Chapter 131: again

Chapter 131: Chapter 131: again

Within moments, the room gradually emptied, students drifting into the hallway to prepare for departure.

Jessica and Sophia headed toward the supply cabinet to collect their materials.

Peter and Oliver continued debating whether coffee counted as breakfast as they disappeared into the corridor.

Ms. Lee gathered the remaining attendance sheets.

"I’ll see everyone downstairs."

"Don’t forget to check your supplies before leaving."

"Yes, Ms. Lee."

Soon, the room fell quiet.

Vivienne slipped her notebook into her satchel before reaching for the folder labeled East Junction.

Damian had already collected the remaining documents.

"I’ll carry those."

She looked up.

"...Thank you."

He inclined his head.

"My pleasure, Lady Beaumont."

...

There it was again.

Vivienne accepted the folder without comment.

Interesting.

She resisted the urge to smile.

Not yet.

If she asked him now...

He would probably retreat even further.

Better to wait.

Besides...

They had nearly a two-hour drive ahead of them.

Plenty of time.

She hid the thought behind an entirely innocent smile.

"Shall we?"

Damian opened the conference room door for her.

"After you."

—

Outside, several Foundation vehicles were already waiting.

Each team had been assigned its own destination.

Jessica and Sophia headed toward the vehicle that would take them to Riverside Market.

Peter and Oliver loaded their materials into another bound for Northbridge.

The driver assigned to East Junction stepped forward.

"Lord Blackwood."

"Lady Beaumont."

"The vehicle is ready."

Damian acknowledged him with a nod.

"Thank you."

The driver opened the rear door.

Almost simultaneously...

Damian stepped forward.

"I’ve got it."

The older man nodded and stepped aside.

Vivienne smiled.

"Thank you."

As she bent to enter the vehicle...

Damian’s hand rose almost instinctively.

His palm rested lightly against the upper edge of the door frame.

A familiar gesture.

One he had repeated throughout last week’s outreach.

She stepped inside safely.

Only then did he lower his hand.

...

His gaze lingered on the door frame for a fleeting moment.

He could have stopped himself.

But after doing the same throughout their previous visit to East Junction, suddenly stopping now would have been more conspicuous than simply continuing.

Yes.

That was all it was.

With that quiet justification firmly in place, Damian walked around the vehicle and entered from the opposite side.

—

The vehicle eased out of the Foundation courtyard.

For the first several minutes...

Neither of them spoke.

Outside, the university gradually disappeared behind rows of trees before giving way to the open countryside.

The steady hum of the engine settled into the background.

Beside him...

Lady Beaumont sat quietly by the window.

She seemed content simply watching the scenery pass.

Damian fixed his attention on the folder resting in his lap.

He had already read it.

Twice.

Nevertheless...

He turned another page.

The words blurred together almost immediately.

...

Hopeless.

He wasn’t reading anymore.

He was simply trying to give himself something to look at besides the woman sitting scarcely an arm’s length away.

He had known, in theory, that today’s assignment would require them to travel together.

Knowing it...

And experiencing it...

Were proving to be entirely different matters.

He had never considered himself a nervous man.

Presentations before faculty members.

National polo competitions.

Formal banquets attended by nobles.

None of those had ever unsettled him.

Yet now...

Simply sitting beside Lady Beaumont in the quiet of a Foundation vehicle...

His heartbeat felt strangely loud.

He became acutely aware of every small movement—the rustle of paper as she turned a page, the faint fragrance of her perfume whenever the vehicle rounded a bend, even the quiet sound of her breathing.

Ridiculous.

He shifted almost imperceptibly, hoping to settle the unfamiliar tension.

It did nothing.

Compose yourself.

This was Lady Beaumont.

His Foundation partner.

Anthony’s fiancée.

Nothing more.

The reminder steadied him.

At least...

It almost did.

A peculiar sensation lingered nonetheless.

As though he could feel...

Someone looking at him.

He resisted the urge to turn.

For nearly a full minute.

Then—

Against his better judgment—

He looked.

--

(Vivienne’s POV)

She had been watching him.

Not continuously.

Just...

Every now and then.

Interesting.

Last week, Damian had filled most of the journey with quiet conversation, pointing out landmarks, explaining bits of East Junction’s history, and asking thoughtful questions about her observations.

Today...

He had barely spoken a dozen words.

Even now, he appeared deeply absorbed in the folder resting on his lap.

Vivienne glanced at the page.

...

He hadn’t turned it in several minutes.

The corners of her lips threatened to lift.

You’re not fooling anyone.

The poor man was trying so hard to appear perfectly composed that it had become almost endearing.

She already knew why.

The rumors.

Of course he would be careful.

That was exactly the sort of considerate person Damian was.

Still...

Watching him struggle not to act as naturally as he usually did was unexpectedly entertaining.

Almost as though she had discovered a side of him no one else ever saw.

Just then...

He looked up.

Their eyes met.

For the briefest instant...

Neither of them spoke.

Vivienne smiled first.

Warm.

Easy.

Exactly as she always did.

His expression softened before he could stop it.

Only slightly.

But enough for her to notice.

There.

For just a heartbeat...

The old Damian had returned.

Then...

Almost immediately...

His features settled back into their usual careful composure.

...

There you are.

She nearly laughed.

Not because he looked foolish.

But because he was trying so earnestly.

How adorable.

An idea quietly began forming in the back of her mind.

Not yet.

There were still nearly two hours ahead of them.

No need to rush.

--

The silence lingered.

Not uncomfortable.

Merely...

Unusual.

Outside, the countryside drifted past in shades of green and gold.

The morning sun climbed steadily higher.

Inside the vehicle...

Only the quiet hum of the engine accompanied them.

Vivienne turned her attention back to the window.

She counted another few minutes in silence.

One.

Two.

Three.

Still nothing.

Normally...

By now, Damian would have pointed out a village they were passing.

Or mentioned something about East Junction’s latest developments.

Or asked her thoughts on today’s objectives.

Instead...

He sat perfectly straight, his attention fixed on the report in his lap.

He’s really committed to this.

The thought almost made her smile.

She stole another glance toward him.

His posture remained impeccable.

His expression calm.

Perhaps...

A little too calm.

The realization amused her.

Let’s see...

Just how long can you keep this up?

She turned fully toward him.

"Lord Blackwood."