Chapter 48: New Court, Old Thoughts

Elena woke up the next morning with a heavy feeling in her chest. The events of the previous night kept replaying in her mind like a loop she couldn’t stop.

First, the long, intense session with Max and David — their hands, their mouths, the way they had used her body for hours until she could barely stand. Then the moment she had gone upstairs and found Edward and Ana together. Both of them sweaty. Both of them out of breath. The closed door. The weak excuse about “exercises.”

Elena sat on the edge of the bed for a long time after waking up, staring at the floor. Edward was already gone for work. The house felt too quiet.

She got ready slowly, her mind refusing to settle. As she drove to the university, the thoughts only grew louder.

What if Edward is actually cheating on me with Ana?

The idea sat uncomfortably in her chest. She had seen the way they looked at each other. She had noticed how quickly Ana had rushed out of the bedroom. Everything about that moment had felt wrong. And yet… she couldn’t be completely sure.

Then another thought followed, colder and more honest:

Even if he is cheating… what right do I have to be angry?

Elena gripped the steering wheel tighter. She was sleeping with Max. She was sleeping with David. She was fucking Elias in his office. She had even fooled around with Caleb. If the truth ever came out, she would be the one in far more trouble. A married professor having affairs with multiple students and her department chair — that would destroy her career, her reputation, and her marriage in one stroke.

Edward’s possible affair with one student was almost mild compared to what she had been doing.

The hypocrisy of her own thoughts made her feel slightly sick. She tried to push it all away as she parked the car and walked toward her first class.

Teaching that morning felt mechanical. She explained the material, answered questions, and maintained her usual professional face, but her mind kept drifting back to the closed bedroom door from the night before. By the time the lecture ended, she felt restless and distracted.

After class, she went straight to Elias’s office.

He looked up from his desk when she entered and gave her that familiar, knowing smile. Elena closed the door behind her.

“I need you to show me the basketball court,” she said. “I start coaching today.”

Elias stood up and walked toward her. Without warning, he pulled her close and kissed her deeply. His hands moved to her waist, pressing her against him. For a moment, Elena kissed him back — her body responding automatically to the familiar heat.

But then she gently pushed him away.

“Not now,” she said, her voice firm but quiet. “I need to look composed when I meet the team. We can do this later.”

Elias studied her face for a second, then nodded. He didn’t push. “Alright. Later then.”

He grabbed his keys and led her out of the office. They walked together through the campus toward the sports complex. The late afternoon sun was still warm, and the air carried the faint sound of students practicing various sports.

When they reached the indoor basketball court, Elias pushed open the heavy doors and gestured for her to enter first.

Elena stepped inside and stopped.

There were twelve young men on the court. All of them were tall, broad-shouldered, and clearly athletic. Most of them were wearing sleeveless shirts or tank tops that showed off their arms and chests. A few were sitting on the benches, laughing and talking. Others were half-heartedly bouncing basketballs or taking lazy shots at the hoop. None of them looked particularly serious about practice.

The moment Elena walked in, several of them turned to look at her.

Elias cleared his throat. “Everyone, this is Professor Elena Voss. She’ll be your temporary coach for the next few months.”

A few polite greetings came from the group. Some of the players stood up straighter. Others just nodded, their eyes lingering on her a little longer than necessary.

Elena felt her body react almost immediately. Heat pooled low in her stomach as she looked at the group of fit, young men in front of her. Their height, their builds, the casual way they carried themselves — it all stirred something restless inside her.

She was already wet.

Elias continued speaking, introducing her more formally and explaining that she would be taking over practices. Elena barely heard half of it. Her eyes kept moving from one player to another — noting strong arms, broad shoulders, the way some of them wiped sweat from their necks with the hem of their shirts.

When Elias finished, he turned to her. “I’ll leave you to it. Call me if you need anything.”

Elena nodded, still slightly distracted. “Thank you.”

Elias left the court, and the heavy doors closed behind him with a dull thud.

Elena was now alone with the twelve players.

She took a slow breath and stepped forward, trying to put on her professional face even as her body continued to react to the sight in front of her.

“Alright,” she said, her voice steady. “Let’s get started.”

But deep down, she already knew this new role was going to test her self-control in ways she hadn’t expected.

End of Chapter 48

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