In the classroom, there were quite a few students looking for Theodore, seeking his guidance to help them get through their dissertations. With so many students, Leila was in no hurry and waited. After Theodore was done, she was the last to go seek his council.
By the time they left the classroom, it was already past eleven at noon, time for lunch.
“Let’s grab lunch together!” Theodore said as they headed downstairs.
“No thanks!” Leila shook her head.
“After your defenses are done, I’m leaving the university!” Theodore said in a calm manner. “Next week, I won’t be an instructor here anymore!”
“How come?” The sudden news caught Leila by surprise.
Theodore let out a slight laugh, “I’m leaving F City; already bought the plane ticket for next week!”
“You’re leaving?” Leila asked, “Didn’t you just return?”
“Right! I’m only here for a month because of the principal’s request. The main goal was for me to help your class with your dissertations. If it was another class, I’d have outright refused!”
Leila had a realization; he only returned for her. Though she couldn’t put the feelings to words, but against someone she didn’t love, it felt more like a burden. But as a friend, he was about to leave, so she felt sad to some extent. She said, “Alright, let’s go to CF Restaurant; my treat!”
“Alright!” The two of them looked at each other and headed downstairs together.
They were still on the stairs when she felt a powerful presence. Leila spotted Vincent from afar, with an ominous look on his face. Looking at Leila and Theodore smiling and laughing, he couldn’t help but look on with hatred and bitterness, “So, that’s how it is!”
Vincent thought back to Leila’s call from yesterday, talking about openings. He was filled with suspicions, so he decided to come to the school to see what it was all about. He had never seen her smile that radiantly at himself that way, so he was filled with bitterness as he said, “You’re looking quite happy, my dear wife!”
Leila didn’t expect Vincent to show up, much less looking that way. The tone in which he spoke made her feel as though he suspected she was committing adultery. She was merely walking and talking with Theodore; did he have to speak in that manner?
“I’m just going to lunch with Professor Theodore and to send him off. What are you doing here?” She looked calmly at Vincent and stated the facts. Of course she knew she was still his wife, so she explained the situation. She kept her cool and spoke calmly.
Vincent squinted and narrowed his eyes. Leila seemed to be quite hostile against him. He knew it was he who locked her out of the door, so she must be angry. She must be furious! He really overdid it, forgetting and locking her out of the door!
But that didn’t mean she could go and be so happy with someone else, right?
Damn, she mentioned trying to have a deep, meaningful love and happiness with someone else. Did she mean to get a divorce and get together with Theodore? He knew the two of them had a history; though they weren’t officially together, they were close enough. Besides, Theodore still liked Leila.
“Hello, Mr. White!” Against Vincent’s gloom and doom, Theodore greeted in a calm manner.
Vincent’s eyes shifted, and he feigned a smile and began to laugh, “Hello, Mr. Hall! A sendoff? Are you leaving? Where are you going that you need a sendoff?”
Just because Theodore was leaving, did she have to give him a sendoff? Did she want to leave with him? For some reason, as she stood next to Theodore, it looked as though they got along really well, which really irked him. Her relationship to Theodore seemed much closer than that of hers with Vincent. The more he thought, the more flustered he felt, and he emanated a dangerous aura about him.
“Yes, Mr. White, I’m leaving!” Theodore laughed, “Today I’m off to eat with Leila. We went to the same school and she is my student. You don’t mind, do you?”
Vincent’s body began to shows signs of anger, and Leila cut him off and said, “If there’s nothing else, we’ll be leaving now!”
A vein popped on Vincent’s forehead, but he said, “Leila, if you’re giving Mr. Hall a sendoff, how can I not join? Besides, we’re husband and wife; let’s give him a sendoff together!”
“You’re coming too?” Leila was confused.
Vincent’s eyes faked a smile, but he had a dangerous aura, “My dear wife; I’ve been working all morning and haven’t had breakfast yet, so that would also be my breakfast!”
Addressing her as his dear wife made her freeze in track and unable to speak right away.
“Mr. White, you must be quite busy; you must take better care of yourself, or else how will you care for Leila. If I recall, you’re older than Leila by many years. If you don’t take good care of a cute girl like Leila, she might run off with someone else!”
Theodore said in a joking manner, but his eyes sharply stared at Vincent.
The corner of Vincent’s mouth slightly raised, and there was a look of provocation in his eyes as well. He pulled Leila to his side and gently laughed, “Don’t worry, Mr. Hall. Leila is cute, but I won’t let any man have a chance to steal her away! She can only be mine!”
After he said this, Vincent pulled her into his arms.
Looking at Vincent’s actions, Theodore’s eyes turned cold; in mere moments, he could feel Vincent’s unyielding presence. He slowly smiled, then said,”Mr. Hall is so dominating; do you really know what Leila wants?”
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The readers' comments on the novel: A Moment in Destiny
the writing is quite childish, but maybe it's just the translations...