Page 114 of The Professor's Possession (Crystal River Billionaire Brothers)

And so I do what every Penmayne does.

I takeaction.

Destiny is in my hands. I’m the only one who can fix this. I’m not going to sit around and wallow in the fraught ambivalence of this situation.

I stand outside the dorm rooms, waiting for someone. And that someone is not Olivia.

I wait for nearly an hour before I see my target walking toward the entrance. I call out to her in my best authoritative professor voice.

“Ava Matson.”

The blonde roommate of Olivia’s turns in my direction. She spots me and immediately recognizes me within a nanosecond. Everyone on campus usually does.

“Professor?” she asks me, completely unaware of why I might be seeking her. It seems like Olivia’s done well keeping me secret. She’s really abided by the terms of the non-disclosure agreement.

“I’m looking for Olivia Weldon,” I tell her. I know it’s risky doing this – revealing my connection with the girl - but my newfound desperation has fully taken over. “I know you’re her roommate. Do you know where I might reach her?”

The girl shrugs, her mixed-color eyes dart around guiltily. “She’s sick.”

I know she’s lying. I can read her as easily as a book.

“Thanks, Ava. Send on my regards and well wishes, please.”

“No problem, professor. Will do.”

She hastily hurries into the dorms, leaving me stranded outside.

Yes, she was most certainly lying.

I can’t barge my way in there, but I know for a fact that Olivia isn’t sick. She was certainly not displaying any symptoms this morning.

I can tell that something is wrong.

And, for once in my life, I don’t know what to do.

53

OLIVIA

I look downat my phone and then up at the building. The map on my phone says this is it.

My destination.

This quiet street is in a very nice part of Boston: a leafy suburb full of luxury apartments and townhouses.

It’sverySpencer Penmayne around here. It’s totally his vibes.

It fits perfectly for where I imagine he might’ve once lived.

I go up to the building’s door. I inspect the buzzer. I search for the number for the apartment I know he used to live in before he moved back to Crystal River.

Why am I here? He’s not going to be home. But I am looking for answers, and I’m too afraid to talk to the professor directly; all he would give me are well-trained billionaire’s lies.

And I don’t want to see him. Not after his betrayal.

An old-looking man steps up behind me, heading inside. He’s got wispy grey hair and is stooped over with age.

“Who are you looking for?” he asks me as he takes out a key to the building.

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