Hazel remained silent.
"Quite the assertive stance there, Class A's homeroom teacher." A pleasant male voice echoed from the office doorway. Turning around, the three noticed that a man had silently appeared at the entrance.
Damon stood tall in a well-fitted black suit with neatly styled hair. He had an authoritative presence that commanded attention.
His gold-rimined glasses softened his stem look and added a touch of sophistication
Hazel couldn't shake off the feeling of déjà as she looked at Damon. It was like she'd encountered him somewhere before...
Their eyes met His sharp gaze bore into hers from behind his glasses, intense and unwavering
"Professor Damon, It's an honor to have you here," Robert greeted with a warm smile, his tone a blend of flattery and respect.
Coleman...
The mention of the surname triggered a memory in Hazel's mind. Suddenly, a youthful face from her past flashed before her eyes, blending with the features of the man standing before her.
It was him!
Hazel locked eyes with Damon, feeling the weight of his stare and noticing his faint smile. She couldn't help but feel a flutter in her eyelashes before quickly looking away. Her hands censed into fists by her side.
Did he know who she was?
Damon caught every small movement Hazel made. He turned his icy gaze toward Melanie. "What's wrong? Can't even the Dean of Students get you to follow instructions?"
Melanie felt his eyes on her, and her anger slowly shattered into embarrassment
Damon noticed her!
And it was all because of Hazel that Melanie was embarrassed in front of him!
At just 24 years old, Damon had already become a professor. He was good-looking and in great shape. As the future heir to the Coleman family fortune, he was wealthy and wielded significant influence. He was the ideal man that all the female teachers at Cavenridge dreamed of.
"Professor Coleman, she's just a village girl with poor grades. She's hoping that being adopted by the Murphys will help her get into Class A"
"But considering her past academic performance,she set her sights on Class Kinstead. Isn't that right-.. "
Melanie was in the middle of explaining when Damon's cold stare cut her off. Her voice trailed off, and she fell silent.
Glaring resentfully at Hazel, Melanie couldn't shake the feeling that Hazel was nothing but a flirt. Hazel hadn't officially joined the academy yet, but she was already trying to win Berard over! Robert, ever perceptive, smoothly interjected with a smile, "Ms. Hazel, regarding the class"
Hazel tried her best to disregard Damon's looming presence. She shifted her cold gaze toward Robert. "Where do I go to sit for the entrance exam?"
"You're thinking of sitting for the entrance exam" Robert exclaimed in surprise.
Despite Andrew's arrangement for Hazel to transfer to Cavenridge and Damon's protective stance toward her, Robert harbored the same skepticism as Melanie. Robert doubted that someone from a rural school like Hazel could accomplish much.
"Sure, you can head over to Room 101 in Classroom Building for the entrance exam," Melanie said with a gleam of mischief in her eyes.
"And if you can't get into Class A, you'll have to kneel in front of everyone at the flag-raising ceremony and apologize to prove I was right all along!" Melanie added. After Hazel embarrassed Melanie in front of Damon, Melanie vowed to return the favor by humiliating Hazel in front of the entire school.
Hazel gazed up at Melanie, her expression devoid of emotion and her eyes piercingly cold.
Believing Hazel to be intimidated, Melante sneered, "What's wrong? Scared? You should be Junior year Class A isn't a place just anyone can get into"
"What if I make it in?" Hazel interrupted calmly
Melanie smirked "If you manage to get in, I'll kneel and apologize to you in front of everyone at the flag-raising ceremony!"
"okay,"
Hazel responded before calmly naming away, only to meet Beard's intense gaze. His eyes were mesmerizing, akin to cosmic black holes that polled everyone into.
Hazel paused briefly before continuing walking away. She smoothly walked around him and quickened her pace.
Melanie was surprised by how quickly Hazel agreed. She glared vehemently at Hazel's aloof demeanor and was convinced it was merely a mask of composure.
Hazel would likely regret her decision later, especially after miserably failing the exam.
As if suddenly snapping back to reality, Robert asked, "Ms. Miller, why would you make such a bet with a student?"
He then turned to Damon "Professor Coleman, sorry for the miss. Please, take a seat and have some coffee"
Berard lifted his hand to decline. "Till I pass on the coffee, but I'm up for a bet."
"Professor Coleman, what kind of bet do you want to make" Robert looked surprised.
Damon looked toward wher Hazel had exited. "Let's bet on whether Ms. Hazel will get assigned to Class A. If she does, you'll agree to switch the homeroom teacher for Melanie"
It seemed like her teaching career was on the brink of collapse...
As they reached the turn of the stairs, Damon, who was in the lead, abruptly stopped. Fortunately, Hazel stopped just in time to avoid bumping into him.
Damon turned around, his gaze intense as he looked at Hazel "Miss, do I know you from somewhere?!"
Hazel's heart skipped a beat, but she kept a straight face as she stepped back. "Processor, your approach to starting this conversation feels rather outdated." Damon stayed quiet. He edged closer to Hazel, his gaze intensifying with a flurry emotions.
Was Hazel unable to recognize him? Or was she deliberately choosing to Ignore him?
As Damon drew closer, his towering figure standing at six and a half feet-cast a shadow over Hazel, who, at five and a half feet, felt overwhelmed by his presence The Damon before her bore no resemblance in his former gentle self.
Hazel instinctively stepped back as Damon steadily approached. She stopped abruptly when she felt the will against her back.
"Do you really not remember me? Hedy Coleman!"
With his hand against the wall, Damon glanced down at her. His eyes reflected a surge of emotions.
At the mention of the name, Hazel felt a shiver down her spine. She had indeed been recognized.
17 years ago, Hazel was mistakenly taken in by the Coleman family and lived with them for six years.
11 years ago, Damon's father, Albert Coleman, died on his deathbed, Albert spoused his third son, Greg Coleman, as the next head of the family.
However, just before Greg was due to take over, he was murdered
All evidence at the scene pointed to Hazel's father and Albert's sixth son, Lucius, Lucius was accused of killing his brother for power and was promptly imprisoned. Hazel's mother, Daphne, couldn't believe Lucius would harm his brother. After months of searching for answers, Daphne finally uncovered
But tragically on her way back to the Coleman residence, she died in a sudden car accident along with the driver responsible.
Sensing danger, Catherine took drastic action to protect her. She set the house on fire, faked their deaths, and spirited Hazel andy to the countraide. With our Catherine's Intervention, Hazel might not have survived. Hazel's heart swelled with emotions as she reminisced about those multuous years.
Even though it turned out that Hazel wasn't biologically related to Lucius and Daphne, she felt a deep gratitude toward them for raising her.
She returned to Norburgh to wield her influence and gather evidence. Her next step would be a journey to prove Lucius' innocence and avenge Daphne's death!
Until she uncovered the true culprit, she wouldn't trust anyone from the Coleman family, not even Damon, who had once been closest to her!
Hazel met Damon's crimson eyes after pushing aside the fear lingering in her heart. "I'm not Hedy Coleman. My name is Hazel Jones."
"No, you're an Murphy, You're the daughter of the Murphys!" Damon retorted through clenched teeth.
Hazel's thick lashes fluttered nervously, but then she realized that knowing her true identity wouldn't be difficult with a bit of effort "Now that you know the truth, you must realize we have no connection anymore. Please, step aside," Hazel asserted.
"YOU"
Damon stared at Hazel, puzzled by his sudden coldness and alot demeanor, He couldn't fathom why.
Something inside his head teh like it was breaking apart. He frowned, and his once handsome face twisted in pain.
Hazel was confused. She noticed the bulging veins on his hand pressed against the wall. It looked like he was righting to control something
Was he it seemed like he was having some sort of attack
"You're.." Before Hazel could finish her words, Damon gripped her throat and silenced her.
His eyes turned increasingly red, his breathing heavy, and his face contorted with agony. "Why would you leave me.."
Damon's grip tightened, making it hard for Hazel to breathe. She desperately tried to pry his hand away with both of hers, but her efforts were in vain. Slowly, her face began to turn red.
As Douglas turned the comer, he caught sight of Damon strangling Hazel Horrified, Douglas wasted no time and sprinted toward them
"Holy crap, Damon! Let go! You're going to kill her!"
The air grew thinner, and Hazel's face flushed deeper red.
If this went on, she would suffocate!