Chapter - 2

AUTHOR

Loud chatter filled the classroom, bouncing off the walls,

until it all stopped at once.

Every voice died the moment someone stepped inside.

All the girls’ eyes widened, some even gasped.

The professor-Arjun Raikar,has entered.

The same Arjun Raikar who was not only the most feared professor…

but also the Director of Luxe Valley University.

His steps were slow but commanding, each one radiating dominance.

Students straightened instinctively, backs stiffening, hands folding under the desks.

The silence he created wasn’t forced -it was power.

Arjun scanned the rows of students with sharp eyes.

But he didn’t find the one person he was looking for.

“Excuse me, sir—”

A soft, sweet, hurried voice echoed from behind him.

His back was facing her, but he knew.

Oh, he knew exactly who it was.

A small smirk curled at the corner of his lips.

He recognized her voice instantly.

Ira.

He slowly turned toward her.

His gaze locked onto Ira for a split second before he faced the whole class.

“Good morning, class” he said, voice deep and steady. “I’m Professor Arjun, and I teach Biology. I hope everyone will behave kindly and politely in my class.”

But the last line wasn’t for the class.

It was for her.

His eyes drifted to Ira with a sharp, controlled, carrying an unspoken warning.

Ira felt her heartbeat spike, thudding wildly like a rollercoaster about to crash off its tracks. Her palms turned cold. She tried to look away, but his stare rooted her in place.

“Since you are all new here” he continued, his voice echoing through the suddenly breathless classroom, “I would like to explain certain rules of my class.”

His tone was loud but measured and strict, authoritative, unshakeable.

Every student sat straighter.

No one dared whisper.

Except Ira…

who felt the weight of his gaze more than the weight of any rule.

“This can’t be happening…” Ira whispered into Isha’s ear, her voice shaking.

“What? He’s hot, this should be happening,” Isha whispered back excitedly, completely missing the panic in Ira’s eyes.

Ira swallowed hard. Her throat suddenly felt dry.

“Ish… I slapped him” she said, fear clearly flickering in her gaze.

Isha, who had been practically worshipping him in her head, slowly turned toward Ira, her eyes widening in horror.

“What? You slapped him?” Varun’s shocked voice cut in.

Then, like an idiot, he smiled.

“Woah… you’re really amazing, Ira,” he added.

Both Ira and Isha turned to him at the same time, glaring so hard it looked like they might actually murder him.

Before anyone could reply,

“Rule number one.”

His voice filled the room again, slicing through the whispers like a blade.

“Complete your assigned work within the given time,” he said, his eyes moving calmly across the class.

“Rule number two — Talking back to me will only make your workload heavier. The more attitude you give, the more work I give.”

His gaze lingered for just a second too long on Ira.

“Rule number three — If you miss even one class, you will make up for it by staying after hours. With me. Alone.”

A shiver ran through Ira as said Alone.

“Rule number four — No talking to others during my lecture. If someone distracts you, I will deal with them.”

And finally,

“Rule number five — If you walk into my class late, you don’t sit. You stand and answer my questions until I decide you’ve earned your seat.”

The room fell into complete silence.

No one moved.

No one blinked.

Except Ira…

whose heart felt like it had dropped straight into her stomach.

His body turned straight towards the entrance of the class “Since you came late to the class” he said, his voice calm but dangerous, “I’m going to ask you a few questions. Let’s see who deserves to sit.”

He gestured toward the back of the room.

“Come inside. Stand in the last row.”

Rohan, Ira, Isha, and Varun walked inside. Every student’s eyes followed their movements, the classroom filled with a heavy silence.

“So… your names,” he said, his voice steady, sending a chill through the air.

“I’m Rohan.”

“I’m Varun.”

“I’m Isha.”

“I’m—”

He cut her off immediately.

She shut her mouth, her heart dropping. Regret from yesterday burned freshly inside her.

“So, Varun,” he said smoothly, “Who is known as the father of modern biotechnology?”

Varun took a slow breath.

“Karl Ereky,” he answered.

“You may sit.”

Varun dropped into his seat lazily.

He turned to Rohan next.

“What is the full form of PCR?”

Rohan froze, eyes scanning the classroom, silently begging for help.

Varun leaned forward slightly and whispered,

“Polymerase Chain Reaction.”

“Polymerase Chain Reaction!” Rohan repeated loudly.

Arjun nodded once.

“sit.”

Then his gaze shifted to Isha.

“Bt cotton is genetically modified to resist…?”

Isha hesitated. Her lips parted, but no words came out. Panic flickered in her eyes.

Softly but clearly,Ira spoke.

“Insect pests, Professor.”

The entire room went still.

His eyes lifted slowly… and locked onto her brown ones.

“I didn’t ask you, Ms. Ira.”

Her breath hitched.

He knew her name.

That meant he already knew her.

Fear twisted tight in her chest.

“I’m… sorry, Professor,” she apologized quickly, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Name any two applications of biotechnology,” he asked Isha again.

She swallowed and quickly answered, “Medicine and agriculture.”

He gave a short nod and gestured for her to sit down.

Then… his eyes moved to Ira.

She could feel it.

That invisible pressure.

Her heart was racing inside her chest, but her face stayed calm. She refused to show any weakness.

“Name the first genetically engineered human hormone” he asked.

She hesitated for barely a second.

“Insulin,” she replied.

He nodded in approval.

For a moment, she thought he would let her sit.

But he didn’t.

“Which bacterium is used to transfer genes to plants?”

“Agrobacterium tumefaciens,” she answered smoothly.

Now her heartbeat was dangerously loud in her ears.

“What is Southern blotting used for?” he asked.

She opened her mouth to answer—

“What is a vector in biotechnology?”

Her lips pressed together.

“What is cloning?”

Her fingers curled slowly at her sides.

He kept going.

One question after another.

Not giving her time to breathe.

Not giving her time to think.

Her eyes slowly turned moist, but she refused to let the tears fall.

From a distance, he watched her silently.

Then… a slow, satisfied smirk appeared on his lips.

His eyes bore straight into hers.

After a long second, he finally spoke.

“Since this is your first time… I’m sparing you.”

He paused.

“Got it?”

“Ye–Yes, Professor,” she said softly and finally sat down.

Beside her, Isha gently squeezed her hand in silent support. Ira managed a small, weak smile.

Arjun began the lecture. His accent, his confidence, the way he explained everything , it was smooth, clear, and extremely effective.

The entire class listened in silence as his voice filled the room.

Half an hour passed.

Ringgg.

The bell echoed through the classroom.

Just as he was about to leave, his voice cut through the air again.

“Ms. Ira Narang. My cabin. You have five minutes.”

The classroom went still.

Ira’s eyes widened slightly. Her heartbeat spiked. Then she heard Varun’s whisper from beside her.

“Don’t worry, Ira. If anything happens, just let me know, okay?”

She gave him a small nod, even though fear was crawling inside her chest.

She followed Arjun at a distance, keeping a careful number of steps behind him.

When she reached his cabin, she knocked softly.

“Come in.”

Her steps were slow and nervous as she entered. Her eyes immediately fell on the large desk, neatly arranged with files, a laptop, and expensive stationery.

Then she saw it.

A golden nameplate on the table.

Director of Luxe Valley University

— Arjun Raikar.

Her eyes widened in pure shock.

Her breath hitched.

Regret slammed into her all at once.

She had slapped…

her college director.