One Night With My Alpha Professor by Eve Above Story

Chapter 279

Audrey

Edwin and I emerged from the small room, his hand still resting protectively on my back. The hustle and bustle of last- minute preparations immediately hit us, assistants running back and forth, models being ushered into position, and the soft hum of the audience’s chatter drifting through the walls.

“I guess no one would have noticed our little tryst anyway,” Edwin mused under his breath with a smirk.

I glanced up at him, wiggling my eyebrows suggestively. But a sound caused us both to whip our heads toward the dressing

area.

“Owww! My ankle!”

Exchanging worried glances, Edwin and I rushed toward the sound. A small group had gathered in a huddle near the back of the dressing area. In the center of the commotion was a young woman, one of the models, seated on a chair with her head in her hands. Her shoulders shook as she cried out.

I hurried over, Edwin following closely behind.

“What happened?” I asked, kneeling in front of the model. She looked up at me, her face pale, tears clinging to her lashes. “I–I twisted my ankle really bad,” she stammered, wincing as she shifted her foot slightly. “I was fine earlier, but it hurts to put any weight on it now…”

Someone behind her chimed in, “She tripped backstage. I thought she’d just shaken it off, but…”

I glanced down at her ankle, which was already beginning to swell slightly under the delicate straps of her shoe. The show was minutes from starting. Panic might have been setting in, but I couldn’t afford that luxury–not now.

I took a calming breath, tapping into that silver pool of energy inside of me. With a reassuring smile, I reached out to touch/ her ankle. “May I?” I asked.

She winced, flinching away.

“It’s alright,” I murmured. “I’ll help you.”

moment of hesitation, the

touch her ankle.

flow from my fingertips. It started off as a

her muscles relaxing as the pain ebbed away. She let

I whispered, pulling my hand back. “Try

her ankle with a look of surprise and relief on her face. Her tears began to fade as she

she breathed, a smile breaking through.

for. Now, get into place–you’re going to be

surrounding crew was palpable, and I looked up at Edwin, I saw a look of pride in his eyes. He gave

as

stage manager said, clapping

58%

a hush fell over

first model stepped into the

a matching trousers and blazer set with an

used to stitch everything together glimmered under the stage lights. Cameras flashed, the crowd oohing and ahhing over the

by my mother in a warm gold tone. The plunging neckline accentuated the model’s bust, the strappy heels and golden arm bands making her

vision of the countless hours, the intricate stitching, the late–night sketches, and the

mine. I glanced up, finding Edwin beside me, his gaze focused on the runway but his approval humming through the bond. My mother stood on my other side,

runway, and the audience’s murmurs of

it was time

and my mother. I hoped that this piece wasn’t too out there, too eccentric. I hoped that people would understand the

nonsense.

to a haunting melody as the final model stepped onto the runway. I held my breath as she took her first step, the fabric billowing out behind

of layered gold and silver, with Joseph’s drawings interwoven into every inch of the design. There were the cheerful drawings he’d shown me, the flowers and birds and rays of sunlight. But there were also the darker ones, the shadows, the scars from his past. I’d incorporated all of

all of them coalescing into the train at