Chapter 12
"Don't go," Isabella Langley shook her head.
She rose onto her toes and leaned in closer. "I want to spend more time with you."
Before she could get close, Ethan Roscente took control.
He wrapped one arm around her slender waist and kissed her.
A collective gasp rippled through the onlookers.
"Whoa—that's intense!"
"How deep must his love be?"
Sophia Sullivan watched it all unfold.
Her fingertips, clutching her book, turned white from the pressure.
Her heart still ached, but her expression was eerily calm.
Almost numb.
She thought she would get used to it eventually.
Quitting smoking came with withdrawal symptoms.
Let alone quitting a person she had loved for six years.
Sophia didn't linger.
She turned and left. She had studying to do.
In the crowd, Ethan seemed to sense something.
He turned his head.
A vaguely familiar figure slipped past the edge of his vision.
The next moment, a girl's soft hand slipped into his palm.
Their fingers intertwined intimately.
Isabella asked, "What are you looking at?"
Ethan withdrew his gaze. "...Nothing."
He walked her to her dorm and prepared to leave.
Isabella held his hand tightly, her eyes full of attachment.
"It's still early. Can't you stay a little longer?"
Ethan patted her head. "Be good. I'll pick you up this weekend."
Under the streetlight, he stood with his back to the light.
Shadows fell across his face, making his features appear more profound.
Isabella's eyes shimmered with a hint of pure seduction. "Ethan... could I come home with you tonight?"
Every adult understood the meaning behind those words.
Ethan paused briefly, complexity flashing in his eyes.
"You're still young. Let's wait a bit longer."
Isabella was momentarily stunned, then felt a secret thrill.
His refusal to take things further meant he cherished her.
It wasn't about momentary pleasure. He wanted a future with her.
"Alright, I have things to do. I should go."
Ethan checked his watch.
Isabella nodded obediently. "Okay. Remember to rest early. I'll bring you oatmeal porridge tomorrow."
He didn't respond.
His gaze seemed distant for a moment.
...
In her room.
The computer was on.
Sophia's typing slowed.
The image of them kissing flashed in her mind.
She pressed her lips together.
She went to the bathroom and splashed cold water on her face three times.
Her mind gradually cleared.
There was no point dwelling on a past she had already discarded.
Her priority was preparing for her exams. Time was running out.
Back at her computer, Sophia opened the two books Professor Eleanor Watson had given her.
One was a textbook on bioinformatics.
The other was a notebook filled with annotations.
There was also a USB drive.
It contained the paper she had abandoned during her undergraduate studies.
It was originally preparation for grad school, but then...
For that paper, she had spent three days and nights in the lab, forgetting to eat and sleep.
She had spent nearly half a year just collecting and organizing data.
The arguments and solutions were meticulously refined.
Even after giving up the combined Master's and Ph.D. program to care for Ethan at home, Sophia hadn't completely abandoned this paper.
Over the years, she had only done two things.
First, being Ethan's unpaid homemaker.
Second, perfecting this paper.
Professor Watson had the portion completed during her undergrad.
Sophia retrieved the latter half from her computer.
Combining them formed a complete thesis.
In that moment, it felt like her muddled past and her suddenly clear future had met.
They came together to form a complete version of herself.
She worked until dawn.
Looking at the finished draft, Sophia decided to strike while the iron was hot.
She submitted it to "Science"—
One of the world's top three academic journals.
It represented the highest level of human natural science research.
Sophia wasn't confident about getting accepted, but she wanted to try.
Before full daylight, she shut down her computer and caught some sleep.
At eight, she woke up on time.
She washed up, ate breakfast, gathered her review materials, and headed to the library.
She didn't expect to run into Alexander Laurent just returning as she left.
It was raining outside.
The closed umbrella in his hand was still dripping.
"Morning. You... didn't pull an all-nighter, did you?"
Alexander replied, "Yeah. Rushing for experimental data."
He had just returned from the lab to grab something quickly before heading back.
"Here, for you." Sophia handed him a warm milk carton. "This will warm you up."
"...Thank you."
"You got rained on. Remember to change your clothes."
She pointed at his shoulder.
Alexander tilted his head and noticed it was damp.
"I should get going then." Sophia smiled and turned to go downstairs.
Before nine, the library was already quite busy.
She closed her umbrella.
Before entering, a familiar voice called out.
"Sophia Sullivan—"
Amelia Roscente had come to campus today to discuss postgraduate matters with university administrators.
It started raining as she passed the library, trapping her there temporarily.
She didn't expect to bump into an acquaintance.
"What are you doing at the library? Another part-time job? Short on cash lately? Don't worry, I already mentioned it to my brother. Told him to be more generous."
"You should quit these jobs soon. Taking care of my brother is what's most important. I heard his stomach acted up again yesterday. You..."
"Amelia, who are you talking to?" A voice interrupted before she could finish.
A tall, elegant middle-aged woman approached.
Up close, she wore the latest C spring haute couture.
Her well-maintained face showed no wrinkles.
She carried a rare leather Hermès Kelly.
Victoria Roscente walked to her daughter's side and glanced over.
Wasn't this her son's low-cost little girlfriend?
She looked Sophia up and down.
Her already unfavorable expression grew more disdainful.
A T-shirt and jeans for going out.
No makeup.
Hair unstyled.
Really not presentable at all.
Victoria glanced at the library behind them.
Then her eyes swept over the two books in Sophia's hands.
Her gaze deepened.
"Miss Sullivan, what a coincidence."
She emphasized the word "coincidence" deliberately.
The implication was clear: even staging such a clumsy accidental meeting to curry favor.
"You've certainly put in the effort," Victoria sighed. "But as the old saying goes, a monkey in clothes is still a monkey, no matter how well it dresses. Save these tricks for later. I'm not buying it."
"Since we've met today, I might as well be blunt. Our Ethan could never marry you. But considering you've taken care of his daily needs all these years, if there's no credit, there's at least hard work. After he gets married, we'll keep a position open for you by his side."
"As for anything else, don't entertain any false hopes. Know your place, and you can last long. Understand?"