm sorry, bro!" Dany yelled, his voice shaking.
"Do you even know what happened after that?" Albert hissed. But as the words left his mouth, a flash of that night hit him—the heat, the whispers, the way Louise had looked in his arms. The memory of their passion hit him like a physical blow. His anger suddenly dissolved into a heavy, complicated ache. His tight fists loosened, and he ran a hand through his hair with a deep, shaky sigh.
"I still don't know how he feels..." Albert murmured to himself, his voice thick with worry. "He won't talk to me. He made me promise to forget everything."
Dany stepped out from behind the others, looking genuinely regretful. "Sorry, bro. I really thought I was helping you guys out. I didn't mean to cause trouble."
"Forget it," Albert muttered, staring at the empty space where he expected Louise to be. He scanned the lot, but the luxury car was nowhere to be seen. Louise must have already been dropped off and gone inside.
"Did you see Professor Louise? Is he here yet?" Albert asked, his chest tightening.
"Yeah, he's already inside," one of his friends replied. "He arrived in a luxury car with a chauffeur. It looked incredibly expensive."
Albert felt a pang of distance. The chauffeur was just another barrier between them. He didn't think Louise was angry—he just knew Louise was trying to erase what they had done, trying to honor the promise he had forced Albert to make.
"You guys go to class," Albert said, his voice quiet. "I'm going to the lounge."
He turned away, his heart heavy. He didn't want to forget. He couldn't.
In a high-end luxury apartment hotel in the heart of the busy city, the sleek black car pulled into a private bay. The driver, Yana, stepped out and headed straight for the elevator. He moved with the confidence of someone who had done this many times before. Using a master key card, he opened the door to a sprawling suite.
Inside, the atmosphere was suffocating. A man sat on the leather sofa, shrouded in shadows, swirling a glass of dark amber liquid. He radiated a cold, dangerous energy.
"Come inside, Yana," the man said, his voice a low, gravelly rasp. "Did you finish your job?"
"Yes, Sir Jacob," Yana replied, his voice trembling slightly. "As you ordered, I picked up Louise and delivered him to the University."
Yana hesitated, a bead of sweat rolling down his temple. "Sir... I wonder... what if Louise finds out? What if he realizes this chauffeur service wasn't arranged by his father? If he checks—"
Before Yana could finish, Jacob stood up with a sudden, violent movement and hurled his glass against the floor. The crystal shattered into a thousand jagged pieces.
"How many times have I told you not to ask questions?" Jacob roared, his eyes flashing with a manic fire. "Just do what I asked! You know what needs to happen tomorrow. That's it! Now get out! GET OUT!"
Yana scrambled backward and fled the room immediately, the door clicking shut behind him.
Jacob stood in the center of the room, his chest heaving. His hands were shaking as he pulled a cigarette from his pocket and lit it with a trembling flame. He sank back into the sofa, a twisted, haunting laugh echoing through the empty suite.
"I know... I know my Louise," Jacob whispered, looking up at the ceiling as he took a deep, desperate drag of smoke. "He won't ask questions. If he thinks it's about his father, he'll be too afraid to check. He'll just get in the car like a good little boy."
He leaned his head back, his eyes clouded with a sadistic obsession. "This time, I'm taking my Louise out of this country. No matter what it takes."
He laughed again, a sound that lacked any warmth. "I spent so much effort... so much money. I went to the State Department of Education, I bought the Board of Regents... I gave them everything just to find out where he was appointed. And now I have him. Now I'll chase him until he's mine again."
"Louise... love you, darling!" Jacob screamed into the silence, his voice a mix of devotion and madness.