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Chapter_114
“Thank you, Mr. Chavez,” Winona said, her voice strained as she reached out her hand. A second passed. Then two. Silence stretched between them, thick and suffocating. Nothing happened.
Winona lowered her gaze, waiting for what felt like an eternity without any response. Panic crept in, and she hesitated before glancing up, her face a picture of vulnerability, her eyes brimming with tears.
But Jeremiah hadn’t even spared her a glance. Andrew, standing off to the side, casually shoved his hands in his pockets, his expression a mix of mild amusement and blatant disdain.
Still unwilling to give up, Winona called out again, “Mr. Chavez, can you help me?”
This time, Jeremiah’s eyes flicked briefly to her, the sharpness in his gaze enough to sting. Then, as quickly as it appeared, the coldness vanished. He looked past her, his attention shifting to something—someone—else in the distance.
Winona’s heart sank at the sight. She stiffened, turning her head to follow his gaze, and her eyes locked onto two figures approaching from the distance. Her heart dropped, filled with a surge of disappointment and an unyielding resolve not to back down.
Meanwhile, Yvette had just finished showering when she received Jeremiah’s message. She was about to sit at her computer but quickly changed her mind. Grabbing Bonnie, she headed out instead. Both dressed in athleisure, they made their way down the hall, drawing attention as they passed. Yvette, ever the picture of simplicity in black and white, contrasted with Bonnie’s bright, playful colors. Their appearance, especially Yvette’s, turned heads at Argrol University.
Bonnie noticed Jeremiah and Andrew first. The two men, with their striking appearances, were hard to miss. But it was the girl sitting on the ground that caught her attention. She couldn’t quite make out who it was, but the scene reeked of drama.
Is she trying to pull a stunt? Bonnie thought, narrowing her eyes. Probably not for money… no, she’s after Jeremiah. Typical. To Bonnie, Jeremiah already felt like he belonged to Yvette, and no one else stood a chance.
Yvette, still focused on replying to a message from Eagle King, hadn’t noticed the situation yet. Bonnie, on the other hand, was already fuming. “Yve, someone’s pulling a stunt on Jeremiah,” she exclaimed, tugging Yvette’s arm. “For love and justice, we have to save him!”
Yvette glanced up, a slight frown pulling at her brow. As Bonnie dragged her toward the library, Yvette spotted Winona on the ground. Recognition flickered in her eyes. Unlike Bonnie, who was ready to jump into action, Yvette immediately saw through the facade.
Jeremiah, noticing their approach, walked toward them. “You’re here,” he said, his voice calm.
Andrew stayed where he was, his gaze drifting back to Winona. I have to give her credit for sticking it out this long, he thought, though his tone made it clear he wasn’t particularly impressed.
Yvette nodded, her expression cool and indifferent, but there was a sharp edge to her demeanor. Bonnie, still bristling with irritation, moved closer, her eyes landing on Winona’s exaggerated sorrow.
Why is she here? Bonnie’s annoyance flared, a sharp, protective instinct taking over. “What’s her deal?” she muttered under her breath.
Andrew waved dismissively, clearly exasperated. “We found her collapsed at the library entrance when we walked out. She’s been insisting someone help her, but refuses to get up.”
His blunt words left no room for Winona to save face. She glanced at Jeremiah and Yvette standing together on the steps, their quiet understanding obvious to anyone watching. Yvette didn’t even acknowledge Winona’s presence, and the cold indifference stung far more than any insult could.
Winona’s fists clenched, nails digging into her palms as anger simmered within her. How dare Bonnie, of all people, look down on me? She steeled herself, determined not to let this humiliation show.
Bonnie, noticing a scrape on Winona’s leg and the blood trickling down, felt a slight shift in her irritation. Despite her anger, she couldn’t bring herself to ignore someone clearly in pain. “Hey, do you need help getting up?” Bonnie asked, her voice rough but sincere.
Andrew, standing nearby, frowned. Bonnie’s too young for this, he thought. She could easily fall for a trick like this. I doubt she even realizes it’s all an act.
Meanwhile, Jeremiah, still standing beside Yvette, inhaled deeply, the scent of her body wash lingering in the air. His throat tightened. My self-control around Yvette is slipping, he thought to himself. This isn’t good.
Hearing his sigh, Yvette turned toward him, raising an eyebrow. “Why are you sighing?” she asked, her voice laced with curiosity.
Jeremiah froze, caught off guard by the directness of her gaze. The focused, serious look in her eyes made him feel like he was the only person in the world. His heart skipped a beat. Without thinking, he reached out and gently turned her toward him, his hand lightly brushing her shoulder.
Yvette instinctively tensed at the touch, ready to defend herself, but when she realized it was Jeremiah, she relaxed. They stood face to face. “Don’t look at me like that,” Jeremiah murmured, his voice low and almost hesitant. “I’m afraid that I…” He trailed off, the sentence unfinished, leaving an open space between them.
Yvette frowned in frustration. Why does he always leave his thoughts hanging like that? It was one of her biggest pet peeves.
At that moment, Winona, standing a few paces away, watched the interaction between them. Her jealousy boiled over. If I had a knife right now… she thought, her hands trembling at her sides. If Yvette weren’t in the picture, everything would be mine.
Bonnie, noticing the dangerous look in Winona’s eyes, instinctively took a step back, only to step on Andrew’s foot. “Ouch!” he yelped, glaring at her.
Winona’s eyes snapped back to reality at the sound of his shout. She quickly masked her fury, replacing it with a calm, gentle expression. Struggling to her feet, she dusted herself off and limped toward Yvette and Jeremiah, exaggerating the cut on her leg to ensure they saw it.
“Yvie,” she called out sweetly, “Mr. Chavez, are you two together? Does Dad know?” Her tone was sharp now, full of intent. No more pretense. She wasn’t going to hold back anymore, not with Yvette right here. She wanted to test how far she could push.
Yvette glanced at her, expression unreadable. She calmly tucked her phone away and met Winona’s gaze, her voice cool as ice. “You must have a lot of free time,” she remarked dryly.
Winona faltered for a second, thrown off by the unexpected response. But Bonnie, already anticipating Yvette’s reaction, snickered softly.
Yvette continued, her words biting. “Since you’re so eager to poke your nose into other people’s business…”
The sting of the insult took a moment to land, but when it did, Winona’s face flushed with humiliation. She quickly fought to maintain her composure, determined not to let the pain show.
The more arrogant Yvette becomes, the more I’ll play the understanding one. Sooner or later, Jeremiah will see my worth, Winona thought, her eyes narrowing in silent resolve.
