Page 102 of Reckless Hate

For the rest of the day, she couldn’t stop smiling as she recalled the events during the weekend.

It was late afternoon and she just got done with all of her classes when her phone buzzed with a message.

Expecting it to be another dirty message from her enemy, she opened it with a smile.

It was from the dean’s office, and she was asked to meet the dean right away.

***

Samantha’s heart thudded nervously.

Why did the dean summon her to the office so urgently?

The last time she was called was because she got into trouble for deliberately hitting someone with a tennis ball and also stitching ‘manwhore’ on Ved’s basketball jersey.

Nothing else happened since the dean paired them up to organize the masquerade ball and in the Outreach Program. Although they didn’t speak or hangout together in public, she and Ved were not actively engaged in any enmity.

Then why?

Her cheeks heated. Did someone complain that Ved was caught sneaking out of her bedroom?

Although it was quite the common occurrence on the campus, the university management did frown on the guys breaking into the girls housing units.

Taking a deep breath and hoping she could talk her way out without a suspension, she went to the Simha administration building and met with the dean’s assistant.

The dean’s assistant smiled and greeted. “Good afternoon, Miss Roy. The dean is waiting for you.”

Relaxing a little seeing the assistant’s smile, she went towards the dean’s office.

The office door wasn’t shut completely, and she was surprised to hear feminine laughter. She was even more shocked at what she saw from the partially open door. It was Neelima Raj, who was laughing. And the dean’s face looked youthful and happy unlike the usual stern expression she had on all the time.

Samantha could see the back of a man with slightly greying hair seated opposite the dean. She wondered who the man was who could put a smile on the dean’s face and make her face glow.

Hoping it was about another program like the Outreach Program, she knocked on the door.

The dean’s expression cleared up immediately. Once again, the older woman’s face held a stern yet dignified look.

“Come in,” the dean called out.

Samantha opened the door slightly wider and stepped inside. “Good morning, I was asked to meet you—” she broke off when the man seated across from the dean turned. His vivid brown eyes met with hers.

Shock ripped through her, followed by anger.

She immediately turned to leave when the dean’s stern voice stopped her. “Miss Roy. Please come inside and be seated.”

Her heart thudded hard in shock and anger, but she slowly turned back and walked towards the dean.

“Be seated, Miss Roy,” the dean instructed.

Controlling her anger and other emotions that were threatening to break her down, she sat on the chair next to the man.

“Your father is a dear friend of mine, Miss Roy. He’s here as a tennis consultant for a week.”

Samantha remained quiet. Her father was a tennis legend. It wasn’t out of the ordinary for Simha University to have top athletes around the world provide consulting to the university. However, she knew her father wasn’t there only for that reason.

But she also knew if she said anything, it would be beyond rude and shocking and get her in trouble with the dean. She couldn’t afford to get suspended because of Sohan, the only reason why she even bothered to listen to the dean and sit next to the man who abandoned her most cruelly.

The dean got up from her chair. “I have something I need to check with my assistant. I’ll be right back to join your two. Please remain seated.”