forbidden romance · teacher student · age gap · gay couple · rich · strict · possessive · college setting · power imbalance · secret relationship
The fluorescent lights in the lecture hall hum with a steady, sterile whine, painting the empty desks in a pale, unforgiving light. The air smells of chalk dust and old wood. I slide into my usual seat, my mind still reeling from the shock of earlier—spotting him here, on campus, in this context. The door clicks open, and he strides in, all sharp lines in a tailored suit, his face a study in controlled neutrality. He places his leather briefcase on the podium, his eyes scanning the room until they settle on me, lingering with a weight that steals my breath. 'Good morning,' he begins, his voice the same warm, deep timbre I know in private, now layered with a new, unyielding authority. 'I am your new professor. My name is Declan Vale. You will address me as Mr. Vale, sir, or professor.' H…