In the dim light of the dead-end alley, thick with the smell of dampness, cheap alcohol, and cloying perfume, a scene was unfolding that made the blood drain from Lucas's face. Adrian and the girl were entwined in a single, pulsing knot, leaving not a millimeter of space between their bodies. A primal hunger radiated from the two of them.

Lucas saw how the professor's hand, usually so impeccably calm and controlled, now dug into the girl's thigh with a greedy, possessive force, crumpling the thin fabric of her skirt. The girl, meanwhile, rubbed against the fabric of his trousers with a muffled rustle as Adrian pressed her closer and closer, forcing her to arch her back. She sobbed quietly and intermittently, her fingers clinging convulsively to the lapels of his jacket, crumpling the pristine fabric. The wet, smacking sounds of their kisses could be heard, along with heavy, ragged breathing and muffled moans escaping directly into each other's mouths. Adrian leaned lower, his lips greedily sliding down her neck, leaving wet, dark marks on her pale skin, while his fingers already slid unceremoniously under the hem of her top, exploring her ample breasts. They were a step away from finally collapsing onto that dirty, wobbly wooden table, completely surrendering to animal passion.

At that moment, a suffocating lump rose sharply in Lucas's throat, like an icy needle. At the same time, a throbbing headache pierced his temples, causing the world to ripple for a moment.

He's never been like this with me…

And it was true. Lucas had always been the one steering their relationship; the only time Adrian took the initiative was in deciding where and when they would meet. After all, Lucas was free almost all the time.

Next to him, unsuspecting, Mia moved closer, her soft thigh brushing against his. She leaned her lips toward his ear, intending to whisper something seductive, but Lucas pulled away so abruptly it was as if he'd been burned.

"Go home, Mia," his voice sounded devoid of any emotion.

The girl froze, her neon lips forming a pout. "What? Lucas, we were just... Are you kidding? I thought we..."

"I said go home," he cut her off, and something inhuman flashed in his dark eyes. It was the gaze of a cornered beast, ready to tear the throat out of anyone who stood in its way. There wasn't a shred of the womanizer's charm left in that look, only a menacing void.

Mia instinctively recoiled, her heels tapping uncertainly on the asphalt.

"You're just an idiot!" she spat, genuine fear slipping into her voice. She turned and walked quickly away, leaving him alone in the oppressive atmosphere of the alley.

Lucas didn't even watch her go. All his attention was fixed on two silhouettes against the wall, entwined so closely that their shadows on the brickwork merged into a single, flickering flame. He took a first step toward them. Then a second.

With every step, he felt worse and worse. His stomach clenched uncomfortably, nausea rose in his throat instead of a lump, and a chaotic, frenzied swarm of thoughts began to swirl in his head, stinging and poisoning every second.

Is this really what he traded me for? For this cheap bitch in her slutty clothes? Am I really worse than her? Does she really seem 'more mature' to him than I do? I used to sit him down just like that... Or did he want to sit me down like that? But I let him do whatever he wanted to me, I was perfect, pliable, I knew how to make him moan and lose his mind! Even if he wanted to be the top... Damn it, I would have given in! I would have dropped to my knees right here, on this dirty asphalt; I would have let him do whatever he wanted to me, just so he would look at me the way he's looking at her right now! I gave him everything, and he chose this empty shell? Did I mean nothing to him? How dare he consider me his whore?

Thoughts fluttered like trapped birds, crashing against the walls of his skull. He felt his last remaining support crumbling inside him, his pride turning to ashes mixed with humiliation and a poisonous, blind rage.

But these thoughts were empty. He knew full well that he was spouting utter nonsense that he would never have carried out. He would never have let anyone fuck him.

Right? Yes?

He stepped right up close to them. Adrian, blinded by passion, didn't even hear his footsteps. The professor had already leaned forward; his hand gripped the girl's waist, preparing to press her forcefully against the rickety surface of the wooden table. Meanwhile, his other hand had already unbuttoned his fly and was ready to pull his swollen cock out.

Their lips were mere millimeters apart…

Something inside Lucas finally snapped. The thin thread of self-control snapped with a deafening internal clang.
He closed the remaining distance in a single lunge. His hand, trembling with adrenaline and pent-up pain, clamped down on Adrian's shoulder with iron, inhuman strength, squeezing the familiar fabric of the jacket until it crinkled. Lucas turned the professor toward him with brutal force, yanking him out of the stunned girl's embrace.
Adrian didn't even have time to realize what was happening. His eyes, still clouded with lust, widened in shock as they met Lucas's hate-filled gaze.

And Lucas struck.

"Ah!" the girl screamed.

The dull, sickening thud of flesh against flesh echoed off the brick walls of the alley. The knuckles of Lucas's fingers instantly flared with throbbing pain, but he didn't even blink. He stood there, breathing heavily, watching as Adrian's head jerked sharply to the side and his immaculate glasses clattered onto the dirty asphalt, shattering into pieces. The girl recoiled against the wall and pressed her hands to her half-exposed chest, but Lucas paid her not the slightest bit of attention. In this world, only he and the man in front of him existed.