"I don't want to hear you say 'it's none of your business' again, Princess," Nathan's voice sent shivers down her spine."Because it really isn't your concern!" Haisley replied and turned around abruptly. She glared sharply at Nathan, unable to hide her anger. "Anyone who is close to me, whatever I do with them, or whatever I learn from them, is not your concern! If you feel responsible for my presence here, just focus on my well-being! Not meddle in my personal affairs. Because my personal matters are not within your realm of responsibility!" She spoke with explosive anger."Besides, why suddenly care about who I associate with? While all this time, you seemed reluctant to meet me?" She stared at Nathan accusingly. "You can go back to being the homeowner who ignores his guests, Nathan. Don't confuse me with your sudden, unwarranted concern. Gilbert is already enough to protect me. You don't need to worry about that.""And my affairs with Steven or any man I might date in the future,

Haisley stretched, moving her head from side to side to relieve the stiffness. Studying was not something she enjoyed, but what could she do? After all, she was a student, right?Her business professor had already left the class, leaving them with a pile of assignments to be submitted in the next two meetings. Haisley could only sigh in resignation. Well, at least tomorrow was the weekend, so she could forget about her college tasks for a while."Hey, H," greeted a tall, slender guy with a friendly smile on his face."Hi, Dem. What's up?" Haisley asked politely."Do you still have classes?" Haisley shook her head. This was her last class. "Want to go out with me?""Where to?""Anywhere, a movie, food, maybe? Or just hanging out is fine too," he replied enthusiastically."With who?""Just the two of us.""Alright. But you have to drop me home later.""Sure!"Haisley put all her books into her backpack. They walked side by side toward the corridor where Haisley's locker was located. She

Nathan opened his eyes; his headache had started to fade, although his body still felt uncomfortable. His throat still hurt when he swallowed, although not as intensely as before. Perhaps it was thanks to Dr. Willy's medicine, or it could be because of the porridge and soup that Haisley made.Thinking about her name, Nathan smiled to himself. He remembered the girl's face blushing when she helped him change his clothes and wiped his body with a warm towel. It was abundantly clear that she had never been that close to a man before. Nathan tried to slowly get up from his bed. He didn't want to wake her up; she was sleeping on the floor, propped up by her arms with her head resting on the side of the bed. Regardless of how sharp her words were and how cynical her gaze was, her attention to him was greater than anything else.Nathan couldn't help but wonder: what did this girl really want to prove to him? And more than that, he was curious about her feelings for him. Did she still have fe

"But what you see is different from what you feel in person," Nathan said, not wanting to back down."Of course, Nath. I know that too. It's all just acting, except maybe if the video's title is a tutorial," she said and placed the plate on the dining table. Nathan grabbed Haisley's arm before she could go to the kitchen."Don't pretend that you're trying out what you've seen, Haisley," he growled. His grip on her arm tightened, making Haisley wince in pain. She harshly attempted to free herself from Nathan's grip."I've told you multiple times, Nathaniel, it's none of your business," she said, her tone as cold as ice. "I have my own rights to do whatever I want, and I've said that to you repeatedly." Her words were a reminder.Nathan stood tall in front of her, his head bowed to meet Haisley's eyes, which only reached his chest. His sharp gaze made Haisley afraid, but she tried to conceal her fear."I know you're experienced. Very experienced," she said softly. She looked back at Nat

Haisley sprinted from her classroom, glancing at her watch. She was over ten minutes past the time she had promised. All of this was because Mr. Flitwick had detained their class with a task that wasn't important, while Haisley was already pressed for time because today she and Gilbert, along with their friends, were going on vacation as they had planned. She opened her locker in haste, swapping her book-filled bag for a tote bag containing her skincare routine essentials that she would carry during the trip. She didn't worry about her outfit since her backpack would undoubtedly be carried by Gilbert.Haisley grabbed her phone and tried to contact Gilbert while running back to the parking lot, where Gilbert and their friends had promised to wait for her with the rented minibus. But after trying three times, her calls failed each time, as it seemed he was busy making calls to someone else.Upon reaching the parking lot, Haisley looked around anxiously. There was no minibus waiting for