Chapter 17

We all turned to look at the man. Professor Zaiden quickly stood up as if he had seen an unexpected person.

"Mordred, what are you doing here?"

Mordred? How is he related to Professor Zaiden? He looks to be in his mid-30s, handsome, and dressed very formally in a suit.

"I'm here to send a message, Sir Cairo."

A message? Why come here in person? He could have just used a phone. And why is he the one explaining?

"And you are?" the dean asked.

The man bowed and introduced himself. "I'm Mordred Alabastero, dean. I'm the butler of the Gavilan residence."

The dean seemed surprised by what he heard. "You're Don Gavilan's butler? Is Don coming here?" The dean couldn't contain his curiosity and returned to his desk.

"No, Dean, but I'm here because of his grandson's request. He told me to explain his situation right now; he will be late for a few minutes."

The butler looked at Professor Zaiden and then at the dean, so we all looked at him too.

"Isn't it that the Gavilans own your university, Laurenestine?" my dad asked me. I was surprised too because the Gavilans are well-known in the area, especially since many of their relatives work in the government. It's normal for the owner to intervene in such situations, especially when the university's reputation is at stake. I felt nervous, but I tried not to show it.

"Will he show up here?" Professor Zaiden asked.

They exchanged looks as if having a conversation with just their eyes. We all shifted our gazes between them until Professor Zaiden cleared his throat and looked at the dean.

"Dean, my brother will be here now. Can we wait another minute?"

"Your brother? What do your siblings have to do with this? Where is he?" the dean inquired.

"He's scheduled for an operation now, Dean, so he asked me to come here first," Mordred explained.

"What kind of operation?" the dean curiously asked. Why is he even asking that? Well, "operation" can mean different things. I'm curious too about what it could be.

"Operation in the hospital, Dean. He's a doctor."

Huh? A doctor? I thought his brothers were an architect and a lawyer? Now, there's a doctor too? They have different professions, which is surprising.

"What? I don't understand. You have another brother?" Jorih chimed in. They're only three brothers and one sister. A doctor too? My heart skipped a beat. I had a suspicion, but it's impossible, right? I'd find it easier to accept if Professor Zaiden had a disorder because he's still himself, but if it's someone else, what would I do?

It seems like I'm thinking of the impossible. There hasn't been any gossip about such a thing in their family. If there were, it should have been talked about already because their family is well-known.

"Yes, he has another brother, Dean Hernandez," the deep voice that we only heard now said.

A man entered the room confidently, his hands in his pockets.

"The operation went well. I should clear up the misunderstanding here," he announced and looked around the room.

The first thing I noticed was his white lab coat. As my gaze lifted to his face, two pairs of hazel eyes locked onto mine. I felt like my breath was taken away when I recognized his face.

My knees weakened, and I gripped the chair's armrests. Maybe I'm just dreaming. This can't be real. I tried pinching my cheek and looking at him again, but he was still there.

The dean's eyes widened when he saw the man. Everyone seemed shocked except for Professor Zaiden and Mordred.

"What's the meaning of this, Professor?" the dean intervened, looking back and forth between the two. "What's happening here? Is he your brother? Why am I only meeting him now?" The dean seemed confused now too.

"Oh my gosh! I didn't know this either. What's going on, Zaiden?!" Shannon exclaimed hysterically. Professor Zaiden ignored her and kept his gaze on the approaching man.

The man looked at the dean and Mordred. "Can you let me talk to Ms. Valencia in private?" He turned to my parents. "I know you're confused now, but I will make sure that everything will be settled after this."

My parents just looked at me but didn't say anything and left the room.

I bowed my head while clenching my fists. I didn't want to talk to him, but I needed to know, even though I knew it would hurt.

"I'm here, Zairon," Professor Zaiden said.

"Then I will too," Shannon added, clinging to Professor Zaiden's arm.

"Send your fiancé away, Zaiden. You stay here," he said, not caring about Shannon's presence, and approached me.

"No, I don't know about this. I need to know. You're switching places? Maybe, your brother has been dating me all this time, Zaiden?" I asked, eyebrows furrowed.

Zairon raised an eyebrow and glanced at Shannon. "I don't date average women. Tsk."

"What?" she exclaimed. "I'm not average! Are you saying that Laurenestine is more standard than me?"

He didn't answer her, just kept his cold gaze on me while I wanted to cry. Anger and pain surged in my heart even before hearing his response.

"Yes."

I closed my eyes and prayed that what I heard wasn't true.

"And about the video, I was with Laurene last night. I'm the one who kissed her," he added without hesitation.

"When? How long have you been deceiving me?" I asked, as everyone looked at me when I spoke. "How long have you been fooling me?"

Professor Zaiden's eyes softened, and he seemed like he wanted to approach me, but his brother gave him a warning look. He didn't move and just looked away.

He turned to the dean and Mordred. "Can you let me talk to Ms. Valencia in private?" Then, he turned to my parents. "I know you're confused now, but I will make sure that everything will be settled after this."

I knew my parents were looking at me, but they didn't say anything and left the room.

I bowed my head, clenching my fists. I didn't want to talk to him, but I needed to know, even though I knew it would hurt.

"I'm here, Zairon," Professor Zaiden said.

"Then I will too," Shannon added, clinging to Professor Zaiden's arm.

"Send your fiancé away, Zaiden. You stay here," he said, not caring about Shannon's presence, and approached me.

"No, I don't know about this. I need to know. You're switching places? Maybe, your brother has been dating me all this time, Zaiden?" I asked, eyebrows furrowed.

Zairon raised an eyebrow and glanced at Shannon. "I don't date average women. Tsk."

"What?" she exclaimed. "I'm not average! Are you saying that Laurenestine is more standard than me?!"

"I told you not to ask, you'll just get hurt," he retorted.

"What the?! What the hell is wrong with your brother, Zaiden?! I didn't do anything wrong!" She shouted angrily.

"Please, just listen to me. I will explain to you later, okay?" Professor said calmly and held her hand.

I was surprised because I didn't feel affected at all. Perhaps my mind was too occupied with what I had just learned.

"Why did you admit earlier that you were with him? Do you know that you embarrassed me? We both know we were together last night, but you're covering up for your brother's mistake!"

"I'm sorry, it's very complicated. Please understand me.. I didn't want this either."

I avoided looking at both of them and instead glanced at Zairon, who now had a furrowed brow.

"Zaiden, don't let me push your woman in the window. Your voice is irritating," the person in front of me complained and held my hand, looking at me, but I felt a coldness in his gaze.

Now I understood why I said there seemed to be someone else when I looked at him because even though they look alike, I could tell there was a significant difference, especially in their facial expressions. Even if he had no expression sometimes, I couldn't stare into his eyes for long.

"Baby.. did that woman do something to you?"

I pulled my hand away and looked away. I didn't speak because I might slap him now. He took a deep breath and glanced at his brother again because it seemed like Shannon was getting stubborn.

"What?" She asked irritably.

"If you won't step your fucking feet outside, you won't have a place to go back to, Shannon Travieso. I will make sure that your parents' little business sinks and fire your little brother in Solstice," he threatened angrily. Shannon seemed scared and let go of Zaiden, then immediately left the office.

"This is the first time that you're using your position, Zairon. And against my fiancée."

"I'm just a doctor, Zaiden. Nothing more. Why did grandpa choose her for you?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. I just got used to it."

"That's good. Get married right away. I don't want to see you hovering around my woman."

It's like they're just having a private conversation in front of me. It's like they forgot I'm here. It's amazing how these two siblings can just forget about their lies to me.

"You seem to have forgotten that I'm still here, right?" They looked at me then. "When did you start deceiving me, the both of you? Maybe you're so used to lying that it doesn't matter to you anymore," I said sarcastically.

I sat in an empty chair and just looked at them. I kept glancing back and forth, and even I couldn't tell which one was Zaiden if they weren't both standing in front of me and wearing different clothes. But if they wore the same outfit, I might really be fooled. But based on their eyes alone, I should have known, but I didn't doubt it then because they have identical faces.

I just observed them, and besides their eyes, I couldn't deny that Zairon had a different presence, a different aura. They both wore glasses now, but Professor Zaiden looked more formal. Not that Zairon didn't look formal, but he looked different. Why didn't I notice this before? Is it because he copied Zaiden's mannerisms too much, or am I just too desperate?

"Don't you wear contact lenses? Is that your original eye color?" I don't know why that was the first thing I asked, but based on eye color alone, I knew the answer, but I just couldn't accept it.

They looked at each other, and Professor Zaiden himself answered.

"We didn't use contact lenses, Laurenestine. Zairon inherited his eye color from our grandfather. While the rest of our siblings inherited our father's eyes."

I closed my eyes and felt dizzy again. I worried about who I first talked to at Professor Zaiden's bachelor's party. Why am I so stupid? I don't know.

I really fucked with the wrong guy.

"When I arrived at the bachelor's party, who talked to me? Who brought me to the kitchen?" I took a deep breath before opening my eyes to look at them again. My heart was beating faster, and I wanted to turn back time now because of what I was hearing.

"That was me, Laurenestine," Professor Zaiden replied.

I looked at him. "What did I do to you back then, Professor Zaiden?"

He hesitated before answering. "I.. You kissed me. I mean, it's not totally a kiss." He said as Zairon's expression darkened.