My Secret Billionaire Professor

Chapter Three: Spiraling

Jack’s POV

Here she comes. I moved away from the curtains to the kitchen counter, where the wine and the bento cake were neatly arranged. She came in through the door wearing baggy jeans and Lydia’s favorite T-shirt, her long brown hair neatly parted in the middle and kept behind her two ears.

“We got the contract!” I screamed while unlocking the confetti in my hands.

She paused for a moment and studied me. Then, after realizing, she dropped her bag to the floor and threw her hands around in excitement.

“Congratulations, Dad,” she said, her voice muffled.

“Congratulations to you, too, honey. A win for me is a win for you,” I said, holding her.

She let go, and our teary eyes met. I bet we were thinking about the same thing. Lydia.

I missed her so much. If she were here right now, she’d know how to throw a party. There’d be way more confetti, a sign, and lots of snacks.

Belle studied the kitchen and said, “You’re getting the hang of throwing a party.” Her voice was sweet in the air. Just like her mother’s.

“I learned from the best,” I responded, holding back tears. “Well! Let's celebrate, shall we?”

She smiled and sat on the kitchen stool opposite me without taking her eyes off the cake.

I laughed. “It is your favorite.”

“I know,” she said, sniffing the air. “I can smell it.”

We both laughed and proceeded to cut the cake. She sliced two pieces and placed them on two separate plates, and I opened the wine and poured it into two wine glasses.

“Cheers,” I said, raising my glass in the air.

She smiled and clinked her glass with mine. “Cheers, Dad.”

We drank and ate, filling the room with jokes and conversations about work and school. When I felt the moment was right, I decided to address the elephant in the room.

“So, honey,” I began after taking a sip of wine. “I know I'll be gone for a while…”

“Six months is not a while, Dad.”

I cleared my throat. “I know, I know. I’ll be back before you know it, okay?” I said, feeling completely short of words.

She smiled at me and cut a piece of cake with her fork. “I understand. I'm rooting for you,” she said, and ate.

I smiled back, content with her response. “So, I was thinking…” I said, lifting my plate from the counter to the sink. “It’ll be a good idea if you stay with James while I'm gone.”

She paused and met my eyes. “What?!”

“I know for a fact that he will take care of you,” I continued.

“I’m 22 years old, Dad. I can take care of myself.”

“I know, I know. I just…” I said, feeling almost defeated. “I don't want you to be alone, sweetie.”

She was quiet now, with a calculating expression on her face. “I do fine on my own.”

I sighed and took her hands in mine. “Sweetheart, we all need somebody to lean on.” She looked at me. “He was there for us when…” I paused, attempting to pull myself together.

Tears gathered in her green eyes and mine. I tried to smile it off and said, “I know you don't like people.” She laughed softly. “But trust me, he is a great guy. He is my best friend. You can take my word for it.”

She nodded, still clearly sad as tears ran down her cheek. “Come here,” I said, and pulled her in for a hug.

“I’ll miss you,” she said with a broken voice.

“I’ll miss you too, kiddo.”

Belle’s POV

I walked into my dark room and threw myself on the bed, eyes facing the ceiling. What the hell? I thought.

James.

James Carter.

I closed my eyes and shook my head. This can't be happening. But it was. I can't stay with him. My mind spiraled out of control.

“Ughhh!!” I let out an irritated sound and turned on the bed while I replayed what happened earlier in the day.

I thought of him standing in front of me. Strong and big. His arm, holding out my journal to me, and his blue eyes, on me.

I moved to my bed, holding my pillow close to me, drowning in reverie.

I wanted him so bad. I want him so bad.

I want his arms around my neck, firmly, while he moves inside of me. I want to feel the weight of his body on mine as he ri—

I sat up abruptly and shook my head. Stop it, Belle.

I sighed deeply and lay back on the bed, allowing my mind to wander to anything but James.

Danny came to mind, but I pushed the thought aside. No.

Vanessa. “That b***h,” I whispered.

She must have found my journal on the floor after I crashed into someone at the entrance.

I had always been into poetry, and the journal Vanessa found had been my most recent, with just one poem in it. One poem about James. I squirmed on the bed.

Fucking b***h.

Luckily for me, I didn't disclose the identity of the person involved, but still. It was all too weird. What if he figured it was about him?

I signed deeply again and undressed. I went into the bathroom and filled the tub. I put bath salts into the water, then brushed my teeth. Then, I stepped into the bath, thoughts of James getting in with me filling my head.

I pushed the thought aside. I wondered how long I could keep up with that. I was going to be staying with him for the next 6 months. I needed to get my head together. But how? I have been wanting him for the longest now.

Well, I'd have to figure it out somehow.

I let myself go into the water and relaxed my tense body. I got out after my body and mind felt clean. Then, I did my skincare routine and got dressed for bed in my silk nightgown.

I was just about to turn off the lights when my phone beeped.

“I need to talk to you! URGENTLY,” a text from Danny read.