The Professor's Mate Clause novel Chapter 91

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Chapter 91

FREYA’S POV

Adrian appears at the top of the stairs. He looks at me. At Clara. At my bags Understanding dawns on his face. “You’re leaving Now. Tonight.

“Yes.” I force myself to meet his eyes. “Don’t try to stop me. Don’t make this harder than it already is. Just let me go.”

“I read your letter.” He comes down the stairs slowly. “Foood it on the bed. Went looking for you. And here you are. Running. Like I’m some monster you have to escape.”

“You’re not a monster. You’re just someone who can’t see me as equal. Who can’t give me what I need. Who can’t change enough to make this work.” I grip my bags tighter. “Please Adrian. Let me go. Let me choose this. Let me have at least this one decision. This one choice you don’t override. This one thing that’s completely mine.” 1

He stops at the bottom of the stairs. Looks at me with so much pain it takes my breath away. “I can’t. I can’t just watch you walk away. Can’t let you leave thinking I don’t see you. Don’t respect you. Don’t value your autonomy. Because I do. I see all of it. I just… I don’t know how to stop trying to protect you. Don’t know how to let you risk yourself. Don’t know how to be what you need when every instinct I have screams to keep you safe even if it means controlling you.”

“Then let me go. Because that’s the protection I need. Protection from someone who loves me but doesn’t respect me. Who cherishes me but doesn’t see me. Who wants me but can’t treat me as equal.” Tears stream down my face. “Please. If you love me at all. Let me leave. Let me save myself since you can’t save us.”

He moves toward the door. For a second I think he’s going to block it. Going to trap me here. Going to prove everything I said in the letter is true. But he doesn’t. Just opens it. Steps aside. Gives me clear path to freedom.

“I love you.” His voice breaks. “I will always love you. And I’m sorry. For everything. For not being what you needed. For failing you. For losing you because I couldn’t see you properly. Couldn’t treat you right. Couldn’t be your equal when you deserved nothing less.”

“I love you too.” The admission hurts. “That’s why this is so hard. Why leaving is destroying me. Why I’d rather stay even though it would kill me. Because loving you is the easiest thing I’ve ever done. It’s respecting myself that’s hard. Choosing myself that’s impossible. Leaving that’s agony.”

“Then don’t leave. Stay. Let me try again. Let me do better. Let me- ”

“No.” I cut him off. “Because trying isn’t enough. Better isn’t enough. Promises aren’t enough. Not when your instinct is to control. Not when your fear overrides my autonomy. Not when your love means my imprisonment.” I move toward the door. Maybe someday. Maybe if you change fundamentally. Maybe if you learn to see mates as equals instead of things to protect. Maybe then we can try again. But not now. Not like this. Not when staying costs me myself.”

I walk past him. Out the door. Into the night. Clara follows. We keep walking. Don’t look back. Don’t let myself see if he’s watching. If he’s following. If he’s breaking the way I’m breaking.

Just keep walking. Keep choosing myself, Keep doing the hardest thing I’ve ever done. Keep leaving the man I love because love without respect is just beautiful poison. And I refuse to drink it anymore. Refuse to let it kill me slowly. Refuse to lose myself trying to l

cover. Even if I spend the rest of my life wondering what we could have been. At least I’ll myself. And that has to be enough. Has to matter. Has to be worth the pain. The loss.

when it hurts. Especially when it hurts. Especially when leaving is the only way ly way to be tree.

sing myself. And try not to hear his voice calling my name behind me. Try not to feel reaming. Try not to let myself turn around. Go back. Give in. Give up. Because that’s not love

dn’t survive everything just to surrender now. Just to lose myself keeping him. Just to accept beautiful polsun dressed up as devotion

I choose myself. I choose freedom. I choose MP. And that’s enough. Has to be enough. Will be enough. Even if right now it feels like dying.

***

ADRIAN’S POV

I watch her walk away. Watch herchoose herself. Watch her leave me because I couldn’t be what she needed. Couldn’t see her properly. Couldn’t treat her as equal. And every step she takes feels like death. Like losing the enly thing that ever mattered. Like watching my future disappear into the darkness

She’s at the gate now. Almost to the car Clara has waiting. Almost gone. Almost free. Almost lost to me forever. And I realize something. Something fundamental. Something that should have been obvious from the start.

I can’t let her go. Won’t let her go. Not like this. Not without fighting. Not without telling her the truth. The whole truth. Not just the deal. But why I made it. Why I’ve been so desperate to protect her. Why I’ve been such a controlling asshole. Why I can’t seem to see her as equal even though she is. Even though she’s always been.

“Fuck the deal.” I’m moving before I finish the thought. Running. Shifting partially. Faster. Need to reach her before she drives away. Before she’s really gone. Before I lose my chance. “FREYA WAIT!”

She stops. Turns. Sees me running toward her. Her expression is pain and hope and fear all mixed together. “Don’t. Please don’t make this harder. Just let me go.”