Page 164

My inner self mutated into a soundproof room for negative emotions. And that was even though Miles was the one I should have been most angry with. Right?

One would think so, with all the things he said to me every day, all the things he threw at me. But every word that came out of his mouth was more like a knock on a closed door, and I didn't know what was behind it. Didn’t want to know.

“What if someone sees us?” Julie's words reached me from a distance. “Together.”

I continued to stare at him until I couldn't anymore because I was uncomfortably close to one of those tears that his words had elicited from my eyes last on the evening of the winter ball.

Where did it come from all of a sudden?

I didn't want to shed a tear. Not in front of him. He shouldn't know what his words did to my emotional stability.

“As long as we keep enough distance until we're near his office, it shouldn't become a problem.” Bayla seemed to have come up with a plan. “Larissa, you go first to make sure no one is in the hallways. I'll follow you.” She turned to Miles, who finally stopped piercing me with his gaze. “You go last to cover our backs or warn us in time if anyone comes our way.”

He nodded, but seemed distracted.

“Let's go.” Larissa rushed to the door at Ruisangor speed. “The clock is ticking.”

With these words, she disappeared through the door into the dark corridor, and Bayla was about to follow.

“If anything happens, just text the group.”

“You have a damn group chat?” I looked back and forth between the three of them in disbelief.

“Um... right... I...” Bayla looked hesitantly at the door. “I’ll add...”

“I'll take care of it,” Miles interrupted her with a grin.

The feeling that instantly spread through me was so intense that I felt my eyes begin to glow. A warm wave of emotion shot through my veins, raising goosebumps on my skin.

Luckily, I was wearing long sleeves. Unfortunately, that didn't change what Miles had just said.

Bayla just nodded, then opened the door and disappeared, following Larissa.

It took a while, then I turned to Miles.

He smirked with mischief. “I need your phone number.”

“You miserable...”

“We don't have forever,” he cut me off. “You won't get this opportunity again.”

If Julie hadn't been around, I would have given him the middle finger and let Bayla add me to this ridiculous group chat later, but Julie was present.

Almost reluctantly, I pulled my phone out of my pocket, not at all ready to give this devil my number.

“Here.”

I handed him my phone, and as he took it from me, our fingertips touched for a moment.

Where his skin had brushed mine, I felt a slight tingling sensation, as if I had just burned myself on him.

I looked up at him.

For the first time today, he seemed… overwhelmed.

“You two will get along without tearing each other apart?”

Simultaneously, our heads jerked toward Julie, who had walked to the door, still holding the invitation.