Karina Donovan ambled into the lecture hall and all the gazes zeroed on her while a few among the crowd began to murmur among themselves.

“She is indeed a pretty devil, she looks so gorgeous,” a female student whispered to her seatmate and the lady nodded quickly in agreement.

All this time, their eyes were not discarding from Karina, who was now standing majestic.

She held her red bag on her wrist and raised her head defiantly at them, her hard gaze sweeping across the students like a queen inspecting the crowd.

“You see, it’s not my fault that you are all misfortune but I think it’s time you should all learn how to get used to my beautiful appearance already. Do you understand?” Karina enunciated proudly, a smug grin forming at the corners of her mouth.

As soon as she said these words, all the eyes that had been staring at her with charming eyes immediately twisted to disgust.

“I feel like strangling her neck with my earphones,” a lady from the backseat muttered under her breath while clasping her fingers around her poor cellphone and earphone cord.

“She will never change,” a male student also said quietly with disgust.

“I hope you all understand what I just said,” Karina spoke more loudly this time.

“If you are just going to keep ranting over there, Miss, then do me a favor by using the door,” this gravel baritone voice wafted to where Karina was standing from the facade.

Right after the words, Derek Brandon left where he was standing on the podium and heading Karina’s way.

He was clad in a creamy turtleneck with a coffee brown coat, together with a blue slip-on encased in his feet.

His biceps were slightly reflecting and some strands of his black hair could be seen hanging on his forehead.

Karina looked past this dapper, handsome, ice and stone to the whiteboard behind him and saw ‘Biology’ boldly written on the board and she immediately identified him as the new tutor or maybe a temporary replacement.

It seemed she was quite oblivious of his presence earlier.

Wearing one of her hard glares, “Did you just talk to me?” she wondered, her sharp gaze meeting Derek’s penetrating eyes.

“I’m referring to whoever responds to my words,” Derek snapped, walking nearer. “If you’re not ready for this class then please make use of the exit now,”

Karina ran out of patience now, she became so enraged that the veins on her forehead became exposed.

No one has ever dared talk back to her like this in the past.

“I bet you don’t know who I am because if you_”

“And do I look like I care?” Derek interrupted her mid-sentence, “I don’t care whoever in the hell you are, so get out,” he said harshly.

The look in his eyes was as cold as a blizzard, very intimidating.

Karina’s brows puckered and her eyes were brimming with anger. The palpitation in her heart did not dissipate and it took her a full minute to respond, possibly because she had trouble unlocking her jaw.

“You’ll regret this. I promise,” she threatened ferociously under her breath and then spun on her heels, heading out of the class.

During this whole ordeal, all the students on seats had been resisting the great urge to laugh out of their control as the scenario between their new tutor and the narcissistic Karina was too hilarious.

They all loved how Derek had just put Karina in her place. However, they knew the aftermath wouldn’t be satisfactory for Derek for he had messed with the wrong person.

Karina couldn’t help but tremble at every footstep that she took towards the director’s office.

She looked like a demon walking against the light, causing the director’s assistant to tremble with chill and fear from the moment she charged into the office.

“Is he in his office?” she asked the middle-aged woman without glancing at her but striding fast toward the director’s door.

The shapely blonde woman shot to her feet, “Yes…yes, madam,” she stuttered, watching her entering her boss’s office without even knocking.

“Who the fuck in the deepest hell have you got to replace the Biology tutor, Mr. Wright?” Karina shouted, startling the living soul out of the man sitting on the owner's seat across the rectangular desk.

He wore a black formal suit; his hair was not yet grayed and his strong jaw was cleanly shaven.

“Do you mean Mr. Derek? What has he done to you, Karina?” Mr. Wright slowly stood up from his seat and asked tenderly.

It was much more appropriate for him to say that there was a fire on the mountain. He knew that whenever Karina appeared in his office with a particular name on her tongue then the person was in big trouble.

“Derek or wreck-deck, I don’t give a flying fuck about his goddamn name. I only want you to fire him this instant, he had messed with me and he has to pay for it dearly,” Karina fired on and on, her expression darkening.

Mr. Wright walked over to where Karina was with a soft smile touching his lips.

“I’m so sorry on his behalf, dear. However, Mr. Derek is a talented teacher with great personality and qualifications, Karina. Please don’t let me sack him for this mistake, pardon him this first time,” he let out persuasively and his eyes pleading intently.

Karina puffed, “So are you telling me to let this go?” she half yelled.

“Of course not, Karina. I’ll make sure Mr. Derek apologizes to you right away, is that okay with you?”

After Mr. Wright's words, an edging smirk slowly crept to her lips, liking the idea very much.

“Okay, Mr. Wright. I’ll be waiting here,” she said and headed to the visitor’s seat.

***

“What do you mean by apologizing to her, Mr. Wright?” Derek asked in a calm yet husky voice, looking down at Mr. Wright since he was much more taller than him.

Mr. Wright raised a hand and touched his arm fondly, “I’ve always known you’re a prideful man since you were a little kid, Derek,”

“I know how much it hurts your self-esteem when you’re in the right and people fail to see it,”

Derek lowered his head, his nose flaring.

“But if you really want this job then you’ll have to beg Karina Donovan,” Mr. Wright confirmed, staring at Derek’s face.

“I already told you to avoid her like a plaque from the beginning, Derek. Karina is not someone anyone can mess with and go scott-free and it’s so sad her parents would always take sides with her. It’s just so sad,” he put in.

Derek lifted his head now, the corner of his eyes crinkled as he narrowed his eyes a bit.

“Are you asking me to apologize to that girl after the ill-mannered words she said to her mates, Uncle?” he asked in a low fierce voice.

“I’m sorry but you do not have a choice,”

“Excuse me, Uncle. I do have a choice,” Derek retorted sharply, his expression firm and haughty.

“You gave me this job, Uncle, and you can take it back. I don’t care. But over my dead body will I apologize to that brat; to hell with her and her loaded family,” he hollered and then spun around to march off.

“Think about Penelope, Derek,” Mr. Wright’s voice halted his movement in an instant.

“Think about your sister. You need this job to save her, Derek, so stop being self-centered and come with me to apologize now,” Mr. Wright raised his voice a little this time, obviously upset.

Derek was stuck in a dilemma and thinking about the current situation, tears gathered in his eyes but he kept them from falling.

“I’ll apologize,” he choked on these two words, still not turning around.

A content look was expressed on Karina’s face upon seeing Derek and Mr. Wright emerged into the office.

She continued spinning on her seat little by little while she swept Derek's features; roman nose, prominent cheekbones, and sexy lips.

His outstanding features made him look damn handsome.

“Forgive me. Such won’t repeat itself again,” Derek apologized in a low menacing voice, his cold eyes right on Karina.

Karina wore one of her sardonic smiles as she rose to her feet.

“It’s good to know you know your place now, Derek,” she said easily, walking toward him.

Derek’s gaze sharpened, his hands hanging on his sides clenched into fists.

“However, the next time you cross your limit…” Karina continued, raising her hand to touch his little bearded jaw.

Derek turned his face away in disgust causing Karina’s hands to fall to his broad chest.

“I’ll make sure to fire you immediately, got that?” her lips widened into an evil smile.

Derek frowned at her coldly as if he wanted to freeze her.

“Don’t worry, Karina. I promise such will never happen again,” Mr. Wright quickly spoke in Derek’s stead.

Meanwhile, Karina and Derek’s gazes had collided; it was more powerful than ten thousand words and ten thousand fights.