BEHIND CLOSED DOORS | 18+ |✔

38

c h a p t e r     t h i r t y - e i g h t 

Mature Content 

The professors and other staff members huddled together in the auditorium, with the teaching members and trustees occupying the chairs. Rhys sat on a chair on the stage, fiddling with his button. He had called for an important conference on a short notice, but he was glad that most of the people he had invited were there. Today, was an important day. 

He looked up, his eyes scanning the rows of the seats, and after a second, they found what they were looking for. She was sitting beside Emma in the corner of the first row, and judging by her confused expression, Emma had not told her anything. 

A smirk appeared on his lips. He could not wait to make the announcement. 

As the trusted members of the Academy filled up the chairs beside him, he thought back on his first day as the chancellor, how he had been sitting at the exact same spot while a professor announced his name in front of the crowd. It had been two years, but he could still clearly remember the mixed reactions, mostly negative but a few enthusiastic. He smiled at Mr Oswald, who had been a good friend to his father, as the old man grinned at him, before leaning in to whisper, "What do you have in mind, my boy?" 

Rhys whispered back, "You'll see." 

Mr Oswald smiled, but did not probe further. In the past three months, a lot had happened in the university. With Blaine's amateur crime, it had been a cakewalk to gather evidence against her and have her fired from the Academy. She had now been blacklisted throughout all the educational institutions of Great Britain, just like Rhys had wanted. Unfortunately, they could not get the money she had stolen back, since the old hag had wasted it on her daughter. His blood boiled as he remembered the court hearing, with her still shouting accusations at him, blaming him for tainting the reputation of the Academy by having an affair with one of the professors. 

It was in the court, one month ago, that Rhys had taken this decision. Even though Blaine's words were for her own gain, they were true. Antonia already had to go through a lot because of their relationship, and he was tired of hiding behind the perfect image of a chancellor. 

He wanted to break free, and live his own life. No regrets, no boundaries and no rules. 

That's what he had always been like, a carefree, independent man who wanted to win the world through his research. His dreams had been shattered, but he was far from giving up. His father had not raised him that way. 

The murmuring quitened down, as the speaker of the day, went to the mic and addressed the people. He loved it, the thrill and beating of his heart. He knew that this was the final step he had to take before breaking free from the shackles that had bound him for two whole years. 

"Thank you for joining us," the speaker narrated, "and now, our respected chancellor, Mr Rhys Clyde would like to address all of you for a very special announcement."