Chapter 61

After Arthur and Oliver left, Damien led the way deeper into the library, searching for a quieter spot. Ashleigh followed closely behind. They finally settled at a secluded table, and both of them pulled out their study materials along with the timetable for the midterm exams. 'So, let's start with these two courses today," Damien suggested, opening his notes and skimming through the pages. 'I assume you've been reviewing the topics from these classes daily?" 'Yeah, I have," Ashleigh replied, nodding. 'Good. We'll just go over them and tackle related questions. That should prepare us well for tomorrow. Ready?" Damien looked at her briefly, and Ashleigh nodded in agreement. They spent the next few hours engrossed in their studies, with Ashleigh asking questions whenever she encountered something confusing. Damien was focused entirely on the study session, answering her questions patiently. However, he strictly confined their conversation to the subjects at hand, never veering off-topic. The silence between them was awkward at times, but Damien didn't seem to mind. In fact, he frowned whenever Ashleigh got distracted by her phone, a look that made her both grateful and frustrated. Grateful because he kept them on track, but frustrated because it seemed like he was avoiding addressing their underlying issues. As they studied, Ashleigh couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching her. She glanced around, but everything seemed normal. Damien noticed her unease and asked if something was wrong, but she brushed it off as paranoia. Still, the uneasy feeling lingered. Eventually, it was time to go. Ashleigh felt a mix of satisfaction from the productive study session and lingering unease from the strange feeling that had been nagging her all afternoon. As she packed up her things, she noticed Damien gathering his materials in silence. Glancing at the time on her phone, she realized they still had a few minutes before Arthur would come to fetch them. Seizing the moment, she cleared her throat loudly, stopping Damien in his tracks just as he was about to get up. 'We need to talk," she said, her voice wavering slightly. Damien hesitated, then sat back down, a wary look on his face. 'About what?" he asked cautiously. 'About Saturday night. Ever since the hospital, you've barely spoken to me voluntarily," Ashleigh stated, maintaining steady eye contact. 'I'm not mad at you, Ashleigh," Damien replied, shifting uncomfortably in his seat. Ashleigh leaned forward, searching his face for honesty. 'I find that hard to believe. You don't have to hold back—just be honest with me," she insisted, her eyes not leaving his. Damien looked at her, reluctance clear in his eyes. 'Arthur says I'm too harsh sometimes, so I've been trying not to offend you." 'Just say it how it is. It's better than ignoring me," Ashleigh pressed lightly. Damien took a deep breath. 'Alright, here goes nothing. Ashleigh, no matter what your reasons were, I still think you were careless in how you handled the situation. We talked that night before you left to stretch your legs. You could have told me what you saw before you went to help your roommate. But you disappeared and made a call that made my heart stop until we finally found you." He paused, his expression serious. 'And because of that incident, the club got hit with negative press. If you'd informed me earlier, I could have handled it quietly. Instead, people recorded what happened, and by Saturday morning, the video was everywhere. My father wasn't happy about it." Ashleigh's eyes widened at the revelation. Damien's voice grew more somber as he continued, clearly uncomfortable with what he was about to share. 'I wasn't going to tell you this, but... my father was really upset. He saw the tabloids and... let's just say he wasn't pleased. Arthur's father, who's in media, managed to stop the news from spreading further, but I still had to face a lot of criticism. My father compared me to my older brother, who's handling the family business flawlessly, while I couldn't even manage the club properly. It was... humiliating." 'I-I didn't think it would get that far. I'm so sorry," Ashleigh stammered, her voice laden with guilt. She hadn't intended for things to spiral out of control like this. 'Yes, I know. Arthur didn't want me to tell you, but I felt you needed to know. It seems like you act without considering the consequences, not just for yourself but for others too. First, there was the incident with Alana, and now this. Do you treat your family the same way?" Damien's tone was critical, his words stinging more than he intended. His last remark hit Ashleigh hard. She thought about her recent actions, especially the incident at the resort that nearly cost her friends their jobs. She also remembered Adrian's harsh words and how it hurt to know he saw her as irrational and careless. 'I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice trembling slightly. 'I'll work on being more rational in my decisions. Just... don't call me careless again," she pleaded, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. Damien's expression softened, regret filling his eyes. 'I'm sorry, Ashleigh. I let my anger get the best of me," he apologized, moving closer to wrap her in a comforting hug. Ashleigh swallowed hard, fighting back her tears, and sniffled quietly. 'We've spent longer here than we planned. Arthur's probably furious by now. Let's go," Damien said, a small smile finally breaking through his serious demeanor. Ashleigh nodded, wiping her eyes discreetly as they gathered their things. But as she slung her bag over her shoulder, that eerie feeling of being watched returned, stronger than before. She glanced around once more, but again, saw nothing out of the ordinary. Pushing the sensation aside, she followed Damien out of the library, her mind still uneasy. 'Thank you for helping me today. I feel much more prepared for tomorrow's test," Ashleigh said, trying to focus on the positive. 'It's nothing. I'm glad we got a head start. My cousin, who's an alumnus, warned me over the weekend that midterms in the biochemistry department are brutal. He said he didn't get any sleep until the week was over," Damien replied, his tone serious. 'That bad?" Ashleigh asked, casting a sideways glance at Damien, who nodded in response. 'Yeah. He also mentioned that the top performers in the first midterms are selected to represent the school in a global biochemistry competition. The results for first-year students are also posted on the department's notice board," Damien continued. Ashleigh frowned at the thought of her test scores being publicly displayed. 'Isn't that a bit harsh? Everyone here is already brilliant. This will only create unhealthy competition," she argued, voicing her concern. Damien scoffed lightly. 'That's what someone who didn't grow up in elite schools would think. For those of us who did, it's pretty normal. It sets the tone for academic and social interactions at the university. In the biochemistry department especially, it's a tradition that goes back generations. My cousin says it keeps everyone on their toes and always striving to be at the top." 'But hasn't the top student for our year already been decided?" Ashleigh asked, thinking of Alana. 'It was, but things have been shaken up recently. Nothing's final until the competition list is posted. So, who knows?" Damien said, casting a meaningful look at Ashleigh. 'Aren't you interested in being the top student?" Ashleigh inquired, curious about his ambitions. 'Like I said, I prefer to keep a low profile to avoid unnecessary stress. Competing isn't really my style," Damien replied coolly, causing Ashleigh to roll her eyes at his nonchalance. As they approached the library entrance, they saw Arthur and Oliver standing with a group of friends, Arthur tapping his foot impatiently. Spotting them, Arthur beckoned them over, and Ashleigh quickened her pace while Damien took his time. 'Finally! I was about to call you, Ashleigh," Arthur said as she reached them, his tone a mix of impatience and relief. Ashleigh was about to explain, but Damien's voice cut in from behind her. 'We took some time to resolve our disagreement. Sorry for the delay. Now you can sleep peacefully, Arthur," he said, exchanging a glance with Ashleigh, who nodded in agreement. 'Thank heavens for that. Now there won't be any bad vibes this week, and we can end on a high note at the Robinette bash," Oliver chimed in, grinning. 'I'm sorry, what?" Ashleigh blurted out, caught off guard by Oliver's mention of a bash. She hadn't heard anything about it before. Before anyone could respond, her phone buzzed in her pocket, vibrating against her thigh with a low hum. Expecting a message, she casually pulled it out, but her breath caught when she saw an incoming call from an unknown number. The unfamiliar digits on the screen made her stomach tighten with a sense of unease. Reluctantly, she accepted the call and brought the phone to her ear. The line was silent at first, but it wasn't empty—there was a weight to the silence, like someone was there, waiting. 'Hello? Who's this?" Ashleigh asked, her voice steady but with an edge of caution. The silence lingered just long enough to make her shift uncomfortably. Then, a smooth, authoritative voice broke through, each word measured and deliberate. 'Names aren't important right now, Ashleigh. We'll be seeing each other soon." A cold sweat broke out on her forehead. 'Who are you? And how do you know my name?" she demanded, her words sharper now, but she could feel a growing unease. On hearing her tone, the guys looked at her in concern. The voice on the other end chuckled, a sound that sent a chill racing down her spine. 'Not just your name. I know exactly where you are. Why don't you head back to your hostel and get some rest? You'll need it for your midterms. Good night, Ashleigh." The call ended with a cold, final click, leaving Ashleigh standing there, frozen, the phone still pressed to her ear. Her breath hitched as she glanced around the library, every whisper of movement and flicker of light suddenly magnified. She remembered the unsettling feeling she'd had earlier, the sense of being watched, and now she knew—it wasn't just paranoia. Someone was out there, watching her.