MY SECRET PROFESSOR HUSBAND

Chapter One — The Professor in the Front Row

The first thing Elara Bennett noticed about Westbridge University was that it looked nothing like the pictures on the admission website. The photographs had shown ivy-covered buildings, bright lecture halls, and students laughing beneath the autumn trees.

They had somehow forgotten to mention the cold wind that slipped beneath her coat, the enormous campus that seemed designed to make new students hopelessly lost, and the way her stomach twisted every time she looked at the timetable in her hand.

She stood at the entrance of the Humanities Building, holding her books against her chest while people hurried around her. The hallway smelled faintly of old paper, coffee, and rain. Somewhere nearby, a door slammed, followed by a burst of laughter. Elara glanced at the paper again. Room 304 — Advanced Literature. Professor Adrian Vale.

“Third floor,” she whispered to herself. “How difficult can that be?”

Apparently, very difficult.

After taking the wrong staircase twice and nearly walking into a professor carrying a stack of folders, she finally found Room 304. She pushed the door open carefully and stepped inside. The lecture hall was already half full.

Students were talking in small groups, comparing schedules and complaining about the early morning class. Elara chose a seat near the middle, not too close to the front and not far enough back to disappear completely. She placed her books on the desk and slowly let out the breath she had been holding.

This was supposed to be a fresh start.

No family arguments. No people reminding her that she was there because of a scholarship. No one looking at her as though she had somehow taken a place that belonged to someone richer. She ran her fingers over the cover of the notebook in front of her.

She had earned this place.

That thought had barely settled in her mind when the classroom suddenly became quiet.

Elara looked toward the door.

A man had entered.

He wasn’t carrying the usual messy pile of papers most professors seemed to have. He walked in with a single black folder beneath one arm, his dark coat still carrying tiny drops of rain from outside.

Adrian Vale.

Elara had seen his name on the university website, but the photograph there had been old and formal. In person, he looked different. He was tall, with dark hair that fell slightly over his forehead and sharp features that made his expression seem naturally serious.

His charcoal shirt was tucked neatly beneath a black blazer, and a silver watch showed beneath his sleeve when he placed the folder on the desk.

He didn’t smile.

He didn’t need to.

The room became silent simply because he was standing at the front.

His eyes moved slowly across the students.Then they stopped on Elara.For one brief second, neither of them moved.Something strange passed through his expression.

Recognition.

Not surprise.

Recognition.

Elara’s fingers tightened around her pen.She knew that look.She knew those eyes.

Her husband was standing in front of the classroom.

Adrian’s expression changed almost instantly, becoming cold and professional.

“Good morning.”

The class answered in a scattered chorus.

Elara said nothing.

She couldn’t.

Her husband had just walked into her classroom wearing the face of Professor Adrian Vale.

And nobody in that room knew that three months ago, she had stood beside the same man in a small courthouse, wearing a simple ivory dress while he slipped a wedding ring onto her finger.

Nobody knew that the man at the front of the room was the person who had kissed her forehead before she left their apartment that morning.

Nobody knew that the professor everyone whispered about was her husband.

And judging by the way he looked at her now, he intended to keep it that way.

“Let’s begin,” Adrian said.

His voice was calm.

Too calm.

Elara lowered her eyes to her notebook, trying to hide the nervous smile threatening to appear.

So this was how their first day at university was going to go.

Perfect.

Absolutely perfect.

Adrian turned toward the board and wrote the title of the course in neat, deliberate handwriting.

LOVE, POWER, AND HUMAN NATURE IN LITERATURE.

A few students exchanged amused looks.

Adrian turned back.

“Literature is rarely about what people say,” he said. “It’s about what they refuse to say.”

Elara slowly looked up.His eyes met hers again.This time, she was certain he had chosen those words deliberately.

She raised an eyebrow.His face remained unreadable.Elara almost laughed.

Of course.

He was enjoying this.

The lecture continued. Adrian spoke without looking at his notes. He explained the subject with an ease that made the entire room listen. His voice wasn’t loud, but it carried perfectly through the hall. Every few minutes, he moved between the desks, asking questions and challenging answers.

Elara tried to concentrate.

She really did.

But every time he walked past her row, she became painfully aware of his presence.

At home, she knew the small habits hidden beneath his serious personality. She knew he drank his coffee without sugar, that he read when he was stressed, that he always loosened his watch before bed, and that he became quiet whenever something was bothering him.

But here, he was different.

Here, he was Professor Vale.

Distant.

Controlled.

Almost intimidating.

“Elara Bennett.”

Her head snapped up.

“Yes?”

Adrian stood beside the desk, looking directly at her.

“Since you’ve been staring at the same page for the last five minutes, I’m assuming you have an answer.”

A few students laughed.

Heat rushed into Elara’s cheeks. She looked down at her notebook and then back at him.

“I was thinking.”

“That can be dangerous if you don’t eventually reach a conclusion.”

More laughter.

Elara narrowed her eyes.

“Oh, I reached one.”

“Then let’s hear it.”

She straightened in her chair.

“You said people hide the truth because they’re afraid of what it might change. But sometimes people hide the truth because revealing it would hurt someone they love.”

The room quieted.

For the first time, Adrian’s expression changed.

Only slightly.

But she saw it.

His jaw tightened.

His eyes softened for half a second before the professor returned.

“And do you believe hiding the truth is justified?”

Elara hesitated.

She could feel everyone’s attention on her.

“I think,” she said slowly, “that depends on what the truth is.”

Adrian held her gaze.

“And what if the truth changes everything?”

Her heart skipped.

For a moment, the classroom disappeared.

There was only him.Only those familiar eyes.Only the secret wedding ring hidden beneath the sleeve of her blouse.

Elara swallowed.

“Then maybe people should be brave enough to face the consequences.”

Silence.

Adrian looked at her for another second.

Then he stepped back.

“Interesting.”

He returned to the front of the room.

Elara released a breath. The girl sitting beside her leaned closer.

“Okay,” she whispered. “That was intense.”

Elara forced a small smile.

“You think?”

“I don’t know what his problem is, but he definitely noticed you.”

Elara’s stomach dropped.

“It’s probably because I answered his question.”

“Maybe.”

The girl smiled knowingly.

Elara looked toward the front. Adrian was writing something on the board. His back was toward the class.

For one brief second, she allowed herself to smile.

Then he turned around.

Their eyes met.

The smile disappeared from her face.

His expression told her everything.

Don’t.

Her heart beat faster.

Not here.

She lowered her eyes.

The lecture ended twenty minutes later.

Students began gathering their books and talking over one another. Elara deliberately waited. She didn’t want to leave at the same time as him. It would look suspicious.

One by one, the room emptied.

When she finally stood, Adrian was still at the desk, organizing his papers.

She walked toward the door.

“Miss Bennett.”

She stopped.

Slowly, she turned around.

“Yes, Professor?”

The words felt ridiculous coming from her mouth.

Adrian looked at her.

“Stay behind.”

Her heart sank.The last student walked out.The door closed.Silence filled the room.Elara crossed her arms.

“You enjoyed that.”

Adrian raised an eyebrow.

“Enjoyed what?”

“Embarrassing me in front of everyone.”

“I asked you a question.”

“You knew I was distracted.”

“You were distracted.”

She stared at him.

“You’re impossible.”

“And you’re careless.”

Her expression softened.

“Good morning to you too, husband.”

For the first time all morning, the cold professor disappeared.

Adrian looked at her with an expression that was entirely different from the one he’d shown the class.

He walked toward her slowly.

“Elara.”

His voice was quieter now.

She smiled.

“Professor Vale.”

He stopped in front of her.

“You cannot call me that when we’re alone.”

“Why not?”

“Because I married you.”

“And I married you.”

A faint smile touched his lips.

It disappeared almost immediately.

“You need to be careful.”

“I am being careful.”

“You looked at me like you wanted to laugh three times during the lecture.”

“That was because you were being ridiculous.”

His eyes softened.

“I missed you.”

The words were so quiet that she almost didn’t hear them.

Her teasing expression faded.

“You saw me this morning.”

“That wasn’t the same.”

Elara looked down. For a moment, the distance between husband and wife felt painfully unfair. At home, she could reach for his hand whenever she wanted. Here, she couldn’t even stand too close to him.

Adrian gently touched the edge of her notebook.

“We agreed on this.”

“I know.”

“No one can know.”

“I know.”

His gaze lingered on her face.

“Then why do you look upset?”

“Because you’re my husband,” she whispered. “And in this room, I have to pretend you’re a stranger.”

Adrian’s expression softened.

He reached for her hand.His fingers barely touched hers before footsteps sounded outside the classroom.They immediately separated.

The door opened.

A young man stood there, holding a notebook.

“Sorry, Professor. I forgot my—”

He stopped.

His eyes moved from Adrian to Elara.

Then back to Adrian.Elara’s heart began pounding.Adrian’s face became unreadable.The student looked at their positions suspiciously.

“Were you two... talking?”

Elara opened her mouth.

Nothing came out.Adrian answered first.

“We were discussing her assignment.”

The student nodded slowly.

“Right.”

He grabbed his notebook.But before leaving, he looked at Elara again.Something about his expression made her uneasy.

The door closed.

Elara stared at Adrian.

“That was close.”

Adrian didn’t answer.

He was looking at the closed door.

“What?” she asked.

His jaw tightened.

“That student.”

“Who is he?”

Adrian finally looked at her.

“His name is Ethan.”

“And?”

“I’ve seen him watching you.”

A chill moved down her spine.

“Watching me?”

“Yes.”

Elara tried to laugh it off.

“Maybe he likes me.”

Adrian’s expression immediately darkened.

She almost smiled.

“Are you jealous, Professor?”

“No.”

“You’re lying.”

“I am your husband, Elara. Jealousy isn’t the problem.”

“Then what is?”

Adrian stepped closer.

His voice dropped.

“The problem is that I don’t think Ethan was looking at you because he likes you.”

Elara’s smile disappeared.

“Then why?”

Adrian looked toward the door.

“Because I think he knows something about us.”

Her heart stopped.

Neither of them spoke.

Outside, students continued walking through the hallway, completely unaware of the secret hanging between them.

Then Adrian’s phone vibrated.

He checked the screen.

His face changed.

“What happened?” Elara asked.

He didn’t answer.He simply turned the phone toward her.There was one message.

I know who your wife is.

Elara felt every bit of warmth leave her body.

And beneath the message was a photograph.

A photograph of the two of them leaving the courthouse on the day they got married.

Someone had been watching them.

Someone had known their secret from the very beginning.

And now...

someone at Westbridge University knew exactly who she was.

To be continued...

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