A week had passed since the incident at the university.
For the last seven days, Liora hadn't gone to campus or her part-time job. London University had been closed for the week to allow the police to investigate Samuel's disappearance. Liora was secretly relieved about this for two reasons.
First, she wasn't ready to face the other students after what had happened. She was terrified that they had seen her unusual strength and that Samuel's friends were waiting to take revenge on her. She was equally afraid of the reaction she would get regarding Ronan's public embrace.
Second, exams were scheduled immediately after the break. While most students didn't care much, Liora was eager to study. She even took the week off from her part-time job to focus solely on her books.
So, was her entire focus solely on her studies that week?
Not at all. A certain mean CEO had stolen her heart without her even knowing.
While she sat with her textbooks, her mind wandered. Why did I feel butterflies in my stomach when I saw Mr. Brown? Is he angry with me because of how I acted? Guilt gnawed at her. No matter how upset she had been, she realized she should have closed the car door gently the second time. She even fantasized about meeting Mr. Brown to apologize. Will I ever see him again? Does he even remember me?
Of course, why wouldn't he remember? Considering the mysterious accident and the strange events that had plagued Ronan since that night, how could he forget the angel who started it all?
Ever since that beautiful girl entered his life, Ronan had been in a state of confusion. Her large eyes, her bunny-like smile, her blonde hair, they were etched into his mind every second of every day. Even though his stubborn brain refused to admit it, his heart had already accepted that Liora was the cause of these strange, new feelings.
He regretted the way he had treated her. But the problem was, he didn't know how to treat her. All of this was foreign territory.
"Aaahhhh... Do I have to apologize to her now?" Ronan muttered to himself, pacing his office. "No, why would I do that? She's the one who should apologize to me for trying to break my car door! But... aaahhhh..."
Ronan held Liora's necklace in his hand, staring at the small silver charm.
"How do I even apologize to someone? Do I have to buy a gift? I don't even know if she remembers me. She's probably still angry. If I give this back to her, will she stop being mad? Or will she get even angrier because I didn't give it to her sooner?"
"Mr. Brown!!"
"Yo! Ronan, when did you start obsessing over someone like this?!" he scolded himself.
"Mr. Ronan Brown!!"
Ronan jumped, nearly dropping the necklace. His secretary, Grace, was standing in the doorway, clutching her chest and looking terrified.
"Why are you yelling?! You know I hate loud noises," Ronan snapped.
"Sorry, sir. But I've been trying to get your attention for five minutes now," Grace said, her voice shaking slightly. Ronan sighed.
"Okay. Why are you here?"
"You have to sign these papers," Grace said, stepping forward and handing him a stack of documents.
Ronan stared at the necklace in his hand for a moment longer, sighed heavily, and carefully tucked it into the inside pocket of his coat before taking the pen.
. . . . . . . . .
After the week-long vacation, Liora was on her way back to London University.
She felt incredibly happy as she walked from her apartment. Normally, the distance would have left her out of breath, but today she felt light and energetic. She wasn't tired at all.
However, a knot of anxiety tightened in her stomach as she neared the campus. She worried about how Samuel's friends would treat her. But as she walked toward her lecture hall, the atmosphere was strange. The boys who usually ignored her looked at her today, and smiled.
"Good morning," one said.
"Hey, Liora," said another.
Confused but polite, Liora greeted them back with a hesitant smile.
As soon as she entered the hall, she was swarmed.
"Ah, Liora, you're here!"
"Liora, are you tired? Do you want to sit?"
"Here, take my seat."
"Here, drink some water."
Girls and boys alike surrounded her, fussing over her. Liora looked at them in surprise, but a wave of happiness washed over her. Finally, she thought. My luck has turned. Maybe they see me differently now. She flashed her cute bunny smile.
"Thank you, everyone," she said softly.
"So, Liora, tell us about Mr. Ronan," one of the students asked eagerly.
"Huh?" Liora blinked in surprise.
"We know you two are friends, right? Nothing else?"
"How did you two get to know each other?"
"Oh, introduce him to us!"
"Do you have his number?"
Liora's smile faded instantly. The realization hit her like a bucket of cold water. They didn't care about her. They only cared about her connection to the billionaire.
Huh. That's it, then. she thought bitterly.
"No, I don't really know him," Liora said, looking down at her desk. "We're not even friends. We met by chance. No, I don't have his number."
"What?!"
The mood in the room shifted immediately.
"I told you! Our Ronan has nothing to do with a scumbag like her."
"She didn't even get his number? Useless."
"People like us would never waste a chance like that, right?"
"She's nothing but a weakling."
Frustrated and disappointed, the students dispersed. As they left, a few of them pushed Liora's head dismissively with their hands. Tears welled up in her eyes. Biting her lip to stop a sob, Liora grabbed her bag and ran to the washroom.
She locked herself in a stall and let the tears fall.
"I hate you, Mr. Brown."
After the exam, Liora was walking back to her apartment, feeling emotionally drained.
Suddenly, a jolt of electricity surged through her body, followed by a sharp headache. Liora squeezed her eyes shut and stopped walking. The pain was intense, but unlike before, she could bear it. After a moment, the sensation vanished.
She opened her eyes and froze.
A sleek black Bentley was parked right in front of her.
Seeing the familiar car, Liora's heart skipped a beat. When the door opened and Ronan stepped out, her eyes widened. Although she felt butterflies fluttering in her stomach, she shook her head, forcing an expression of anger onto her face. She quickly glanced around to make sure no university students were nearby to witness this.
"What now?!" Liora snapped as Ronan walked up to her.
"Can't you talk to me with a little respect? Do you know who I am?" Ronan asked, crossing his arms.
"Then, Mr. Brown, you should associate with people who are suitable for your status. Please leave me alone."
Liora tried to walk past him, but Ronan grabbed her wrist.
"Wait a minute. I need to talk to you."
"No. I don't have anything to talk to you about."
"Five minutes. Please?" Ronan asked, his voice softer.
Liora sighed and looked around nervously again. "Alright. Quickly tell me what you need to say. But first, let go of my hand."
Ronan looked down at where he was gripping her wrist and quickly released her. "Oh, sorry."
"Um... I actually shouted at you that day... I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that," Ronan mumbled, looking a bit awkward.
Liora softened slightly. "Oh, it's okay. It's my fault too. I shouldn't have slammed your car door so hard. I'm sorry too."
She bowed her head politely, and Ronan nodded.
"So you're not mad at me now, are you?" Ronan asked, a glimmer of hope in his eyes. "So... Friends?"
He extended his hand for a handshake.
Liora's eyes widened in panic.
"No!! No, Mr. Brown, let's stop here. Please, hang out with people who suit you. This will only hurt me more. Don't ever see me again. I'm so sorry."
She spoke politely but firmly. Ronan's face fell, filled with sudden sadness. He lowered his outstretched hand slowly.
Liora turned to leave, but Ronan called out again.
"Wait a minute, I'm not done yet."
Liora stopped and turned back to him. "What else?"
"I have something to show you. Will you come with me?"
"Where?"
"My house."
Liora shook her head vigorously. "No, Mr. Brown. I'm going now. Bye."
She turned and began to walk away.
"So, you don't want to know the truth about the accident that happened that night a week ago?!" Ronan shouted after her.
Liora stopped dead in her tracks. She held her breath, feeling as if she had been hit by a bullet.
Then... that accident wasn't something I created in my mind?
Liora spun around and ran back to him.
"What did you say? H-how do you know that?" she asked nervously.
"That accident wasn't a hallucination. It really happened," Ronan said seriously.
"B-but how..."
"I'll tell you later. I have something to show you. Then you'll understand," Ronan said.
Liora hesitated, looking at the car door. She reached for the handle, but Ronan stopped her.
"No, no, wait a minute."
He quickly moved past her, opened the passenger door himself, and waited for her to get in. Liora rolled her eyes. It looked like a gentlemanly gesture, but she knew he was only doing it to protect his precious car door from another slam.
After she climbed in, Ronan closed the door gently. He ran around to the driver's side and got in, only to find Liora looking around the interior of the luxury vehicle with wide, amazed eyes.
"Why are you acting like you've never been in a car before?" Ronan asked.
"I-I've never actually been in a car before," Liora admitted, looking embarrassed.
Ronan's eyes widened in surprise. He felt a sudden pang of sympathy. Aside from the night he brought her home while she was unconscious, she had never experienced a luxury car like this.
"Um... What's your name?" Ronan asked softly.
"Ah, I'm Liora. Liora Miller. Sorry I couldn't introduce myself earlier." she said with a smile.
"Oh... Jungkook." Ronan muttered nonsensically, distracted by her smile. "Put on your seat belt."
Liora reached for the belt next to her, but she fumbled with it, unsure how the mechanism worked. Ronan leaned over to help her.
As he moved closer, Liora's heart raced. Her mind immediately jumped to scenes from romantic dramas. Is he going to kiss me? Panic seized her. She gripped the strap of the belt and clutched the seat tightly, freezing in fear.
Ronan, noticing her reaction and guessing her thoughts, smirked mischievously. He leaned in just a little closer than necessary to grab the buckle.
But then, unexpectedly, Liora turned her head slightly, and her soft lips brushed against Ronan's cheek.
Ronan froze. He was far more shocked than Liora. He quickly pulled back to his own seat, his breathing suddenly heavy.
W-wow... G-god... Can someone's lips really be that soft? Ah... Ronan thought, his hand instinctively coming up to touch the spot on his cheek.
Liora, mortified, tried her best to hide her burning face by looking out the window.
An awkward silence filled the car for several minutes.
"A-ah... g-give me the s-seat belt. I-I'll put it on," Ronan stammered finally.
Liora pulled the belt and handed it to him without looking at him. Ronan clicked it into place, started the engine, and pulled onto the road.
Liora, still blushing furiously, bit her lower lip and stared straight ahead, trying to keep her face expressionless.
I hate my heart, too. she thought.