Unguarded

Chapter 1 John Edward sat in the back seat in his English class, his eyes drifting over to the front of the room where Victoria, his lecturer, was. John had been crushing on her for as long as he could remember, but he knew that she would never see him as anything more than her student. His feelings for her were filled with both guilt and affection. John has succeeded in making Victoria fall in love with him while using a false identity. On the day he first saw her outside the school premises, John was completely taken by Victoria's presence. It was her warm, inviting smile that first caught his attention, like a ray of sunshine breaking through the clouds. Her long hair flowed gracefully down her back, and with every step, it swayed like a gentle dance. Her eyes, a shade of deep blue, held a kindness and depth that drew him in. It was not just her appearance, but the way she carried herself with a natural elegance that made him fall head over heels for her. There was a softness in her voice and a genuine warmth in her interactions that made her utterly irresistible to him. He tried to get close to her, but she walked past him, because she saw him as a student and she was distracted by other men standing around. "I'll get her to be my woman", John said to himself. John secretly kept an eye on Victoria, hoping to find a way to capture her heart. He observed her activities from a distance. After months of observation, he found out that Victoria's mom had been admitted to a hospital downtown. Despite Victoria's hard work, the financial burden of the hospital expenses was too heavy for her to pay. It was a complex orthopedic surgery procedure that cost roughly $100,000. Unknown to her, her secret admirer was about to take up her bill. John secretly reached out to the hospital administration, offering to take up the bills anonymously. He told them to make his identity hidden, but he dropped his contact and hoped she might request it. Victoria was curious to know who paid for her mom's bills. "Hello, doctor Charles," Victoria said. "Hi Victoria," Charles said. "I was surprised when one of your staff told me my bills had been paid off by a stranger", Victoria said. "Yes Victoria, it has and the man in question insisted we, don't disclose his identity to anyone" Charles said. "But at least I need to appreciate him for what he has done," Victoria said. "I'm sorry, we can't tell you who he is" Charles said. "In that case, did he by any chance leave a card or something?" Victoria asked. "Yes I totally forgot, he dropped his contact if anyone related to your mom asked for it. Charles replied. "OK, please, can I at least get his contact?" Victoria said. "Yes, of course. Since you're her daughter, there's nothing stopping you from having his contact," Charles said. Victoria was relieved, she took the number from Dr. Charles with gratitude filling her heart. "Now that the bill has been paid, when will the surgical process begin, doctor?" She asked. "The procedure has begun as we speak." Charles replied. "Okay, thank you very much, doctor." She stood up and left. When John received a call from Victoria, he sensed it was the onset of something extraordinary, a connection he yearned to nurture. He introduced himself to her as Felix, to hide his real name. As they spoke one evening, he seized the moment to express his deep admiration for her. Victoria, genuinely touched by his sincerity, found herself captivated by his conversation. With each exchange, their hearts drew closer together. The appreciation that had initially brought them together evolved into something deeper, a profound connection that defied explanation. One sunny day, Victoria and Sarah sat in a cozy café, sunlight streaming through the window, casting warm patterns on the checkered tablecloth. The clinking of cutlery and soft chatter of other diners filled the air. Sarah was one of Victoria's closest friends whom she had known since she was little. While at the café, Sarah took a sip of her coffee and set the cup down, looking at Victoria with curiosity. "So, Vic, you mentioned something about a mysterious guy who paid your mom's hospital bill? You've got to tell me more about this." Victoria fiddled with her spoon, her gaze distant for a moment before focusing on Sarah. "It's the strangest thing, Sarah. A few weeks ago, my mom needed very complex orthopedic surgery, and the bill was over $100,000. We had no idea how we'd manage it. But then, out of nowhere, this anonymous benefactor took care of it." Sarah's eyebrows shot up. "An anonymous benefactor? That's incredible! But how did they even know about your mom's surgery?" Victoria shrugged, a hint of perplexity in her expression. "I have no idea. They settled the bill without leaving a trace. The hospital won't even tell us who it was. All they did was give me a contact number." Sarah leaned in, her eyes gleaming with curiosity. "And what did you do with that number?" Victoria hesitated, stirring her coffee absentmindedly. "I called it, of course. I was grateful, you know? I wanted to thank this person." Sarah grinned. "Okay, spill the beans. What happened next?" A soft smile tugged at Victoria's lips. "And we started talking. We've been talking for a while now, almost every day." Sarah's eyes widened. "Talking? Like, on the phone? You've got to tell me more!" Victoria's cheeks turned a shade pink as she continued. "Yeah, we talk on the phone a lot. It started with just a thank you, but then the conversations just... flowed. We have so much in common, Sarah. It's like we've known each other forever." Sarah couldn't hide her excitement. "Wow, that sounds incredible! But have you seen this person in person, Vic?" Victoria shook her head, her voice tinged with uncertainty. "No, and I'm not sure if I want to, you know? There's something about the mystery that's... intriguing. Besides, I don't want to ruin what we have." Sarah leaned back, her expression thoughtful. "I get it, Vic. Sometimes, the unknown can be exciting. But be careful, okay? You never know who this person really is." Victoria nodded, her eyes filled with a mix of emotions. "I will, Sarah. I promise. For now, I'm just enjoying the journey, and the occasional expensive gifts he sends me, even when it's not my birthday." As they continued their conversation, the mysteries surrounding Victoria's anonymous admirer seemed to hang in the air, adding a burst of intrigue to the cozy café atmosphere. John, on the other hand, after having a long day, sat in his room, with his phone as he dialled Victoria's number. "Hello Baby," he said, with a smile on his face. "Hi Felix, I've been expecting your call." Victoria said, twisting her hair. "I'm so sorry, I have been busy with work. It has been from one business meeting to another", John said. "And you, how did your day go?" John asked. "Nice! I spent some time brainstorming ideas for my upcoming project, and most of the day with my friend Sarah", Victoria said. "Okay, that's nice," John said. The pretenses and lies have been weighing him down, being that he genuinely loves and cares for Victoria. He wanted to reveal his true identity to Victoria but he didn't want her to feel disappointed, being that he had been pretending to be Felix all this while. "Would you go out on a date with me?" Felix said, with his heart beating fast. Victoria was quiet for a moment, with smiles all over her face. She has always prayed for this day, and it has finally come. "Of course, I'd love to," Victoria said. John smiled and said "Great," I'll text you the address. John immediately hung up the phone, feeling nervous and excited at the same time. "It's time to reveal who I am, I'm tired of carrying this guilt for so long," he said to himself in the mirror. He made plans for them to meet at a luxurious restaurant. He had been rehearsing what he would say to her in his head all week. He wanted to tell her how he felt about her, but he also didn't want to scare her away. He didn't want her to think that he was just a kid. John decided that he would tell Victoria the truth about their date. He would tell her that he was John Edward and not Felix. He knew that it was a risk, but he was willing to take it.