Free Web NovelChapter 152: Chapter 152
Irina’s POV
The shift at the Obsidian Holdings estate finally ended.
I pushed my heavy cleaning cart into the storage closet and locked the door. My arms were completely exhausted. My knees ached from scrubbing the imported hardwood floors. The scent of lemon polish and wood wax lingered heavily on my skin.
But I was smiling.
I walked into the warm, brightly lit staff kitchen. Clara was sitting in the corner armchair, humming a soft, rhythmic tune. Luka was in her lap, wide awake and babbling happily, chewing on the edge of a soft cloth block.
"There’s my little man," I whispered, walking over.
Luka’s tiny head snapped toward my voice. His deep, forest-green eyes lit up instantly. He let out a loud, joyful squeal and kicked his little legs, reaching his chubby arms out to me.
My heart did a massive, beautiful flip. I scooped him up, pressing a long, warm kiss to his soft cheek.
"He was an absolute angel today," Clara smiled, standing up and smoothing her grey uniform. "He took a two-hour nap, drank his whole bottle, and charmed the entire kitchen staff. You have a good boy, Irina."
"Thank you, Clara. For everything," I said sincerely.
I quickly changed out of my uniform and strapped Luka securely into his baby carrier on my chest. I grabbed my cheap canvas backpack.
When I pushed open the heavy wooden door of the staff exit, the crisp, cold autumn wind hit my face. The sky had already turned a deep, bruised purple. The estate grounds were quiet and shadowed.
"Hey."
I jumped slightly, turning around.
Asher was standing near the edge of the paved driveway. He was wearing his dark jacket, the collar turned up against the biting wind. His thick, messy brown hair was slightly windblown. He stood under the glow of a warm security light, which caught the striking, vibrant gold of his eyes.
"Asher," I breathed out, a genuine smile breaking across my face. "What are you doing out here? Didn’t your shift end an hour ago?"
"It did," he admitted, shoving his hands casually into his pockets. He walked over to me. "But I had some paperwork to finish up. And I figured I’d wait and walk you to the subway."
I looked at him.
He had defended me on the campus quad yesterday. He had stood between me and those cruel girls, utterly fearless and fiercely protective. *You’re a friend worth making,* he had said.
My chest swelled with a deep, comforting warmth. I wasn’t used to people waiting for me. I wasn’t used to people caring if I walked to the train alone in the dark.
"You really don’t have to do that," I said softly.
"I know I don’t have to," Asher grinned, falling into step right beside me. "I want to. Come on. Let me carry that."
Before I could protest, he reached over and effortlessly slid my heavy canvas backpack off my shoulder. He slung it over his own back like it weighed absolutely nothing.
We walked down the long, sweeping driveway of the estate.
The commute was entirely peaceful. We caught the subway back into the city. The train was packed with exhausted commuters, but Asher stood right in front of me, using his tall, broad frame to shield Luka and me from the crushing crowd.
He didn’t make me talk when I was too tired. He just offered a quiet, steady presence.
When we finally stepped out of the subway station, the city was alive. Neon lights flickered. Taxis honked in the distance. The smell of roasted peanuts and hot exhaust filled the chill air.
"How was anatomy today?" Asher asked as we walked down my street.
"It was hard," I admitted, adjusting Luka’s knitted beanie. "We started the skeletal system. There are so many bones to memorize. I feel like my brain is completely full."
"You’ll ace it," Asher said simply. There was no hesitation in his voice. He stated it like an absolute fact. "You’re the smartest person in that lecture hall."
I ducked my head, my cheeks flushing hot. "I don’t know about that."
"I do," he smiled.
We reached my worn, brick apartment building.
"I can take my bag now," I said, turning to him at the bottom of the steps. "Thank you for walking me, Asher. Seriously. It means a lot."
"I’ll walk you up," he insisted, already heading for the front door. "Those stairs are brutal. You’re carrying a baby. I’m carrying the bag. It’s just logistics."
I let out a soft, tired laugh and followed him inside.
We climbed the four steep flights of stairs. My legs were burning by the time we reached my floor. The hallway smelled faintly of old garlic and wet wool.
We stopped in front of my door.
Asher swung the heavy backpack off his shoulder. "Here you go."
"Thank you," I whispered, reaching out to take it.
I barely had my fingers on the strap. I hadn’t even reached for my keys yet.
Suddenly, the heavy wooden door violently burst open.
"WELCOME HOME!!"
A deafening, ear-piercing scream echoed off the narrow hallway walls.
I violently jumped backward. A sharp gasp ripped from my throat. My heart absolutely slammed against my ribs in pure, unadulterated shock.
Asher physically jolted, taking a fast, defensive step back, his hands instantly coming up.
Luka let out a startled, highly offended squeak against my chest.
Mia was standing perfectly framed in the doorway.
She was wearing her massive, oversized college sweater and fuzzy pink socks. Her dark hair was thrown up into a chaotic, messy bun. She was holding a wooden cooking spoon in one hand and a thick medical textbook in the other. She had a massive, ecstatic grin on her face, clearly incredibly proud of her ambush.
"Jesus, Mia!" I gasped, pressing a trembling hand over my racing heart. "You scared the life out of me!"
"That was the point!" Mia laughed loudly, completely oblivious to the chaos she had just caused. "I made pasta! I wanted to surprise—"
Mia stopped. fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm
The words completely died in her throat.
Her dark eyes finally moved past me and landed on the person standing right by my shoulder.
She saw the broad shoulders. She saw the dark jacket. She saw the thick, slightly messy brown hair. And then, she saw his eyes. Those striking, piercing, impossible golden eyes.
Mia completely froze.
It was like somebody had hit a pause button on her entire body. The loud, chaotic, aggressive medical student vanished into thin air.
Her jaw dropped slightly. A massive, violent flush of bright crimson instantly flooded her cheeks, spreading all the way down her neck. freewebnoveℓ.com
She slowly lowered the wooden cooking spoon. She suddenly looked incredibly aware of her messy bun and her fuzzy pink socks.
"Oh," Mia squeaked.
It was the quietest, smallest sound I had ever heard her make in my entire life.
I looked at Mia. I looked at Asher.
I couldn’t help it. A loud, genuine laugh bubbled up from my chest. It broke the heavy, awkward silence in the hallway.
Mia shot me a desperate, panicked glare, her face burning even redder. She quickly tried to smooth down her chaotic hair with her free hand, standing up perfectly straight. She suddenly looked unnaturally reserved. Incredibly polite.
"H-hi," Mia stammered. She actually stuttered. "I mean. Hello."
Asher blinked, recovering quickly from the jump scare. His golden eyes crinkled with deep amusement. He offered her a brilliant, devastatingly warm smile.
"Hi," Asher said smoothly. His voice was a low, pleasant rumble. "You must be Mia. I’m Asher. Irina talks about you all the time."
Mia’s eyes went completely wide. She gripped the wooden spoon like a lifeline.
"She does?" Mia choked out, her voice an octave higher than normal. "I mean. Good things, I hope. It is... very nice to meet you, Asher."
"It’s great to meet you too," Asher smiled.
He turned back to me, clearly trying not to laugh at my best friend’s complete internal meltdown. He handed me the canvas backpack.
"I’ll let you guys get to dinner," Asher said softly, his golden eyes meeting mine. "I should get going. I’ll see you tomorrow, Irina. Goodnight, Luka."
He gently tapped Luka’s tiny sneaker.
"Goodnight, Asher," I smiled warmly. "Thank you again."
"Goodnight!" Mia blurted out loudly from the doorway.
Asher offered one last, easy wave before turning and heading back down the narrow stairwell. His footsteps echoed quietly as he descended.
I stood in the hallway for a second, catching my breath.
Then, I turned to look at Mia.
She was staring completely blankly at the empty stairwell. She looked like she had just been struck by a bolt of lightning.
I stepped past her into the warm apartment.
"Pasta, huh?" I teased, dropping my bag onto the floor.
The heavy wooden door clicked shut.
The absolute second the lock engaged, the polite, reserved spell shattered into a million pieces.
Mia dropped the wooden spoon. She dropped the medical textbook. She practically lunged across the small living room.
She grabbed my shoulders and shook me.
"Irina!" Mia shrieked at the absolute top of her lungs, her dark eyes completely wild. "He is way too handsome!!"
