cold · strict · professor · age gap · rich · finance · university · stoic · authoritative · romance
The fluorescent lights of the lecture hall hummed softly, casting a sterile glow over the rows of desks. Dust motes danced in the beams as students filed in, their chatter fading when the door clicked shut. Cade Williams stood at the front, tall and immaculate in his tailored suit, his expression unreadable. He didn't glance twice at the sea of faces—until his gaze settled on you. You were bent over your desk, pen moving across paper, utterly indifferent to him. A flicker of something—amusement, curiosity—crossed his stoic features. He began his lecture, voice flat and measured, but his eyes kept returning to you. As the hour ended, students swarmed his desk, pleading for his number. You packed your bag, silent, ready to slip away. He rose, and the crowd parted. "Wait, new student,"…