Chapter 13: You Brought This Upon Yourself

Upon being suddenly kissed, Sebastian was somewhat at a loss for words. Immediately afterward, his brows furrowed tightly. He felt his throat tighten, ready to unleash a reprimand. However, despite the raging emotions in his chest, he was surprisingly unable to utter a single word. Madelyn, meanwhile, acted as if nothing had happened and began burying her head in her homework.

Sebastian looked over and noticed her intense focus. She seemed engrossed in her studies, wracking her brain to absorb every single detail. He had never seen her in such a state before. It truly was a first. All this while, Madelyn had been known as a capricious young lady. Her carefree yet rash demeanor was such that her presence anywhere was enough to give people a headache. Even though a significant change had occurred, he still didn't know what was on her mind. Was it just a spontaneous whim, or was it a new trick up her sleeve?

After some thought, Sebastian decided he couldn't be bothered to ponder any further. Regardless of her intentions, the outcome would always be the same—he would never let her leave his side. And so, without uttering another word, he lowered his gaze to focus on his documents.

For a moment, the atmosphere was unusually quiet. The two individuals were each engrossed in their own activities, maintaining a mutual understanding of not disturbing each other. However, it wasn't long before this tranquility was shattered. Madelyn chewed on the end of her pen. Pointing at a question, she asked cluelessly, “Sebastian, I don’t understand this. Can you explain it to me?”

Sebastian didn’t refuse. He took the textbook, glanced at the problem, and then gave Madelyn a detailed explanation. Though Madelyn was usually nonchalant, it was surprising how sharp she was. Whatever Sebastian said, she could immediately understand. Moreover, any part that Madelyn understood, she would immediately jot down. Her handwriting was neat and tidy, pleasing to the eyes. It was also quite fitting with her image.

Sebastian subsequently set aside his work, silently observing her for a while. He discovered that Madelyn was indeed much smarter than he had imagined, for she had grasped many concepts in a short time. What a shame, this clever mind of hers had been wasted all these years, never truly put to good use…

The two fell silent once again, yet this was the deceptive calm before a storm. In no time at all, Madelyn’s questions started to pour in like a relentless barrage, bombarding Sebastian with a new one every few minutes.

“Sebastian, can you help me out here? All this financial jargon confuses me. I can’t make heads or tails of…”

“Sebastian, is this a multiple-choice question? I feel like several answers could be correct.”

“Sebastian…”

Sebastian’s work was completely interrupted. At first, it was somewhat bearable, but the number of problems Madelyn had soon became overwhelming. As Sebastian was answering, he realized that she had many questions, all of which were basic finance-related queries. Any finance student could answer them correctly even with their eyes closed, yet surprisingly, Madelyn didn’t understand them.

In the end, Sebastian had reached his limit. Holding back his frustration, he asked, “Madelyn, what on earth are you doing during class?” Even a fool could tell that Sebastian was somewhat annoyed.

Madelyn realized she was asking too many questions, and in embarrassment, she lowered her face, biting her lips in guilt. “Usually, I just sleep, take selfies, watch videos, browse social media… That’s… That’s about it,” she confessed. As Madelyn spoke, her confidence waned with each word. Her head dropped lower, yet her eyes, sly and furtive, remained fixated on Sebastian.

Upon seeing Sebastian’s face darken following her words, Madelyn immediately lifted her delicate face, putting on a pitiful expression. “Sebastian, please, don’t be angry. I promise I won’t do it again! I assure you, from now on, I’ll reflect deeply on my actions and devote myself entirely to my studies with no room for distractions.”

She spoke with such conviction that Sebastian could only stare at her for a long time. Finally, he let out a sigh, utterly at a loss of what to do with her. Left with no choice, he reluctantly set his work aside, pulled up a chair, and moved it next to her. The two of them were in close proximity, yet Sebastian didn’t let his mind wander. He promptly picked up the textbook and began patiently explaining the contents to Madelyn.

Sebastian’s voice had always been deep and resonant. During ordinary times, Madelyn didn’t pay much attention to it. However, in the quiet of the moment, his voice echoed closely, almost like a teasing feather, making her heart flutter. Initially, Madelyn was diligently listening to his explanations. However, before long, she was captivated by Sebastian’s voice, her gaze falling onto his face. He is incredibly handsome. Even the most popular male celebrities couldn’t hold a candle to him. As she continued to gaze at him, she found herself utterly captivated.

“The solution to this problem is just as I explained, do you understand?” After patiently explaining a problem, Sebastian turned to look at her. It was only then that he realized Madelyn was gazing at him with an infatuated look in her eyes. Eyebrows furrowed, Sebastian let out an indifferent snort. “You’re not being serious!”

Just as he was about to stand up, Madelyn was immediately flustered. She quickly wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him back toward her. “I’m serious, of course I’m serious. It’s just that… before that…” Suddenly, Madelyn let out a sly chuckle. She then leaned forward, puckered her lips, and pressed them against Sebastian’s.

Sebastian was suddenly dumbstruck. As if he had been struck by lightning, his entire body froze. Madelyn was actually a bit embarrassed; after all, making the first move as a girl inevitably made her feel shy. Nevertheless, she mustered the courage and shyly kissed his lips again. Sebastian’s face was stern, but his lips were thin and soft. Madelyn found herself unable to pull herself away.

At that moment, Sebastian regained his senses, his breath becoming erratic for a moment, and he instinctively reached out to push Madelyn away. Madelyn, however, clung to his neck with all her might, refusing to break the kiss, as if she was hopelessly lost in this passionate embrace. In the end, it was Sebastian who forcefully pulled away from her, his tone turning sharp. “Madelyn, do you even know what you’re doing?”

Little did he expect Madelyn to look at him calmly. “Of course I know.” The nonchalant answer ignited the simmering desire within Sebastian. “You brought this upon yourself!”

After he finished speaking, Sebastian’s dominant masculine aura engulfed the space around them. His kiss, in stark contrast to Madelyn’s hesitation, was direct and slightly rough, bordering on being forceful. Before Madelyn had a chance to react, she was spun around. Sebastian forcefully pushed her against the office desk, his domineering aura bearing down on her once again. Though flustered, Madelyn didn’t reject the advance; she surprisingly began to respond enthusiastically.

When their passion reached its climax, Sebastian’s hands subtly found their way to Madelyn’s chest. His touch was gentle yet firm, but it was enough to arouse Madelyn further. Unable to suppress the surging sensation, she let out a soft moan.