Chapter 137: A Way Out

Emerald’s POV

From the moment I woke up this Saturday morning, I had barely given myself time to breathe.

I woke around five, cleaned my dorm room, then freshened up before having a bowl of cereal for breakfast. By seven, I was at my desk with my books open.

I studied until eleven before finally deciding that I needed a short break.

My exams were getting closer, and I had no intention of taking anything for granted. I was going through my course materials carefully, but I had also started working through past examination questions.

Knowing the material was one thing. Knowing how to apply it under exam conditions was another.

I ordered lunch and spent part of my break answering calls.

Claire and Laura called first, mostly to update me on life in Los Angeles and complain about how busy everything had become.

I listened, laughed at some of their stories, and promised we would talk properly when they had more time.

My father called afterwards to check on me.

I assured him that school was going well and that I was keeping up with everything. We spoke for a few minutes before he let me return to my studies.

My lunch arrived shortly later.

I ate, cleared everything away, and had just finished washing the dishes when my phone rang.

I already knew it was Michael.

I had begged him for an online appointment at one this afternoon, and he had agreed when I asked him on Thursday.

I wiped my hands and returned to my desk before answering. "Good afternoon, Professor King."

His expression immediately changed. "If you call me that again, I’m ending this meeting."

I laughed. "I’m sorry."

"You are not."

"I am."

He gave me a look that made me smile before I placed my phone on the stand beside my laptop. That way, I could use my hands freely while he could see me properly.

It was then that I noticed how relaxed he looked.

His hair was slightly tousled, and there was none of the usual sharpness I associated with him when he was dressed for work.

"You were sleeping, weren’t you?"

A smile appeared on his face. "I was."

I laughed softly. "I didn’t know I was interrupting your rest. If I had known, I wouldn’t have begged for an appointment today."

"It is fine. My body has been asking for rest for some time."

"You should have listened to it."

"I intend to." He leaned back comfortably. "After the first-year exams, I’m taking a proper vacation. At least two weeks."

My eyes bulged. "Two weeks?"

"Yes."

"I am jealous."

He smiled. "If you want to come, there is enough room on my private jet."

I raised an eyebrow. "You make vacation sound very easy."

"It can be." Then he added casually, "Besides, I want to use part of the vacation to look into a new business."

My attention sharpened immediately. "What business?"

He smiled. "I’m not telling you."

I stared at him. "Why?"

"Because you are already interested," he revealed.

"I am curious. That’s different."

"Is it?" He smirked.

I narrowed my eyes. He knew exactly what he was doing.

He was aware that I loved business and that mentioning a new venture would immediately get my attention.

I strongly suspected he had deliberately dropped that piece of information into the conversation just to see how I would react.

Fortunately for him and unfortunately for me, it worked. He had won this round.

I smirked. "Fine. Remind me when the time comes, and I will decide whether I’m going with you or not."

He nodded. "You are a wise woman."

He did not waste any more time on the subject.

"So," he said, shifting into his professor’s voice, "which past examination questions are giving you trouble?"

I turned my attention toward the stack of papers beside my laptop. "I have marked several."

I picked up the first set.

"I’ve been going through the past questions because I don’t want to wait until the last minute to find out where my weaknesses are."

"Good."

I showed him the questions I had marked. He looked through them carefully before beginning with the first one.

Within minutes, our conversation had settled into what I had originally asked for: studying.

Yet even with the books open and the questions in front of me, I could not completely ignore how comfortable the conversation felt.

Saturday had barely begun, and somehow I had already managed to turn a study appointment into a conversation about vacations, private jets, and a business venture he refused to tell me about.

I shook my head and focused on the question in front of me. There would be plenty of time to figure out what Michael King was planning.

For now, I had an exam to prepare for.

I stayed on the video call with Michael for three hours straight without feeling tired or needing to use the restroom.

He was that good at his job.

Michael was a good teacher.

Sometimes he answered my questions directly. Other times, when a subject required more reading, he sent PDF files to my phone and told me which sections to study.

He also tested me periodically, asking questions without warning and waiting for me to work through the answers instead of giving them to me.

What impressed me most was that he was not limited to the course he taught.

Whenever I brought up something from another subject, he could explain it clearly enough for me to understand. He knew the material, but more importantly, he knew how to explain it.

At one point, I found myself wondering just how high his IQ was.

With a brain like his, anything he decided to put his hands on probably had a good chance of succeeding. No doubt.

I felt lucky to have him in my life.

Michael had come into my life at the right time. Since I had known him, he had done nothing but help me in one way or another.

Whether it was Mercer Technologies, my studies, my investments, or simply having someone who could give me sensible advice when I needed it, he had been there.

I looked at the question on the paper and then glanced at my screen. "Michael?"

"Yes?"

"What is the practical difference between maximising a company’s short-term profit and maximising its long-term value?" I asked, pausing for a moment before continuing.

"I understand the definitions, but when I look at some of these questions, the two seem to overlap."

He considered it for a second before saying, "They can overlap, but they are not the same objective."

Then he began explaining the distinction, but I still wasn’t completely convinced I understood it.

I furrowed my brows and tried to force my train of thought to follow exactly what he was saying while painting a picture in my head, but none of my efforts worked.

He noticed.

"Think about it this way," he said. "If a company cuts an important expense today, its profit may increase immediately. But if that expense was necessary for product development, employee retention, or expansion, the decision could reduce the company’s value later."

"I understand that part."

"Good. Then think about the difference between what looks beneficial now and what creates lasting value."

I nodded slowly.

He paused, then said, "Let me give you a simpler example."

"Oh... that will be better." And so I waited.

He smiled. "Think about kissing."

My mind went blank. Of all the examples he could have chosen, he had chosen that one.

A week had passed since last Saturday, yet the memory returned instantly.

His lips against mine, the way I had responded before I could think better of it and the warmth of the moment.

I should have been listening to his explanation; instead, my attention drifted to his face. More specifically, his lips.

He continued talking, completely aware of the point he was making, while I found myself staring at his mouth.

It took me several seconds to realise he had stopped speaking. His eyes were on me now.

A knowing smile appeared on his face. "Emerald."

I blinked. "Yes?"

"You’re not listening," he said.

Immediately, I denied the allegation. "I am."

"Are you?"

I hesitated. Then, rather than pretending, I sighed. "No. I was thinking about that kiss."

His smile widened slightly before breaking into a chuckle. "At least you’re honest."

I expected another teasing remark, but he didn’t. Instead, he simply said, "I know a way to make you forget about it."

My eyebrows lifted. "You do?"

"Yes."

"How?"

He leaned back in his chair. "You will have to wait and find out."

I stared at him. "That isn’t an answer."

"It is the only one you’re getting."

I was about to press him further, but he continued before I could. "Don’t order dinner tonight."

I frowned. "Why?"

"I will send you something."

I smiled. "Thank you."

He nodded once and immediately returned to the material in front of him. "Now, where were we?"

I shook my head and picked up my pen. Apparently, he had decided that was the end of that conversation.

But I had a feeling it wasn’t.