Falling for the Goddess

Back to School

At 6:30 a.m., Adrian Blake woke up, as he always did. His internal clock was precise.

Sara Hart was still asleep, curled up at the very edge of the bed as though one wrong move might send her tumbling off. Her small face was turned toward the inside of the bed, her body curled up in a fetal position, a posture that reflected a deep lack of security.

Adrian Blake glanced at her briefly, then looked away.

It had nothing to do with him.

When he went downstairs, Aunt Miller was already preparing breakfast. Seeing Adrian Blake, she smiled and asked, "Young Master, are you going for a run again?"

"Yes, Aunt Miller."

"Alright, breakfast will be ready when you return."

Adrian Blake nodded and headed outside. He had long made it a habit to wake up at 6:30 every morning, go for a run, and then head to the office. If it rained, he’d use the gym instead. Everyone at the family estate knew about this routine.

At this hour, there weren’t many people around the villa district. After a quick warm-up, Adrian Blake jogged along the lakeside, running several laps until sweat soaked his body.

Running not only kept him fit, but it also helped him relieve stress.

Though Grandma had arranged for him and Sara Hart to live together, so far, Sara Hart hadn’t been any trouble. She was quiet and didn’t demand attention, which suited him just fine. It saved him the hassle.

When Adrian Blake returned, he went straight to the bathroom for a shower.

Sara Hart, still half-asleep, vaguely heard the sound of running water. She slowly opened her eyes, noticing that the other side of the bed was empty. She was sure she had set an alarm, so she shouldn't have overslept, right?

Suddenly, she sat up in a panic.

At that moment, the bathroom door opened.

Adrian Blake stepped out, shirtless, with only a towel wrapped around his waist. Water droplets clung to the ends of his hair, sliding down his collarbone and over his toned chest before disappearing beneath the towel, along the sharp lines of his muscles.

Adrian Blake's skin was pale and smooth, and though he looked lean, his body was well-defined with sleek, tight muscles. His sculpted features, paired with his physique, made him the image of perfection.

Sara Hart stared at him, her wide eyes resembling those of a startled rabbit.

Realizing what she was looking at, her face turned bright red. Her amber eyes darted downward, unsure where to look. Her long, dark lashes fluttered like the wings of a butterfly about to take flight, and she gripped the edge of the blanket tightly, her knuckles turning white.

Adrian Blake paused for a moment, surprised.

He had grown accustomed to living alone and often forgot that there was now someone else in the room.

Without saying a word, he turned and walked into the closet.

Sara Hart’s face was burning. She couldn't believe what she had just seen. Adrian Blake’s physique was... perfect.

She shook her head, trying to clear the inappropriate thoughts from her mind. Taking advantage of the brief moment while he was changing, she hurried into the bathroom and splashed her face with cold water to cool down the heat rising in her cheeks.

She washed up quickly, grateful that by the time she came out, Adrian Blake had already gone downstairs. The awkwardness had subsided—at least a little.

Since she had to go to the lab today, Sara Hart opted for a casual look: a pair of loose-fitting jeans and a white T-shirt tucked into her waistband. She tied her hair into a simple bun.

When she arrived downstairs, Adrian Blake was already having breakfast.

"Good morning, Aunt Miller!"

"Good morning, Young Mistress!" Aunt Miller greeted her warmly, then noticed her flushed face. "Are you feeling alright? Your face is so red—are you unwell?"

Sara Hart’s face flushed even deeper. She glanced at Adrian Blake, who was calmly eating his breakfast, and quickly responded, "I'm fine, Aunt Miller. I probably just got too warm earlier."

"Alright, as long as you're okay."

Adrian Blake was already halfway through his meal. Feeling a bit rushed, Sara Hart sat down and began eating quickly.

Though she was eating fast, she still maintained her poise—taking small, delicate bites and chewing quietly, a clear sign of her good upbringing.

The moment Adrian Blake set his chopsticks down, Sara Hart immediately followed suit.

"Aunt Miller, I’ll be back late tonight, so I won’t be home for dinner," Sara Hart added after a moment’s thought. "I’ll eat at school."

"Understood."

"Alright, we’re off then."

"Drive safe."

Sara Hart followed Adrian Blake outside, trailing a step behind him as they walked to the car.

"Which school?" Adrian Blake asked once they were inside.

Sara Hart froze for a second, her hand paused on the seatbelt. He didn’t even know which university she went to, which showed how little he cared.

"North Capital University," she answered softly.

Adrian Blake paused. So, they were at the same university.

It was still summer break, so the students weren’t back yet. Sara Hart being a graduate student made sense, but Adrian Blake wasn’t particularly interested. He pressed the gas pedal, and the car rolled smoothly out of the villa complex.

North Capital University and Adrian Blake’s office were in the same direction, which made the drive more convenient for him.

When they arrived at the university, the large, rustic gates bore the words "North Capital University" in bold script—a reflection of the school’s prestigious history. North Capital University was not only the best in the city but also one of the top institutions in the country, a place where only the brightest students were admitted each year.

The car slowed to a stop at the entrance. Sara Hart unbuckled her seatbelt. "Thank you."

After a moment of hesitation, she added, "I’ll be back late tonight, but I can take a cab home."

Whether or not Adrian Blake cared, she felt it was necessary to let him know.

Adrian Blake gave her a brief nod, acknowledging her words.

Sara Hart stepped out of the car, and without lingering, Adrian Blake drove away.

She took a deep breath. At least they had some interaction—it was better than nothing. Two years was a long time. She still had hope.

Sara Hart turned and began walking into the campus.

Since it was summer break, there weren’t many students around. As she strolled beneath the shade of the tall trees, she finally began to relax.

Their vacations were usually only two weeks long, and Sara Hart had already taken more than a week off. But sitting around at home with nothing to do had gotten boring, so she figured coming back to school would be more productive.

Sara Hart headed toward the lab building. When she opened the door to her office, she noticed that the lights were already on. Was someone else here?

She walked over to her desk, turned on her computer, and tidied up her workspace. Then, she headed to the lab to check on her equipment. It had been a while since she’d last used it, and she hoped nothing had malfunctioned.

"Sara Hart, what brings you here?"

A tall guy walked in, his skin sun-kissed, and his grin wide and cheerful. He was still wearing his white lab coat, which made him look even more like the typical friendly senior.

"Frank! I didn’t expect to see you here!" Sara Hart greeted him, surprised.

Frank Cooper smiled ruefully. "I’m in my fourth year now. If I don’t start working hard, I’m going to delay my graduation."

Then, realizing how negative he sounded, he quickly changed the topic. "So, are you back from your break?"

"Not really. I just got bored at home, so I thought I’d come to the lab," Sara Hart explained.

Frank Cooper sighed dramatically. "If only I were as smart as you, Sara Hart. Then I wouldn’t have to worry about graduation."

Sara Hart didn’t know how to respond to that, but fortunately, he wasn’t looking for a reply. He simply shifted the conversation again. "Professor Baker is away working on a project with Senior Miller, but they should be back soon."

"School’s starting soon. Since Professor Baker isn’t taking on any more students, you’ll officially be our lab’s little junior sister now," Frank Cooper joked.

Sara Hart just smiled as she listened to him talk. Frank Cooper was a chatterbox, and once he got started, he didn’t stop. She just needed to smile and nod in agreement.

After chatting for a while, Frank Cooper finally left to attend to his experiment. "I’ve got some work to do. Catch you later, Sara Hart."

"Sure."

Once she had organized her desk, Sara Hart went to the lab to check her materials. Some of the reagents were running low, so she logged onto the system and placed an order. Then, she sorted through the data she’d collected, preparing for her next experiment.

By the time she finished, it wasn’t too late, so she headed to the cafeteria for dinner before going back to the small apartment she lived in near the university.

She had been given the apartment as a gift when she started college—a cozy one-bedroom unit in a well-secured building. At first, she hadn’t lived there, choosing to stay in the dorms instead. But after a certain incident, she moved out of the dorms and into the apartment.

It was only a ten-minute walk to school, so it wasn’t inconvenient at all. In fact, it saved her a lot of trouble.

Once home, Sara Hartpacked a few clothes, along with her laptop and some research materials, into a suitcase.

She opened her desk drawer and pulled out a photo album.

She didn’t open it—she simply ran her fingers over the cover, feeling the familiar texture beneath her fingertips. This album held her deepest, most secret feelings. But she still didn’t know if there would ever come a day when her hopes would be realized.