Austyn stared at him.

Noah continued, unfazed. 'You can see for yourself that she has lost a lot of weight. She's slim to begin with. Now she's practically malnourished. She was no longer her usual perky self, as I'm sure you can see as well.' Austyn knitted his brows.

Kira did look thinner, and wan.

'She seldom smiled, Noah said. 'She ate almost nothing. Yet she forced herself to attend classes. She spent all her time at three places-the classroom, the dorm, and the hospital."

Noah watched Austyn's face carefully.

Was that a look of remorse he saw?

'I've known Kira for almost a year. She has always been a bright ray of sunshine. Cheerful, vivacious, always so upbeat, like nothing could get her down. But now I know, the only thing that could get her down is you.' Austyn pinned Noah with a glare.

Noah gulped.

The M Group's president had an intimidating gaze.

But he ploughed ahead. 'Ever since you disappeared, she's been going through her days like an automaton, like she's got the life sucked out of her. Even I can't bear to watch."

'To be honest,' Noah added, 'you deserved that slap. You shouldn't be angry at her for that.

He said his piece and waited for a response.

Kira was Giana's friend.

If she was down, Giana was unhappy as well.

Noah hated to see that happening.

Since there was no way he could ask Giana to cut ties with her friend, he had to solve the problem's root cause.

Which was Austyn.

The silence stretched on.

Noah grew uneasy.

He wasn't sure if Austyn took in what he said.

Noah was about to speak again when something caught his attention.

It was a smell in the air.

A coppery smell.Material © of .

Blood.

He sniffed the air again and tried to trace its origin.

Austyn finally spoke. 'I'm not angry at her."

His voice was raspy. 'I deserved it."

He wouldn't get angry at her if she'd slapped him ten more times.

He wouldn't bat an eye even if she stabbed him.

Hé deserved it.

He was willing to take whatever punishment she had to mete out, as long as it could get her to forgive him.

Austyn turned around and headed for the main gate.

Noah caught a glimpse of something on the front of Austyn's jacket.

It was a patch of something dark.

He couldn't quite make out what it was against the dark blue fabric of the coat.

It appeared to be wet.

A breeze carried over the coppery scent again.

Noah was now sure it had come from Austyn.

Was the man bleeding?

Was he hurt?

Austyn had crossed the street before Noah could ask.

Noah pondered the implication of his latest discovery.

Maybe Mr McCarthy had not ghosted Kira like he originally thought.

There had to be more to the story..

Thinking of this, he jogged after Austyn.

'Mr McCarthy, Kira must be back in her dorm. I'll show you the way.'

The dragon lady guarding the girls' dormitory building refused to let them pass.

Noah had to call Giana to prove he wasn't some shameless voyeur or lecherous stalker.

'Fifteen minutes, no more!' the dragon lady warned him, before casting a suspicious glance at Austyn. 'Who's he visiting?" 'He's, uh, he's my girlfriend's brother."

They were finally allowed to go upstairs, but not before getting a stern warning from the lady

No funny business."

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1

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Death By Defenestration

Noah spotted Giana in the hallway as soon as he stepped out of the lift on the fourth floor.

She was talking to the door. 'Kira, come on, open up. You can talk to me."

"What's going on? Noah came up to her.

Giana saw Austyn behind Noah and rolled her eyes. 'Kira locked herself in the room and refused to come out."

'Should we break the door down?'

Giana boxed Noah's ear. 'What kind of stupid idea is that? Do you want me to get demerit points?"

'Just a thought.' Noah shrugged sheepishly and rubbed his ear.

'Kira's fine,' Giana said. 'I think she's just in shock. It's a lot to take in, you know."

Noah nodded.

Giana patted his shoulder.

Noah's suggestion was hare-brained, but at least it showed he cared.

Unlike the other man present.

She crossed her arms and raised her chin, glaring at Austyn. 'Speaking of which, she wouldn't have been in shock if someone has not pulled a vanishing act and then mysteriously reappeared without a word. Who does he think he is-Houdini?"

Frankly, Giana thought Kira had gone easy on Austyn.

If Giana were in her shoes, a good beating would have been the first order of business, followed by a break-up.

Austyn might be the richest man in Stamford, but he was also the most uncommunicative, stand-offish and callous man she'd ever met.

A relationship with him must be draining.

Just a year with him had sapped almost all of Kira's positivity.

The more Giana thought about it, the more worked up she became.

He had no right to treat Kira this way.

*Mr McCarthy, or should I call you Mr President? Her voice was dripping with sarcasm. 'You know, since you are such a big shot and all that. I guess you're too busy running a billion-dollar company to spare much thought for your wife. In that case, why don't you stay away

and leave her alone? Why don't you cut

Noah covered her mouth with one hand.

He pulled her aside and whispered in her ear, 'Stop it."

Giana was about to whack him on the arm.

Noah anticipated and dodged the attack. I'm serious. Let them solve their own problems. We shouldn't get in the middle of this."

Giana huffed, but she knew Noah had a point.

She nodded then shoved him away.

Ignoring Austyn, she went up to the door and knocked again. 'Kira, can you hear me? Can you open the door, please? I'm getting worried.' Kira lay in the top bunk, letting her tears fall.

Her pillow was wet.

Her right palm was still numb, which was a reassuring feeling.

It meant she had not dreamed of the slap.

She had touched him.

He was real, and he was back.

She could stop trying to keep herself together.

She could finally let go of all the emotions pent up inside.

A good cry was cathartic.

Kira felt her strength leave her body together with the tears.

She didn't want to move.

She didn't want to see his face again.

Not now.

Right now, all she felt was bitterness.

Maybe she deserved it.

This was what she got for-marrying a stranger.

The deal had been too good to be true.

She was now paying the price for that rash decision a year ago.

Kira closed her eyes.

Dean pemang

What was she supposed to do now?

After this incident, she didn't think she could ever trust him again.

Less than twelve hours before he disappeared, he told her he loved her.

If that was true, how could he let her live through ten days of hell?

Didn't he know she would worry?

Almost every night, she scared herself awake with nightmares.

If he cared about her at all, he wouldn't put her through this.

She had let him off too easily.

One slap was so not enough.

Kira was drained, but she couldn't ignore Giana's concerned voice through the door.

She forced herself to get up and climb down from the top bunk.

Then she went to open the door.

The room wasn't hers.

It belonged to Giana as well, and two other girls who might be back soon.

Kira stopped at the desk to grab a tissue.

She almost jumped out of her skin when the door banged open.

She whipped around and saw a man's long legs.

Austyn's.

He'd kicked down the door.

Giana screamed. "That's our room!!

The door swung on its hinge precariously.

Another kick would have completely dislodged it

Austyn turned around.

He looked at Noah. 'I need to speak to her alone. Please take your girlfriend someplace else."

Giana was seething.

This was her room!

How dare he kick her out of her room!

But Noah took hold of her elbow and gently drew her aside. 'Come on."

'Noah Hodges! Why are you taking orders from him?"

Noah whispered something in her ear.

Giana relented, but not before giving her boyfriend a hard pinch on his arm.

Noah bore the pain; it was better than a box on the ear.

Austyn closed the door.

Kira watched him walk towards her.

His dark eyes were locked onto her face.

Kira squared her shoulders. 'I didn't invite you to come in. Get out!"

Austyn continued walking like he didn't hear her,

Behind Kira was the desk.

Behind the desk was the open window.

Kira contemplated the possibility of jumping out, but the room was on the fourth floor.

Instead of freedom, she was more likely to receive death by defenestration.

Kira had nowhere to run.

She couldn't flee the room, and she didn't have Giana's training in taekwondo.

Kira decided to take a page from the non-cooperation movement and refuse to engage the enemy.

She kept her eyes on the floor.

But the enemy did not stand still. Austyn advanced on her.