Sophia had always been the center of attention—stunning, spoiled, and brimming with an air of entitlement. Her beauty was undeniable, but so was her arrogance. It wasn’t just her looks; it was the way she spoke to people, the way she carried herself as though the world owed her something. At least, that was the impression she gave everyone at the prestigious private academy where she studied.
But there was one person she hadn’t quite figured out.
Professor Alexander. A man of few words, and even fewer affections, he was different from the other teachers. He was stern, quiet, and far from impressed by her beauty or charm. She’d tried every trick in the book—flirting, pouting, throwing tantrums—but nothing worked on him. And that irritated her more than anything.
One afternoon, as the last bell rang and the rest of the students filtered out of the classroom, Sophia lingered. She had made up her mind—today, she was going to get under Professor Alexander’s skin.
She sauntered toward his desk, her heels clicking purposefully on the marble floor. “Professor,” she purred, leaning over just enough to give him a glimpse of her cleavage. “I’ve been thinking… You haven’t been giving me enough attention lately.”
Alexander didn’t even look up from his papers. “You’re right,” he said coolly, his voice calm but firm. “You’re not getting any attention from me because you haven’t earned it.”
Sophia’s brow furrowed. “What do you mean by that?” She crossed her arms, trying to suppress the frustration building inside her. She wasn’t used to being talked to this way.
“I mean,” he said slowly, finally lifting his gaze, “that you need to learn respect. You think that beauty and arrogance will get you everything you want, but they won’t. Not from me.”
Sophia’s lips curled into a mocking smile. “Oh, I see. You think you can teach me some lesson?”
“I’m not here to teach you anything you haven’t learned before, Sophia. But I can show you something you don’t understand.” His eyes narrowed, not with anger, but with a quiet, unyielding certainty. “You’ve been acting like a spoiled brat, and it’s time to put an end to it.”
Her defiance faltered for a split second, but then she laughed, a high-pitched sound of disbelief. “And what? You think you can make me—what? Obey you?”
Professor Alexander stood up, his tall frame casting a shadow over her. He was calm, composed, but the intensity in his gaze was enough to make Sophia’s heart race. “That’s exactly what I’m going to do.”
Without another word, he moved toward the door and locked it, the soft click echoing in the room. “You’ve been given everything,” he continued, his tone firm but not cruel. “But now you’re going to learn what it feels like to earn respect and obedience. You’re going to learn that your will isn’t the only one that matters.”
Sophia’s defiance didn’t vanish, but a flicker of curiosity sparked within her. She wasn’t used to being controlled—not like this, at least.
“Come here,” he instructed, and there was no room for argument in his voice. She hesitated but found herself stepping forward, drawn to him in a way she didn’t quite understand. His authority felt different—compelling, even.
When she reached him, he placed a hand on her shoulder, his touch firm but not harsh. “You’re going to kneel,” he said quietly. It wasn’t a request—it was a command.
Her eyes flashed with disbelief, but there was something deep inside her—a mix of fear and intrigue—that made her comply. Slowly, she sank to her knees, her breath catching in her throat.
“Good girl,” he murmured, his voice a low, steady murmur. There was no mockery in his words, only approval. And that approval, strange as it was, made her heart race. “You’re going to learn what true power feels like, Sophia. It’s not in the tantrums or the arrogance. It’s in knowing when to surrender and trust.”
For the first time in a long while, Sophia didn’t feel in control. But there, in that quiet moment of surrender, she felt something she hadn’t expected—respect for him, and an unfamiliar craving for his approval.
She was no longer the princess who demanded attention. She was a girl on her knees, ready to learn the lesson she hadn’t known she needed.
