Chapter 69: The Golden Rule

Dressed in her green turtleneck top underneath her wool coat and denim jeans, Zarah went to school with Hope and Julie as their designated driver.

She adorned her fingers with her other rings to hide her engagement ring and her wedding ring.

Should someone ask if she was married, she would not deny it. However, she would not disclose who her husband is yet.

Hope was wearing a dress underneath her wool coat. She didn't change her dress since the wedding and the reception.

They got out of the car and separated ways when they entered their respective building.

As soon as she entered, she was bumped by a young man who was wearing a professor's attire. Zarah thought that she had not seen this man before. It would make sense if he was newly hired.

He looked so young to be a professor at this school. However, she was sure that he was not a student either.

'Perhaps, he's an alumnus?' She thought.

The man crouched down to pick up the documents that were scattered everywhere on the ground.

"I'm sorry." She immediately apologized and helped him in picking up the documents even though this man had bumped into her and not the other way around.

The man adjusted his eyeglasses and then looked at her and then went back to pick up the papers.

"I'm very sorry, too. I was not watching where I was heading." The man explained with a thick accent. His gaze then landed on her ring.

"Nice ring by the way," he said and Zarah immediately quickened her pace. The documents were answered sheets of the students. These confirmed that he was a professor working for the university.

"Thank you. Anyways, I'm sorry. As much as I wanted to help you, I'm running late with my exam, Mister." Zarah said after she finished picking up the documents and left in haste.

"Wait!"

Zarah turned around after hearing the man calling her.

"May I know your name? I want to treat you as an apology," he said. However, Zarah inwardly frowned upon hearing him.

"I'm sorry, Sir. I don't give my name to anyone. And besides, you did apologize and I accepted it," she said. Moreover, everyone in school knew her name. He could ask one student and he would know from them.

"Okay, I understand." The man seemed to be understanding but his face turned dark when Zarah was no longer facing him.

A wicked smile was then shown on his handsome face but it disappeared as soon as it appeared.

Zarah could not recognize him but he was the man last time.

Why was he at Oakridge City? What's his purpose?

Zarah entered her room in haste as she only had five minutes to review.

Crystal saw this and she snickered after she saw what Zarah was doing.

Zarah was absent yesterday and so she didn't know that a quiz would be conducted today.

All she could do was rely on her photographic memory so she could answer the test well.

Five minutes was enough for her to scan her notes and memorize them.

After five minutes, their professor entered and the test began immediately.

Test papers were distributed and then the students started answering them.

As expected, Zarah was the first one to finish answering, and after reviewing her answers thoroughly, she decided to submit the paper to her professor.

"You're done?"

"Yes, Sir."

Then, he said softly just for the two of them to hear.

"Very well. Seems like the car accident didn't make you less of a genius, Miss Jansen." He was teasing her.

However, deep down, he heaved a sigh of relief afterward.

Zarah felt embarrassed as she now knew why her professor kept on glancing at her.

"I'm sorry for making you worried, Professor Ingram. And no, I'm not a genius. I just happened to love reading and studying."

Professor Ingram's lips twitched when he heard Zarah's explanation this time. It was true that reading could broaden someone's knowledge about things. However, reading could not make someone a genius overnight. It had to be paired with talent. A gift to be precise.

Zarah had always been keen to downplay her skills in front of everyone even her professors at school.

Nevertheless, they knew her capabilities, and should she wish to not be called a genius, they were willing to honor that.

Nonetheless, this in-denial genius kept on bringing pride to their university because of her capabilities.

Zarah's humility made them love and admire her as a student and as an individual despite the issues and rumors being thrown at her.

Her attitude was in great contrast to Crystal who loved to wear her achievements around her neck. She loved the praises and attention that everyone was giving her should she achieve something.

A slight rejection would cause her to throw tantrums.

It didn't help that her mother was one of the board of trustees in this school.

This gave her the confidence to bully just anyone.

"Alright. If you say so, then, you're not a genius," Professor Ingram said teasingly which caused Zarah to be helpless.

"Can I go now, Professor?"

"Sure! Go and do your thing."

"Thank you, Professor."

As Zarah left Professor Ingram started checking her paper. As expected, Zarah got full marks. She even made corrections to some of the typographical errors that he committed when he made the test questions.

He didn't know whether he should laugh or cry because of this.

Sure enough, almost all of her professors knew that she was in a car accident the other day and they became worried about her.

"Shouldn't you be in the hospital right now? Why are you here?" Her professor in her second major asked the moment he saw her in the hallway.

"Shh!" She hushed him immediately as she didn't want anyone to hear about it.

"I'm fine, Professor. It's just a concussion and a small wound. I have rested enough though."

"Sure! Sure! Now go before my blood pressure rises due to worry." Her professor shooed her.

However, she knew deep down that he was worried. She felt bad for making them worry.

She then grabbed her phone from her pocket and then sent Xavier a message. She suddenly missed her husband.

["Are you busy?]

[Nope.] Xavier responded immediately.

[Be serious. Aren't you in a meeting?]

[I'm always free when it comes to my wife.] Xavier's sweet words wrapped Zarah's heart with warmth.

[What time will it be over?]

[It'll be over when I said so.] Xavier's confidence made Zarah speechless.

[...]

[Be good. Just finish your matters there. Let's meet at the company later.]

After sending this message, Zarah wanted to keep her phone away but then she realized that something was missing.

[Okay! See you there, mon amour. I love you.]

This was what was missing.

[I love you too, husband.]

Xavier who was in a meeting with an Arab client smiled like an idiot. He was not listening to their proposal as his attention was on his wife's messages.

"I'm sorry CEO Lockhart! Are we doing something wrong that you're uninterested in our discussion?" The man asked Xavier.

Xavier kept his phone away after he read Zarah's last message.

"I'm sorry Mr. Habib. Perhaps, you're right. Your proposal is boring." He said straight to the point.

He got bored while listening to them. Good thing Zarah saved him. Nonetheless, even though the proposal was interesting, he would still entertain his wife first as pleasing his wife would give him a much happier life than pleasing this client.

The wife should be number one. This was his new principle now that he was married. This was like a golden rule to every wife-doting husband.

Mr. Habib on the other hand was offended by his honesty but didn't show it to his face. His assistant here had been explaining perfectly yet the moment his phone beeped, his attention shifted to his phone. He was more eager to read the replies rather than in listening to the discussion.

Little did he know, though he was busy texting Zarah, his ears were listening and could perfectly pick up everything that was being said.

He had high expectations before this meeting yet he only got disappointments from them.

"Mr. Habib, do you love your wife?" Xavier suddenly asked.

Mr. Habib thought that the question was unrelated to business yet he still answered him.

"I do love my wife."

Now that he was married, his priorities in picking his business partners also changed.

He would prefer having business with a man who cherished and pampered his wife than those bachelor CEOs out there.

Of course, there were exceptions to this rule.

Mr. Habib was oblivious to the fact that his answer had secured him a reconsideration rather than a direct rejection.

"Good. I give you time to revise your proposal. A week would be fine, right?"

Mr. Habib was speechless.

He did hear from the others that this man's style of doing business was unique.

Had it not been for the fact that they needed to secure this partnership, they would not allow themselves to be underestimated. They would not waste their efforts just to please this man.

Xavier had always wanted to explore the Arab region. This was a good opportunity for him too.

"I can not stay for a week, CEO Lockhart. I still have to go back."

"Then, let your assistant stay for a week to make the revisions. My assistants knew what I wanted for this collaboration."

"Okay. Let's do that then," Mr. Habib said.

After they were done, Xavier got up and looked at Rupert.

"Help Mr. Aziz with the revision. You know me well."

"I will, CEO Lockhart." Rupert nodded in agreement.

"Then, I shall take my leave."

Before he left, he decided to say something to Mr. Habib.

"Actually, the proposal was not bad. It had the potential yet it did not reach my expectation. And I do hope you'll love your wife more."

Xavier then left after he said that.

Meanwhile, after she settled her affairs at school, Zarah prepared to leave the campus.

She walked to the school grounds and was about to go to the shortcut she had been using in going to the Stevens Group company building.

However, she didn't expect to bump into Mr. Lockhart along the way.

Now that she was married to Xavier, she had no idea what to call him now.

Should she call him, uncle?

However, they were not close.

"Can we talk, Miss Jansen?" Joseph Lockhart didn't beat around the bush.

Zarah on the other hand saw a black car that was parked not far from they were standing.

"You should have asked your assistant to come out of the car and do it instead of you, Mr. Lockhart. Should something happen to you while I'm around, the people would blame it on me."

Meanwhile, Crystal and her friends happened to be around the area.

One of her friends happened to spot Zarah and Joseph Lockhart talking.

"Crystal, look! Isn't that the b*tch? What is she doing? Who is that old man?"

"Oh my gosh! Don't tell me the rumors are right! She actually has a sugar daddy?!" Crystal's interest was picked up and she immediately urged them to take their phone and snapped some photos.

One was even bold to record everything into video.

Crystal snickered as she thought they finally has something to ruin her. Of course, she would never miss this chance.

"Oh my gosh! Look at the ring on his finger! Zarah's having an affair with a married man!"

For sure this would blow up in the forum and she was sure that it would be hard for Zarah to escape this time.

"Should I ask my assistant to do it, I'm afraid Miss Jansen would question my sincerity in inviting you."

There was still a glint of hostility from his words. However, she promised Xavier that she would compromise.

They were now a part of their extended family anyways since she became his lawfully wedded wife this morning.

"You're right. Please lead the way, then."

Joseph Lockhart then snorted coldly and turned around. Zarah had no other choice.

She was also curious about what he wanted to tell her.

The driver who was waiting inside the car came out and opened the backseat car door.

Joseph Lockhart entered first and Zarah followed.

Everything was caught in video.

***