Chapter 139
139 Turning Point
Micah gave a quiet “min, barely acknowledging the moment. There was no joy, not even a token “thank you.” It was as if this opportunity was his by default..
Calvm felt the sing. You have nothing to say?” he asked, his voice sharp with disappointment.
Micah blinked, confused. “Say what?”
“The spot. The competition.”
“Oh.” Micah’s tone was flat. “I’ll do my best.”
Calvin went quiet. His lips thinned in frustration, but he swallowed it down. He thought of Scarlett – how she had left, how his own temper had driven her away, how he’d spoken harshly and misjudged her. He had vowed not to make the same mistake again.
Still, he couldn’t help asking. “Do you think I gave this to you because you deserved it?”
Micah hadn’t expected the question. A more tactful person would’ve bowed their head, feigned gratitude, maybe even pledged lifelong loyalty. But Micah saw no use in pretending.
“You’re at your position,” he said, “not just because of your own research, but because your students have brought you prestige. You’re investing in me to boost your name. It’s mutual benefit.”
His words were calm, but cold.
“I’ll seize this opportunity, and I’ll pay you back in kind. Don’t worry–I won’t humiliate you like Rebecca did. You won’t lose your shot at becoming an academician on my account.”
The shift in tone stunned Calvin. This wasn’t the Micah he’d known–this was someone completely different.
“You… you-!”
Calvin was so incensed he could barely catch his breath. His hand shook as he pointed at Micah, but before he could speak, Micah stepped forward and gently held his wrist.
“No need to get worked up. If you don’t like what I’ve said, give the spot to someone else.”
Then, without waiting for a reply, he let go and walked out.
Calvin watched him go, stunned, heart racing. He wanted to storm after him, to lay into him. But suddenly his vision blurred, and the room tilted. He staggered, gripping the desk for support, reaching for the bottle of medicine he always kept nearby–only to find it empty.
In a panic, he grabbed a glass, filled it with water, and drank deeply. Gradually, the dizziness subsided. He slumped into his chair, the cold sweat clinging to his back.
“Ungrateful brat,” he muttered bitterly. “No respect at all. No discipline.”
He reached for the glass again, ready to throw it in anger–then stopped. It wasn’t just any glass. It was the ceramic mug Scarlett had given him for his birthday, specially treated with medicinal herbs she’d prepared herself. She’d said it could help in emergencies, that it might one day save his life.
At the time, he hadn’t believed her. He’d accused her of being manipulative, of jinxing him. And then he’d
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130 Turma Point
punished her taken away her opportunity and handed it to Rebecca instead
He stared at the mug, suddenly unable to bring himself to throw it. The porcelain was pale white, like snow atop a mountain peak, with hand–painted plum blossoms blooming delicately inside the rim. It was beautiful–and clearly crafted with deep cafe.
His hand slowly lowered. The mug senled gently back onto the desk.
She’d poured so much into it. So much thought. So much effort.
And he had trampled all over it.
What kind of monster had he been? What kind of teacher ?
Scarlett had been brilliant, driven, generous–loyal, even after all the unfairness. And he had destroyed that bond with his own hands.
The grief hit him like a tidal wave. His eyes reddened. A tear slipped down his cheek, then another, and another. He gripped the mug tightly, whispering brokenly to the empty room.
“Scully… Scully… I was wrong…”
In Jandale, the Lane family estate lay nestled in the suburbs, sprawling across hundreds of acres. Most of the extended family lived within its grounds, generations rooted together in grandeur.
Scarlett had returned–and naturally, she was to meet the family first, before being introduced to society at the old matriarch’s birthday banquet the next day.
The car pulled up to the estate’s grand gate. Taylor had already prepared her outfit for the occasion. She wore a pale blue qipao, subtle in its elegance, hugging her figure just enough to highlight the grace in her every step. Her beauty shimmered beneath the afternoon sun, her presence so radiant it seemed to gather all the light around her.
On the way, Taylor had given her a quick briefing about the family dynamics.
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