Chapter 3

I closed my laptop and stood up. "If you want this seat, go ahead and take it."

I picked up my bag and walked out without even looking at them.

Steven froze.

He had clearly prepared a whole speech to put me in my place. But he never got the chance to say any of it.

"Natalie, wait!" He called after me. His voice was angry, but there was also a hint of panic that was hard to notice.

I didn't turn around.

I walked to the bookshelves on the other side of the reading room and finally stopped.

This was Quentin's usual seat.

A black hardcover notebook was sitting on the desk. It was his physics notebook.

Something felt off. I walked over and opened it. A folded sheet of paper was tucked inside the back cover.

My eyes widened slightly after I unfolded the paper.

It was a map showing the underground utility lines beneath the Southport property, along with a draft of the city's five-year development plan for the area.

This was highly confidential information. It was exactly the data I needed to win the Southport project.

Then I noticed a small note written in the bottom-right corner. "Welcome back, Ms. Easton."

I raised an eyebrow as I stared at those words.

Quentin had always been the top student in our major. He was also the least favored illegitimate son of the Smith family. And he was the most calculating of the three.

Meanwhile, the comments were still making fun of me for getting kicked out of my seat by Steven.

They had no idea that this school wasn't only filled with childish people. There were also people who knew how to play dirty.

I pulled the map out and slipped it into my bag. Then I left the library.

By the time I walked out of the school gates, it was already evening.

Simon’s black Bentley was parked nearby.

Jessica was standing beside it with her head lowered.

She looked a little uncomfortable. "President Luther, I really don't need you to drive me home. I can take the bus. If our classmates see us, they'll probably get the wrong idea..."

Jessica spoke softly. There was just the right amount of shyness and insecurity in her voice.

Simon frowned. But his voice was unusually gentle. "Jessica, get in. You stayed late helping the student council organize all those files. The least I can do is drive you home. Don't worry about what other people think."

As he spoke, he personally opened the passenger door for her.

The comments exploded instantly.

[Oh! President Luther opened the car door for Jessica himself!]

[I wonder if Natalie saw that. That's what being someone's favorite feels like. And you, his fiancée, can only stand there and watch. There's nothing you can do!]

[Natalie is definitely going to cause a scene!]

I watched for a moment. Then I lost interest.

I wasn't going to cause a scene.

My time was valuable. There was no reason to waste it on something so pointless.

I looked away and motioned for my driver to open the car door.

But just as I was about to get in, a tall figure suddenly appeared from the other side. He got into the back seat before I could.

I froze for a moment, then I looked into the car.

It was Quentin.

He was still wearing his school uniform and white shirt. His eyes were impossible to read.

The comments froze too.

[Why did Quentin get into Natalie's car?]

[He's definitely going to warn Natalie to stay away from Jessica!]

I silently got into the car and closed the door.

The driver raised the privacy partition between the front and back seats.

The cabin instantly became quiet. Only a faint, cool scent lingered in the air.

I turned to look at him. "Quentin, you got in the wrong car. Jessica is in Simon's car."

Quentin didn't look out the window, but kept staring at me.

Then, for the first time, he stopped pretending to be cold and distant.

He suddenly leaned toward me and grabbed my wrist tightly.

His hand was trembling slightly.

His voice was hoarse, and the corners of his eyes were strangely red. "Natalie..."

His grip tightened. "Are you really giving up on us?"