Chapter 375 A Hint of Love
Emilia tilted her chin, casting a quick glance at the lecturer on stage.
"Doesn't she look... off today?"
If even Emilia could see it, the rest of the class certainly had noticed.
Gabriella stood frozen in front of the blackboard, pointer in hand, her gaze unfocused. She repeated the same sentence over and over, as if her mind had slipped somewhere far away.
Something was definitely wrong.
Cecilia leaned closer, worry in her voice. "Is Ms. Gray feeling unwell?"
Gabriella might have been a young lecturer, but her expertise was unquestionable—her style was distinctive, her delivery as polished as any seasoned professor. This was not her.
The moment class ended, Emilia swept out of the building like a gust of wind.
Catherine knew exactly where she was going. She was probably off to see George—trying to make up for not treating him well enough.
Couples always carried that infuriating air of romance that made single people grind their teeth.
Catherine pushed open the office door.
Gabriella was speaking quietly to Cecilia, giving instructions about the class assignments.
Cecilia still looked uneasy. "Ms. Gray, are you sure you're alright?"
"I'm fine," Gabriella replied, her tone even. "Today's lesson didn't go as well as it should have—that's on me. I'll upload the lecture to the group chat so no one falls behind. If you have questions, contact me anytime."
Cecilia nodded. "Alright. Don't worry, the material isn't too difficult this week. It's just… everyone's worried about you. Please get some rest."
These were students who had worked with Gabriella long enough to know her rhythm. They understood today was an exception.
Gabriella was supposed to teach another class that afternoon, but she swapped with a colleague to avoid disrupting the students further.
Once Cecilia left, Gabriella finally looked up and saw Catherine standing in the doorway.
"Here to see me?"
"No. The department chair asked for me. But, Ms. Gray… you don't seem in the best mood."
On the desk sat a single iris in full bloom—its deep, dangerous beauty impossible to ignore.
Catherine's voice was soft. "Do you know the meaning of an iris, Ms. Gray?"
Gabriella blinked, then glanced at the flower. Fresh droplets still clung to its petals. A small card nestled beside it, the handwriting sharp and unmistakable.
It read: [Happy Birthday. Charles.]
The words hit her like a blow. Tears welled up before she could stop them.
"Sorry… it's a family matter. Odette's been ill lately. I've been looking after her and… I guess I haven't adjusted."
Catherine knew Odette—an employee at the gallery who had taken sick leave. She'd even arranged for a medical stipend.
Gabriella's hands curled into fists. "The truth is… I was the one who pursued Charles."
Charles, dazzling as sunlight, the kind of man who drew every eye in a crowd.
She added, "He might tell people he chased me, to save my pride. But that's not how it happened.
"In college, I was reckless—like Odette. My parents fought constantly because they didn't have a son. I was… rough around the edges."
A faint, rare smile touched her face.
"Do you know what I did to get Charles's attention?"
Catherine shook her head.
"Gabriella always struck me as quiet and reserved. I went to every one of his classes. Pretended to bump into him in the cafeteria and library. Once, I lit candles outside his dorm to confess. Ridiculous, isn't it?"
From the woman Gabriella had become, it was hard to imagine her doing anything so brazen.
"At first I thought I was the one doing all the chasing and I was ready to give up, but then Charles told me that if I was ready to quit, it would be his turn to chase me. "
Remembering it now, Gabriella looked at the iris, her smile turning tender.
"Between Charles and me… maybe I was always one step behind."
Catherine shook her head. "That's between you and him. I'm an outsider. But if you still love Charles, letting go might be something you regret."
It wasn't regret that frightened her—it was the ache. Some people could break your heart without even lifting a finger, simply by existing.
Gabriella stared at the flower.
Catherine's tone was calm, almost cool. "The iris means 'I miss you.' Whatever Charles is trying to say, you already know. The Windsor family isn't bound by outdated traditions. Even if you never had children, so what?"
Her gaze sharpened. "Besides... if you just walk away from Charles without even trying to see into his heart, maybe you were never meant for him."
The words landed heavy.
Catherine knew Gabriella's temperament had been shaped by her family and her past. A tendency toward depression wasn't a fatal flaw—but it did make her prone to spiraling.
Without waiting for a reply, Catherine slung her bag over her shoulder and headed for the department chair's office.
Gabriella sat alone, the iris and the card in front of her.
Charles.
The name she'd written countless times.
She reached for her phone and dialed the number she knew by heart. Charles picked up almost immediately.
"What is it?"
"I want to take you to dinner. Are you free?"
He glanced at his schedule, hesitated. "Tonight might be difficult. If this is about Catherine, Philip can handle it."
"It's about me. Tomorrow works. The day after works."
Something in her tone made him cross out a meeting on his calendar.
"Seven o'clock tonight. I'll pick you up."
"No need. I'll come to you. Meet me after you finish work."
That caught him off guard. For a moment, it felt like being back in college, when Gabriella would pace outside his faculty building just to see him the moment class ended.
"Is that inconvenient?"
"Not at all. Come to my office. I'll have my secretary bring you up."
"Alright!"
Her voice was light, almost eager, like she couldn't bear to waste a single minute before seeing him.
Charles's throat tightened. He loosened his tie, his voice low and rough. "Has something happened? Do you need my help?"
"Yes," she said quietly. "There's something I want your advice on."
And because she missed him—because only Charles could fill that space.
If she believed he couldn't accept her past, then maybe this was where their story ended.
She hung up, scooped the flower into her arms, and hurried out.
At the door, she ran into Cecilia, who was carrying a stack of assignments.
"Ms. Gray, where are you going?"
"To see someone very important to me."
In the department chair's office, Catherine stood before a man adjusting his glasses. Fresh from abroad, he was still catching up on the local situation.
"So you're the student," he said slowly, "who's managed to throw this whole department into chaos."
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