FOUR YEARS BACK...

ASAEL
(Age Thirty-one)

"...we already searched through that location. There was no sign of him. Arien almost lost control..."

Elmer's voice faded away and was replaced by Verena's and found her quite amusing.

A single meeting is not enough to know someone but I found her antics amusing, her feistiness adorable.

"Asael? You are not listening to me."

Elmer's voice cut through the haze making me blink and realise that I was busy spinning a pen on my finger, my eyes fixed on it while I was lost.

Shit. This has never happened before.

I glanced at him, clearing my throat. "Yes?"

He pursed his lips. "I am not repeating myself now, I have been speaking for the past five minutes. Did you listen to a word I said?"

"I was...thinking," I replied sheepishly.

"Sure." He gathered his stuff and turned around to leave.

"Elmer?" I called out without thinking twice.

He flung a look at me over his shoulder. "Yes?"

I shouldn't be doing this. Why am I even interested in it, I had to curb my curiosity. "I need you to find out about someone for me. It's Richard Satori's daughter. Verena."

He raised a brow at me but thankfully didn't question why. "What do you want me to find out exactly?"

"Whatever you can find."

He nodded. "I'll see."

A day later Elmer arrived in my office for a discussion relating to our search for a specific someone.

"Did you find anything?" I asked.

"We have been searching for years now, there is no sign of Horace, it's as if he disappeared."

I was annoyed but I toned it down before I could lash at him. "I meant about Verena. Did you find anything?"

He looked surprised. "Oh. She has left by the way."

My jaw clenched. "Left where?"

"For her studies...? She got admitted to the Aurelius University located in New York. She left for it last week itself."

My heart clenched painfully at that information. She was oceans apart now. But why the fuck did I care?

"If you don't mind me asking, why the sudden interest in her?"

Removing my spectacles, I scrubbed a hand over my face. "I am wondering the same thing."

She has occupied each and every corner of my mind. I fucking can't stop thinking about her, it's frustrating.

"Perhaps, you are in love." He sounded amused, biting back a smile.

I shot him a glare. "Shut up and get out of here."

"Yes, sir." He spoke, mirth dancing in his eyes.

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I was restless, pacing back and forth in my mansion.

I couldn't even sleep a wink so I decided to not waste any more time tossing and turning in bed.

Verena. Verena. Verena.

Why the fuck am I not able to purge her out of my mind? What's so special about her?

I have met hundreds of women, fuck, I am even married to one but none of them ever crossed my mind so many times.

I picked up a cricket ball lying around and threw it on the wall and as it bounced back, I caught it. I did it again and again and again in hopes of distracting and tiring myself enough to fall asleep.

She is so far away.

I can't even see her again.

Will she come back soon?

She must be good in her studies since she got admitted into AU.

Does she have a boyfriend?

Argh. I threw away the ball and fell back down on the bed, burying my face in the pillow. Why should I care if she has a boyfriend or not?

If only I could see her one last time and put an end to this madness...

Hmm, one last time. I can do that.

Jumping off the bed, I grabbed my phone to inform my men to get my jet ready.

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Aurelius is where I graduated from, my alma mater and it was as beautiful as it was when I attended the classes here.

With my hands stuffed inside my pocket, I stalked through the University, glancing around at the departments I studied in.

A few minutes later, I arrived at my destination, the department where Verena apparently studied.

I called in some favours from the dean.

This is stalking. This is wrong on so many levels.

But this is the first and the last time.

I'll only allow myself five minutes. That's it. I will leave as soon as those five minutes end.

My breath hitched when she appeared at the entrance of the building, walking hand in hand with her friend.

Her hair swayed with every step, shining golden brown in the sun, her lips pulled up in a toothy smile as she chuckled at something her friend said, her eyes twinkling.

I couldn't blink. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't move. My chest felt too tight.

She didn't notice me since I was hidden behind the trees like a fucking creep.

As she walked past me, my eyes followed her closely, trying to imprint every movement in my mind.

Only when she was getting farther from me did I move, rubbing my knuckles over my heart.

I followed her quietly, my eyes not straying from her.

I shouldn't be doing this. I don't even know why I am doing this. She is way too young for me to develop an interest in her.

But that didn't stop me from following her around. I still had three minutes.

Three more minutes and I will go back.

She moved from one building to the other and I realised she was going over to the library where she parted with her friend, waving at her.

With a smile still on her face, she walked inside the library, my timer going off at the same time.

I sighed loudly. Time's up.

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A MONTH LATER...

"Why are you so fucking grumpy these days?" Arien glared at me, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I am always grumpy." I shot back, not in the mood to have a conversation.

"You are extra grumpy then. What's wrong with you?"

"I am working, don't disturb me."

He groaned loudly. "When did you last have sex?"

"Arien, I am not having this conversation with you."

"No, come on, tell me. You have been stuck in your office for the past one month. You hardly went out. What's the reason for your celibacy because it's making you grumpy."

"I am busy these days, I don't have time to go searching for women who would like to go to bed with me."

"So? I'll send someone to your house directly, what's the big deal about it?"

"Arien, don't you dare send anyone. I am not having sex."

"Why not?"

"Because I don't want to," I said sharply, abandoning my work and glaring at him.

He stared at me for a long moment, head tilted as he pondered about something. "Elmer was right."

"What?"

"You are in love."

My fingers clenched around the pen I was holding. "I am not."

He smirked. "I didn't even mention anyone and you are denying already."

A headache was already forming, my heart stuttered at the thought of her. One month since I last saw her.

"It's Verena, isn't it?"

"I am not in love with her. Now, please leave", I spoke in a low voice which made me sound so...broken.

He must have realised the change in my mood for he sighed and changed the topic.

Later that evening, I was on the verge of ripping my heart out considering how much it was literally aching.

What if...I see her one last time? Just once more.

My self-control was non-existent at this point as I found myself back at Aurelius the very next day.

My eyes tracked Verena as she sat down on a bench, scrolling through her phone with a poker face.

My heart seemed at ease.

Five minutes of privilege I gave myself before leaving.

So it continued.

Each and every month.

For a whole of two years.

Five minutes every month. Even though they were not enough, I managed.

Arien and Elmer were aware of my routine but fortunately for them, they didn't comment on it.

I watched her celebrate her twentieth birthday and even though I wished I could go in there and congratulate her on my own, I didn't. I just had a bouquet of flowers delivered to her dorm along with a note that said: Happy Birthday.

I was obsessed with her. And I hated myself for it. I hated myself for giving in to this obsession.

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"That's the most fucking ridiculous thing I have heard in years."

"I'll agree to that." Elmer chirped in.

"I didn't ask for any of your opinion. I was stating my decision."

"So you are leaving everything here to me and going to States to what? Be a fucking professor just so you can see her every day. Now, that's some true love right there. Why the hell are you not talking to her?" Arien was furious.

"I am not in love with her just to be clear," I stated which made Elmer snort, he quickly covered it with a cough when I glared at him.

"Travelling every month is tiresome so I am going to stay there for a while. I always wanted to have a go at teaching so what better opportunity than this?"

"So, you are saying that you are only going over there so you could have a shot at teaching?" Elmer questioned.

"Yes."

"There are many prestigious institutes here in England itself, why the States then?"

"Aurelius is my alma mater. Why not?"

He glanced at Arien and they both shared an amused look.

"Arien, I am handing over the reins to you for the time being with Elmer and Dad to supervise you," I told him.

"I am the last person to hand over the company to." Arien rolled his eyes. "What if I destroy it?"

He would not. Arien is an intelligent and smart man, he knows how to handle things except for the time when he loses his control, having his post-traumatic episodes in which case Elmer and Dad will be here for him.

"I will be back in two months."

Two months and I will end this obsession forever.

Arien stared at me like he didn't believe a single word I said.