CHAPTER 10: No Doubt

A week later...

Candy just finished her class. She was putting her books in her bag and chatting with her friends when her professor called her. "Ms. Ardlay, the Associate Dean asked to see you." His face was stern.

"Oh?" Candy muttered, surprised. "When?"

"The sooner the better. Like… now."

From how her professor talked, Candy sensed there must be something serious. Candy's friend whispered good luck to her and they parted ways.

No Dean had ever asked to have an audience with her throughout her academic career. Wondering what's so urgent, Candy walked directly to the Dean's office. It seemed that the Dean had been waiting for her. When Candy told her name to the secretary, she readily took Candy to meet the Dean.

"Ms. Ardlay," the Dean began. "This is your... second year?"

"Correct, Sir."

He frowned. "Then, you should be aware by now where our university stands regarding the intellectual integrity?"

"Absolutely, Sir," answered Candy.

"That the university values intellectual integrity to the highest standard and that we don't tolerate academic dishonesty of any kind," recited the Dean. "Do we agree on this?"

"Totally."

"Ms. Ardlay, is this your handwriting?" asked the Dean. He took a piece of paper from one envelope and gave it to Candy.

"Yes," Candy examined it. "Looks like it."

"Are you aware that cheat sheet is considered as one form of academic dishonesty?"

"Cheat sheet?" wondered Candy. An idea suddenly occurred in her mind. "A-Are you accusing me of cheating, Sir?" She looked at the Dean in disbelief.

"Ms. Ardlay, we found this cheat sheet under your desk after the exam," the Dean said flatly. He watched Candy intently like a hawk hunting down its prey.

Candy stared at the Dean. First, she was shocked. Now, she felt outraged by the baseless accusation.

"We have reviewed your performance. We're aware that you've been a good student and this is your first offense of academic misconduct. Considering these facts, this time we won't expel you from the university. However, you will get zero for this assignment and if we caught you cheating again in the future, in any form, you'd be expelled immediately."

"There must be a mistake," defended Candy. She didn't seek for a lesser punishment. The acknowledgement of the truth was far more important to her. "Yes, this looks like my handwriting, but I don't think this note is written by me!"

"Ms. Ardlay, we have eye witnesses."

"Someone tries to black mail me. This is all lies!" protested Candy.

"Are you saying now that this is not your handwriting, Ms. Ardlay?" the Dean stared at her sternly.

"No… I said someone was copying my handwriting…" From how the Dean's look, Candy could tell that he didn't believe her.

She kept pressed on… But, whatever she said was useless, all her objections hit dead ends. With head drooped low, Candy left the office determined to keep digging for the truth.

Then suddenly, a scary idea crept trough her brain. Neal? She remembered their last conversation when he threatened to prove his "point"! Must be Neal!

"Damn it! Neal! Fucking dirty man!" yelled Candy angrily. But, shouldn't he be in Florida? I go and check!

Candy ran to her car and drove to the Leagan mansion. A servant there said that Neal was in the office, so Candy drove to the Leagan office headquarter.

Since Candy had no scheduled appointment, she had to go through lengthy process to enter the building.

First, Candy had to talk to the front door staff, next a security personnel checked her identity card, then she had to go to the second floor for another staff to interrogate her purpose of visit. After that, she had to meet a secretary on the third floor who took her to a higher level secretary and… Finally, after some more steps, another secretary seated her in the waiting room.

By the time Candy was allowed to meet Neal, she was nearly exploded with impatience. Once Candy knew which door Neal's office was, disregarding all the secretaries, staffs and whoever, Candy stormed into it without knocking.

Yes, Neal was there. Right here in Chicago!

"How come you're not in Florida!" fired Candy.

He grinned calmly seemingly already prepared and expected her visit. He nodded to the confused staffs who're standing at the door. They hurriedly went outside and closed the door.

"I don't have to. I finished my study and my father wants me to be here while he's in the business trip." He inhaled a deep breath, looking so proud at himself. "My mother and sister go with him." He grinned mockingly at her. "So… Am I still hiding behind their skirts?"

"How dare you blackmail me!"

"Apologize, have lunch with me, and I'll clean your name."

"Apologize shit! I'd rather be expelled from school than to eat with you!" Candy grumbled. "I hate you."

She walked towards the door to leave. She would go back to the Dean to clear her name and fight for her dignity.

"Enlighten me." Candy heard Neal respond. "Tell me exactly why you hate me."

Candy turned around and screamed, "Idiot!"

Neal frowned, slowly putting his pen down. "I'm serious. Why?"

"Because you've been a bad ass since the moment we met," burst Candy angrily. "Isn't that obvious?"

Did she know that he had all locations of her freckles memorized? As they spoke now, his heart was throbbing for being able to see her. Even all she said was hate words, it's still better than not seeing her at all… Now he understood, the past years in Florida he had been living in denial. He had tried so hard to drag on his life and force his heart to hate Candy. He faked the emptiness by proudly being with so many girls while he actually needed only one to live… Candy.

"I don't want to fight with you anymore. I want you to forget everything I did," said Neal. "We go to dinner and start over - fresh from scratch."

"What you want!" Candy shook her head in disbelief. His self-centeredness just never changed, hopelessly irreversible. "Hell I care what you want. Why don't you follow what I want instead?"

"Which is?" He lifted his eyebrows.

"I want you to never see me. Just go away, never come back!"

"Won't happen," snapped Neal. "I want you." He casually gestured to a nearby seat to offer her to sit down. She ignored him.

"I don't want you. Stop objectifying me," said Candy in disgust. "Have you ever considered that relationship is based on mutual give-and-take, understanding, and respect?"

"In this world?" He curled his bottom lip mockingly and shook his head. "There's no such thing! Unlike others though, I don't pretend. Women want status. Men want beauties. You have what I want, I have what you want." He looked so proud to himself.

She assessed his face for a moment while digesting his incredulous statement. It's hard to believe that he actually believed it. But he seemed so. He looked deadly serious not at all joking.

"And lucky you, Candy… I do actually like you," Neal added. "How-"

"Lucky jack shit!" screamed Candy, couldn't take it anymore. "A fucking narcissist, self centered, egocentric rich-spoiled-kid. Not all women are licking ass. For sure, not me! Before you talk to me again, which I pray never, go read some relationship manual. Learn how to be a better-"

"Shut up," Neal snapped. "You! Should read the manual!"

"F-"

"Answer this," cut Neal. "How many times has William said that you're beautiful?"

Albert never said it. Her heart dropped feeling torn and anguished realizing that one sad fact.

"Well, Ms. Relationship-Expert? Why are you so quite suddenly?" challenged Neal. "He never says it, doesn't he?"

Her legs went numb almost couldn't support her own weight anymore. She moved a step backward, shaken and beaten.

"I will say you are beautiful, at least, twice a day." He got up from his chair and walked to her. "At night before you sleep and in the morning when you wake up."

His face changed. His eyes started to look so gentle as he moved very close to her. It frightened her.

"Back the hell off," Candy cringed.

"I tried everything. Everything! Damn you Candy. No one shouts at me. No one rejects my lunch, no one trashes my flowers. And you do all." He was only a few inches from her now. Candy was more scared than angry now.

"I even offered you to start over!"

"No use! You're too screwed up!" Candy screamed so her voice didn't tremble. She started to be on guard to protect herself from whatever he's going to do next.

"I can only think of one more thing to do then." Neal grabbed and pulled her elbow. She held her breath. "I will make you feel me. Let the feeling explain everything I've failed to express." Gently, he stroked her arms and looked at her with flickering heat. "Candy..."

Panicked, using all her energy she had, Candy snapped her arm as hard as she could to release herself. Then she quickly ran to the door. She pulled the handle down but the door didn't move. It's locked. Trembling, she saw Neal move yet a step closer.

"Don't get closer!"

"You have no way to go, Candy," said Neal. His voice hoarse, his eyes bored deeply under her dress. "The door is locked. Obviously."

She estimated that she couldn't win with the current grown up Neal. The man is much taller than her now. His shoulder was broad, his body was hard. Panicked, she looked around and spotted one window was slightly open.

Without a second thought, she ran towards that window and slammed it wide open. She looked down through the window like making some calculations.

"No... I know you won't jump!" Neal muttered.

Candy met his gaze and scoffed. "You know nothing about me!"

To Neal horror, Candy climbed and straddled on the window ledge. She then pulled her other leg too making her both legs hanged dangerously on the ledge of the window.

"What are you doing?" asked Neal, scared. "Get back, here."

Candy waved and said, "Bye, bye!" She smirked.

"Candy!" screamed Neal, stricken. "Don't move... "

Ignoring him, she jerked herself and leapt out of the window.

"Candy!" screamed Neal, almost fainted. Jesus, she committed a suicide!

Neal ran to the window. Shuddered, he looked down expecting to see Candy's bloody body lie on the ground and other scary things.

To Neal's relief… he saw Candy hanging on a tree. Her hands were holding on to a branch as she stuck her tongue out at him. She then made some acrobatic move swinging from one branch to another and started her descent.

That's my girl..., thought Neal. He almost cried so relieved to see her alive and fine. Worriedly, he lingered a bit longer to watch her climbing down the tree. It's a tall tree. What if she missed a step and fell.

When Candy almost reached the ground, Neal stormed out of his office which prompted secretaries, staffs and so on to shove quickly on their feet. Ignoring them all, Neal ran downstairs to look for Candy. She was walking towards the gate, ready to cross the street.

"Candy, come back! We talk," Neal yelled.

"I won't listen! I am done with you." Candy lifted her hands and covered both of her ears. Let him know that she had her ears shut. Whatever he said wouldn't matter because she wouldn't hear it!

She then threw her face to the right refusing to see Neal who's coming from the left. Without looking to the left, Candy ran to cross the street. She didn't see a car heading the wrong way coming from the left.

Neal saw it.

-To Be Continued –

Thanks for reading. Will post the next chapter ASAP.