Episode 3 – The Smile That Stopped Time
The university library was unusually quiet that afternoon. Sunlight streamed through the tall windows, landing on rows of wooden tables. Professor Max Donovan adjusted his glasses as he placed a stack of graded essays onto the desk. He was known as one of the youngest—and most brilliant—professors in the business faculty, though his stern reputation kept most students at arm's length.
Most students, except one.
Lila Bennett, twenty-two, bright-eyed and full of restless energy, leaned against the bookshelf, pretending to search for a title. But in reality, her gaze kept drifting to him—the tall figure in his crisp shirt, sleeves rolled to his elbows, hair falling slightly out of place."Professor Donovan," she finally said, stepping closer with a notebook in hand, "do you have a minute?"
Max glanced up, expecting a routine academic question. But when his eyes met hers, something unexpected flickered inside him—something he quickly pushed away.
"Of course," he said evenly. "Is this about your assignment?"
Lila nodded, sliding into the chair across from him. She opened her notebook, revealing more doodles of cupcakes and flowers than actual notes. "I just… didn't quite get the part about market analysis. Could you explain it again?"Max leaned forward, his pen tapping against the page. "Market analysis isn't just numbers, Lila. It's about understanding people—what they want, why they want it."
Lila tilted her head, studying him. "So… it's kind of like relationships, then?"
He blinked. "Relationships?"
She grinned. "Yeah. You figure out what the other person needs, and you… provide it."
Max suppressed a smile, shaking his head. "That's one way to put it. Though in business, people aren't always honest about what they need."
Her eyes softened. "Neither are they in love."The words slipped out before she could stop herself. Heat rushed to her cheeks, but instead of laughing at her, Max went quiet. His gaze lingered on her face for just a moment too long, before he cleared his throat and looked back at her notes.
"You should focus on your studies," he said, his voice lower now. "Distractions… can complicate things."
Lila's heart skipped. She knew he wasn't talking about grades anymore.That evening, Max attended a dinner at the Knight family residence, where his longtime friend Adrian Knight—the CEO—was present with his sister, Clara Knight.
As the evening wore on, Clara leaned toward Max with a teasing smile. "So, Professor, rumor says one of your students has been catching your attention."
Max stiffened, setting down his glass. "Rumors spread too easily. I don't encourage… that kind of thing."Clara smirked knowingly. "Still, if it were true, I wouldn't be surprised. You're handsome, intelligent… and terribly lonely."
Max gave her a pointed look. "Clara."
But Clara only laughed, hiding her smile behind her wine glass.
Across the table, Adrian observed silently, though his mind was elsewhere—on upcoming meetings, on his company, and unknowingly, on the chef girl he had yet to meet.The next morning, Max walked across campus when he spotted Lila sitting on the steps with a sketchbook. She was drawing absentmindedly—her pencil strokes light, free, alive.
"Miss Bennett," he said, his tone carrying the weight of formality.
She looked up, startled, then broke into a smile that lit up her whole face. "Professor!"
Something in that smile stopped him in his tracks. For a fleeting second, he wasn't her professor, and she wasn't his student. They were just two people standing under the same morning sun, caught in something they couldn't yet name.
Max turned away first, his expression guarded. "Don't be late for class."But as he walked off, Lila watched him with a determined glint in her eyes. She knew the walls he carried. And she wasn't afraid to climb them.
---
Far away, Emilia sat in her family mansion, staring out the window, still haunted by Alex's presence. And at Sweet Bloom Café, Maya arranged flowers on the counter, unaware that soon her path would crash into Adrian Knight's.
But for now, in the quiet corridors of the university, a new story had begun—an age-gap romance that neither Max nor Lila could ignore for long.