Miss Ishira."
Ivaan's cold voice echoed through the classroom.
The entire class immediately turned toward her.
Ishira froze in her seat.
The lecture had just ended, and students were already gathering their belongings, but now every eye was on her.
A faint smirk appeared on Ivaan's face.
"You were seven minutes late to my class."
A few students exchanged glances.
Some looked shocked.
Others looked entertained.
And almost every girl in the room looked jealous.
After all, out of everyone in the class, the infamous Ivaan Mehra had chosen to single out Ishira.
The rest of the lecture passed under the weight of curious stares.
Finally, the bell rang.
Students slowly began leaving the classroom.
Whispers followed them.
Questions.
Speculations.
Jealousy.
Kiara immediately grabbed Ishira's arm.
"Let's go."
"Gladly."
Without sparing Ivaan another glance, the two girls headed toward the classroom door.
They were only a few steps away when a cold voice stopped them.
"I stopped you, Miss Ishira."
Both girls froze.
The authority in his tone sent a slight shiver down Ishira's spine.
Slowly, she turned around.
Their eyes met.
The classroom had almost emptied now.
Kiara remained standing beside Ishira.
Big mistake.
Ivaan's dark gaze shifted toward her.
Just one look.
One cold, commanding glance.
Kiara immediately understood.
"Right."
She awkwardly adjusted her bag.
"I suddenly remembered I have somewhere to be."
"Kiara—"
"Good luck."
And before Ishira could stop her, Kiara practically fled the classroom.
Traitor.
The door closed behind her.
Silence.
The atmosphere instantly changed.
Now it was just the two of them.
Ivaan and Ishira.
Slowly, Ivaan pushed away from his desk.
His expensive black watch glinted beneath the classroom lights as he began walking toward her.
One step.
Then another.
Calm.
Controlled.
Predatory.
Ishira hated how aware she became of every step he took.
Finally, he stopped directly in front of her.
Close enough to make her nervous.
Close enough to make her heart betray her.
A smirk appeared on his lips.
"Running away already, Butterfly?"
His voice was low.
Dangerously amused.
And somehow...
That made him far more dangerous than when he was angry.
Ishira could feel her pulse quicken as Ivaan stopped in front of her.
Was she nervous?
Absolutely.
But she would rather die than let him see it.
So she lifted her chin slightly and met his gaze head-on.
"I wasn't running."
For a moment, Ivaan simply stared at her.
Then a slow, dangerous smirk appeared on his lips.
"Is that so?"
His voice was low.
Far too calm.
The kind of calm that made people nervous.
He took another step forward.
Now there was barely any distance between them.
Ishira refused to move.
Refused to back away.
Even though every instinct was screaming at her to do exactly that.
Ivaan's dark eyes studied her face carefully.
As if searching for even the slightest sign of fear.
"You know, Butterfly," he said quietly, "most people get nervous when I stop them."
Ishira folded her arms.
"Maybe you overestimate yourself."
A low chuckle escaped him.
Instead of being offended, he seemed entertained.
"Maybe."
His gaze never left hers.
"Or maybe you're just very good at pretending."
The words hit closer than she wanted.
Because the truth was—
She was scared.
Not of what he would do.
But of how easily he affected her.
And she hated that.
Ivaan noticed the brief flicker in her expression.
Of course he did.
Nothing escaped him.
"There you are."
"What?"
"That look."
Ishira frowned.
"What look?"
"The one you try so hard to hide."
His smirk deepened.
"The one that tells me you're not nearly as fearless as you pretend to be."
A spark of defiance flashed in her eyes.
"And you're not nearly as intimidating as you think you are."
The classroom fell silent once again.
Neither looked away.
Neither backed down.
Then suddenly, Ivaan laughed.
A dark, genuine laugh.
As if she had just said the most amusing thing in the world.
"Careful, Butterfly."
His voice dropped lower.
"Dangerous men tend to enjoy challenges."
And judging by the look in his eyes...
He was enjoying this one far too much.
Ishira rolled her eyes.
Honestly, she was done.
"Did you stop me just for this nonsense?"
The amusement on Ivaan's face faded slightly.
Ishira adjusted the strap of her bag and pointed toward the door.
"Because if that's all, then may I go?"
For a brief moment, silence filled the classroom.
Then something changed.
The playful smirk disappeared completely.
The warmth—if there had ever been any—vanished.
His gaze turned cold.
Sharp.
Dangerous.
The kind of look that reminded everyone exactly who Ivaan Mehra was.
The air suddenly felt heavier.
"Butterfly."
His voice was calm.
Too calm.
Ishira immediately knew she had pushed the wrong button.
"You were seven minutes late."
Every word was measured.
Controlled.
"And?"
Ishira regretted it the second it left her mouth.
A humorless smile appeared on his lips.
"And?"
He took a slow step forward.
"Do you know what happens in my world when someone ignores time?"
Ishira crossed her arms.
"This is a university, not your world."
His eyes darkened.
"Unfortunately for you..."
Another step.
"...today, they're the same thing."
A shiver threatened to run down her spine.
She refused to show it.
"So what now?"
Ivaan tilted his head slightly.
As if considering something.
Then a dangerous smirk slowly returned.
"You deserve a punishment."
Ishira stared at him.
"A punishment?"
"Yes."
She actually laughed.
"What are you going to do? Give me detention because I was seven minutes late?"
The smirk on his face widened.
"Detention?"
He sounded almost amused by the idea.
Then he leaned slightly closer.
Close enough that his voice dropped lower.
"No, Butterfly."
His eyes locked onto hers.
"My punishments are far more memorable than detention."
And somehow...
That answer made her even more nervous than the threat itself.
He comes too close and suddenly grab her hand. There Proximity was too close. Ishira can feel his hot unwavering breathe
Suddenly ishira was thinking and he crashed his lips on her. His pace on her lips became fast. His hand was roaming on her waist when he pinches her waist.
She suddenly gasped and he entered His tounge in her mouth she was not kissing him back. She was just processing what was going on when suddenly he pulled himself.
"I like the taste of your lips on mine." He says.
"Take care of the thing to not come late in my class and also not to argue with me. I hate when someone ignores me and not reply me back."
Ivaan stepped even closer.
The air between them felt suffocating.
Ishira refused to back away, even though every instinct told her she should.
A dangerous smirk appeared on his lips.
"Still not going to answer me, Butterfly?"
Ishira folded her arms.
"Maybe because your questions don't deserve answers."
For a moment, silence stretched between them.
Then Ivaan's expression hardened.
The amusement vanished from his face.
"You know what I hate?"
His voice was calm.
Cold.
"When people ignore me."
The authority in his tone sent a chill through the room.
He held her gaze for a few seconds before taking a step back.
"Take care of that habit."
The warning was clear.
Unmistakable.
Then he turned away and picked up the file from his desk as if the conversation was over.
"Now leave before I decide to add another punishment for arguing with your professor."
Ishira clenched her jaw.
Arrogant.
Infuriating.
Impossible.
Yet as she walked out of the classroom, she couldn't shake the feeling that Ivaan Mehra wasn't making a request.
He was making a promise.
The moment Ishira stepped out of the classroom, she found Kiara waiting near the corridor.
The second Kiara saw her, she rushed over.
"What took so long?"
Ishira tightened her grip on her bag.
"Don't ask."
Unfortunately, at that exact moment, the classroom door opened again.
Ivaan stepped out.
The noisy corridor seemed to quiet down instantly.
Students moved aside.
Some stared.
Others lowered their gazes.
Kiara glanced at him for barely a second before looking away.
There was something about Ivaan Mehra that made people instinctively avoid holding his gaze.
Ishira rolled her eyes.
"Come on."
Without looking back, she grabbed Kiara's arm and dragged her toward the cafeteria.
A few minutes later, they were sitting at a corner table.
Kiara had been unusually quiet.
Which was suspicious.
Very suspicious.
Ishira narrowed her eyes.
"What?"
Kiara's lips twitched.
"What?"
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
Kiara tried—and failed—to hide her grin.
"Oh, nothing."
"Kiara."
"Nothing."
Ishira groaned.
Then Kiara pointed toward her face.
"You know you've been biting your lip all morning, right?"
Ishira froze.
Her headache.
Her frustration.
The argument with Ivaan.
She had been chewing on her lower lip without realizing it.
Kiara burst out laughing.
"Oh my God."
"Shut up."
"No wonder there's a mark."
"Kiara."
"This is hilarious."
Ishira dropped her head onto the table.
"Please stop talking."
Kiara leaned forward dramatically.
"Let me guess."
"No."
"You argued with Professor Devil."
"No."
"He annoyed you."
"No."
"He definitely annoyed you."
Ishira looked up.
"He is the most arrogant, irritating, impossible man I have ever met."
Kiara immediately pointed at her.
"There it is."
"What?"
"You spent three whole sentences talking about him."
"Because he's annoying."
"Sure."
"He is."
"Whatever helps you sleep at night."
Ishira grabbed a napkin and threw it at her.
Kiara laughed even harder.
Meanwhile, across the cafeteria, several students were already talking about the university's new professor.
About Ivaan Mehra.
About his reputation.
About his wealth.
About his influence.
The chatter only worsened Ishira's mood.
She stabbed her sandwich with far more force than necessary.
Kiara watched the entire thing with amusement.
"You're angry."
"Very."
"At him?"
Ishira didn't answer.
Which was answer enough.
And that made Kiara smile even more.
Ishira was halfway through her coffee when a group of girls suddenly stopped near their table.
The entire group looked excited.
Far too excited.
Kiara immediately sensed trouble.
"Uh-oh."
"What now?" Ishira groaned.
One of the girls stepped forward.
"You're Ishira, right?"
Ishira frowned.
"Yes?"
The girls exchanged looks.
Then one of them smiled.
"So it's true."
"What is?"
Another girl spoke.
"You were the one Professor Mehra asked to stay back after class."
Ishira nearly choked on her coffee.
Kiara immediately looked interested.
Very interested.
"Oh, this is going to be good."
"Stay out of it."
The girls completely ignored her.
One of them leaned forward.
"What happened in there?"
"Nothing."
"Liar."
"Nothing happened."
The girls clearly didn't believe her.
Not even a little.
A blonde girl crossed her arms.
"Then why did he stop only you?"
Good question.
Unfortunately, Ishira didn't have an answer she was willing to share.
"He was late—"
"She was late," Kiara corrected.
"Whatever."
The girls continued whispering among themselves.
Then one of them sighed dramatically.
"You're so lucky."
Ishira blinked.
"Lucky?"
"Professor Mehra literally looked at nobody else during the lecture."
Another girl nodded enthusiastically.
"Exactly."
"And did you see him this morning?"
"He looked amazing."
"I swear half the university is obsessed with him already."
The group burst into giggles.
Ishira's mood instantly worsened.
For reasons she didn't understand.
Or maybe she did.
A little.
Just a tiny bit.
Kiara noticed immediately.
And smirked.
Dangerous.
Dangerous smirk.
"Interesting."
"What?"
"Nothing."
"What?"
"Nothing at all."
The girls kept talking.
"I heard he's one of the most powerful businessmen in New York."
"My brother says nobody messes with him."
"He's so mysterious."
"Those eyes..."
"Oh God, don't get me started."
More giggles.
More admiration.
More reasons for Ishira to become annoyed.
Finally she put her coffee down.
A little harder than necessary.
The girls immediately fell silent.
Ishira forced a smile.
"If you're all done discussing Professor Mehra..."
Her tone was sweet.
Suspiciously sweet.
"...some of us would actually like to eat lunch."
The message was clear.
Very clear.
The girls awkwardly exchanged looks before walking away.
The moment they disappeared, Kiara started laughing.
"Don't."
"I didn't say anything."
"Don't."
Kiara grinned.
"You looked like you wanted to fight all of them."
"I did."
That only made Kiara laugh harder.
And for the first time since leaving the classroom, Ishira realized something.
Every time another girl talked about Ivaan...
It bothered her.
A lot more than it should have.
Ishira and Kiara were still talking in the cafeteria when a university peon approached their table.
"Miss Ishira Sharma?"
Ishira looked up.
"Yes?"
"The trustees' office has requested your presence. There are some enrollment documents that require your signature."
Ishira frowned.
"Now?"
"Yes, ma'am."
After the peon left, Kiara immediately wiggled her eyebrows.
"The trustees' office?"
"Don't start."
"I'm just saying..."
"Kiara."
"Fine."
Ishira grabbed her bag and stood up.
But as she walked toward the administration building, a single thought crossed her mind.
What if Ivaan was there?
The thought alone irritated her.
And for some reason...
Made her nervous.
A few minutes later, she arrived outside the trustees' office.
Taking a deep breath, she pushed the door open.
The room was empty.
Completely empty.
Ishira immediately relaxed.
Thank God.
Several files were stacked neatly on a large table.
A university administrator explained a few formalities before leaving her alone to complete the paperwork.
For the next twenty minutes, everything remained peaceful.
Just paperwork.
Signatures.
Documents.
Nothing dramatic.
Exactly how she liked it.
She was focused on filling out a form when the office door suddenly opened.
The sound made her look up instinctively.
And then—
She froze.
Ivaan.
He walked inside without even glancing around the room.
His attention was completely occupied by the phone pressed against his ear.
His expression was cold.
Businesslike.
Dangerous.
A fitted black shirt stretched across his broad frame.
The sleeves were rolled up to his forearms.
Veins visible beneath his skin.
His expensive watch gleamed beneath the office lights.
"Handle it."
His voice was sharp.
"Excuses don't interest me."
Silence.
Then—
"I don't care how it's done."
Another pause.
"Just get it done."
The call ended.
He tossed the phone onto the table carelessly.
Only then did he notice he wasn't alone.
His gaze landed on Ishira.
For a brief second, surprise flickered across his face.
Then it vanished.
Replaced by that familiar smirk.
Meanwhile, Ishira was still staring.
Completely unaware she'd been watching him for far too long.
Something about seeing him outside the classroom felt different.
More dangerous.
More real.
As if the professor mask had slipped for a moment.
And she'd caught a glimpse of the man underneath.
Unfortunately for her...
Ivaan noticed.
Of course he noticed.
The smirk on his lips widened slightly.
"Enjoying the view, Butterfly?"
The words snapped Ishira back to reality instantly.
Her eyes widened.
And for the first time that day—
She was the one who got caught.
Ishira immediately looked away.
Embarrassed that she'd been caught staring.
Without saying another word, she lowered her head and returned to the paperwork in front of her.
Pretending to be completely focused.
Pretending her heart hadn't skipped a beat.
Across the room, Ivaan noticed.
And a faint smirk appeared on his lips.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
He took a seat behind the large trustee desk and opened a few files.
The room fell silent once again.
Only the sound of turning pages could be heard.
Until the office door suddenly opened.
A girl entered.
One of the senior students from Blackwood.
She looked nervous.
And overly excited.
"Professor Mehra?"
Ivaan didn't even look up.
"What?"
The girl awkwardly approached his desk.
"I had a doubt regarding today's lecture."
Ishira continued signing papers.
Trying not to listen.
Failed immediately.
The girl kept talking.
About a topic that could have easily been discussed in class.
Or through email.
Or literally anywhere else.
Even Ivaan seemed to realize it.
His expression grew noticeably colder.
Short answers.
One-word responses.
Minimal interest.
Yet the girl continued finding excuses to prolong the conversation.
Meanwhile, Ishira's pen pressed a little harder against the paper.
For some reason, the girl's constant attempts to get Ivaan's attention were becoming irritating.
Very irritating.
Which made absolutely no sense.
Why should she care?
She didn't.
At least that's what she told herself.
Across the room, Ivaan's gaze briefly shifted toward her.
And he noticed.
The tighter grip on the pen.
The annoyed expression.
The way she suddenly looked far more interested in the conversation than she pretended to be.
A dangerous amusement flickered in his eyes.
The girl finally laughed at something that wasn't even funny.
Ivaan remained completely expressionless.
Then, without warning, he closed the file in front of him.
The sound echoed through the room.
The girl immediately stopped talking.
"If that's all," Ivaan said coldly, "I have work."
The dismissal couldn't have been more obvious.
The girl's face fell.
"Oh... okay."
A few seconds later, she left the office.
The door clicked shut behind her.
Silence returned.
Ishira immediately went back to her paperwork as if she hadn't noticed anything.
As if she hadn't been listening at all.
Then Ivaan's voice broke the silence.
"You're holding that pen like it insulted you."
Ishira froze.
Slowly looking up.
A smirk appeared on his face.
The kind she had come to hate.
And somehow...
Look for.
"Relax, Butterfly."
He leaned back in his chair.
"I wasn't interested."
The worst part?
She hadn't asked.
Which meant he had noticed far more than she wanted him to.
Ishira immediately looked up from the paperwork.
Annoyance flashing across her face.
"Trust me, Professor Mehra," she said coldly. "I am not interested in you."
The room fell silent.
For a moment, Ivaan simply stared at her.
Then he leaned back in his chair.
A slow smirk appeared on his lips.
The kind of smirk that instantly irritated her.
"You keep saying that, Butterfly."
"I mean it."
"Of course you do."
Ishira clenched her jaw.
"You have a very high opinion of yourself."
"I prefer accurate opinions."
She groaned in frustration.
Impossible.
The man was absolutely impossible.
Meanwhile, Ivaan looked completely unbothered.
As if provoking her was the most entertaining part of his day.
"You know," he said casually, spinning a pen between his fingers, "most people try very hard to impress me."
Ishira rolled her eyes.
"Good for them."
"And yet you spend all your time arguing with me."
"Because you're annoying."
That only made his smirk deepen.
"See? There it is again."
"What?"
"The attitude."
Ishira slammed the file shut.
"I'm trying to finish paperwork."
"And I'm trying to work."
"Then work."
"You first."
She stared at him in disbelief.
For someone who ran billion-dollar companies, he behaved like a menace.
Ivaan seemed to enjoy her reaction far too much.
Finally, he picked up another file.
"Relax, Butterfly."
His dark eyes briefly met hers.
"I didn't say you were interested."
A pause.
"Yet."
Ishira grabbed the nearest paper ball and threw it at him.
Ivaan caught it effortlessly without even looking.
The smirk never left his face.
And somehow...
That made her even more annoyed.
After finally finishing the endless stack of paperwork, Ishira let out a relieved sigh.
"Done."
Without sparing Ivaan another glance, she grabbed her bag and walked out of the trustees' office.
The corridor outside was crowded with students rushing between classes.
Exactly what she needed.
Distance.
Distance from Ivaan Mehra and his infuriating smirks.
She was still muttering under her breath when she turned a corner.
And slammed directly into someone.
"Ouch!"
The impact nearly made her lose her balance.
Before she could fall, a hand quickly steadied her.
"Careful."
A masculine voice reached her ears.
Ishira looked up.
And froze.
The guy standing in front of her looked around her age.
Tall.
Sharp features.
Neatly styled dark hair.
A crisp white shirt with the sleeves rolled up.
And a pair of intelligent gray eyes that immediately held amusement.
"That was one hell of an entrance."
Ishira immediately stepped back.
"Sorry."
The stranger smiled.
"No broken bones. We're good."
For the first time, Ishira noticed several books tucked beneath his arm.
He looked more like the university topper than a troublemaker.
"You're new?" he asked.
"So are you."
"Fair point."
A chuckle escaped him.
"I'm Ethan Blackwell."
He extended his hand.
"Third year. Student Council President."
Ishira blinked.
Student Council President?
Of course she had managed to crash into someone important.
"I'm Ishira."
"Evident."
"What?"
"The entire university has been talking about you since morning."
Ishira groaned.
"Please don't remind me."
Ethan laughed.
"A little difficult when Professor Mehra personally kept you back after class."
Wonderful.
Even strangers knew.
Just perfect.
A smile remained on Ethan's face.
"You seem disappointed."
"I am."
"Interesting."
Before Ishira could reply, a strange feeling settled over her.
As if someone was watching.
She glanced instinctively toward the end of the corridor.
And there—
Standing outside the trustees' office—
Was Ivaan.
One hand in his pocket.
Phone in the other.
His expression unreadable.
His dark eyes fixed directly on them.
The amusement instantly vanished from Ethan's face.
The atmosphere changed.
Subtly.
Dangerously.
And for reasons she couldn't explain...
Ishira suddenly felt caught between two very different kinds of trouble.
Write a comment ...