Eric was a little caught off guard by Audrey’s question. But before he could answer, a raspy woman’s voice drifted out from inside.“Audrey, you’re home, dear?”A woman in her sixties emerged, walking slowly with the help of a cane.“Mom…” Audrey immediately stood up, hurrying to her side. A bone-white knitted scarf hung around the older woman’s neck. “Why are you awake? Or… did you not sleep yet?” she asked, gently straightening her mother’s glasses. Normally, her mom would already be asleep by the time Audrey got home.The old woman smiled, ignoring her daughter’s question and instead asking her own. “Who’s that? He’s very handsome. Is he your boyfriend?”Audrey glanced at Eric. Her cheeks flushed at the misunderstanding. She quickly explained, stumbling a bit at the start, “N-no. H-he’s my friend. He’s from Skylight Grove—the city where I used to work as a cashier in a bakery.”Her mother nodded slowly. “I see.” She moved to sit on the couch, and Audrey guided her with patient, car

Normally, Grace—or any of the others—would never argue against Eric’s words or orders. They were the type to obey quickly, move fast, and carry out whatever he asked without questioning too much.But this time, Grace pushed back. Or more precisely, she desperately tried to convince Eric that she wasn’t capable.“I’m entrusting this task to you because I’m certain no one can execute it better than you,” Eric replied, refusing to back down.Grace smiled, but tears streamed down her cheeks, slipping across her face without restraint. It was a sight utterly unlike her.The tough, independent, unbreakable Grace—crying because of the trust given by a man who wasn’t even related to her by blood.“Sir… this means so much to me. Even though I truly am an amateur at this, I promise I’ll do my best. I won’t let you down,” Grace said between sobs. Her words now were completely different from what she had said earlier.The scene moved her teammates as well—their eyes glistened with emotion. Even K

After Chloe finally finished pouring her heart out, Lily spoke with calm wisdom. “It’s not your fault for loving Eric that much. I’m sure a lot of women would struggle to ignore Eric’s charm. He’s… different. Cool. Super cool. But…”Lily paused. She noticed the tension on Chloe’s face, the way her friend focused on every word.Lily let out a long breath. “But I think you’re incredibly stunning too. It wouldn’t be hard for you to find another guy. I mean, it’s not that I don’t support your feelings for Eric, but it seems like you need to start accepting the fact that Eric already has a girlfriend. And… a respectable woman doesn’t steal someone else’s man.”Chloe stared at her friend, Lily’s words hitting her like a brutal slap.How could the Young Miss Turner not understand what it meant to be a respectable woman?Chloe hadn’t even realized how out of control she had become. She’d forgotten that she was never the type to chase love—men used to chase her. They fought for her. They adore

The rowing test was held off-campus, at the lake inside the Kingsley Harrington residential area— a place often used for local rowing competitions. Choosing that venue was meant to turn up the pressure among the participants, giving them a taste of a real race.So, after classes ended, all participants gathered at the rowing club’s basecamp, ready to leave together on a big bus. The participants, the committee members, even the coaches, all squeezed inside.The seats were almost full, only a few still empty. Chloe stepped into the bus with Lily, scanning the rows ahead of her, searching for Eric.And then—by pure accident—her eyes met Eric’s.Her heart instantly kicked into high gear, blooming in her chest like fireworks. But the joy didn’t last; Eric looked away almost immediately, choosing to stare out the window instead of looking at her.“Miss Turner, you can sit in my seat. I’ll find another,” said Sunny Walsh—committee leader and president of the rowing club. He was in the same

Eric’s performance in the final test left everyone stunned. Many of them widened their eyes, rubbed them just to make sure they weren’t hallucinating, and plenty couldn’t help but voice their awe.What Eric showed looked straight-up professional. His rowing ability was on par with Olympic athletes. Even the coaches evaluating the participants couldn’t stop their jaws from dropping.“Wow, what did I just witness!”“This is history in the making!”“I can already see a bright future for our rowing club!”Eric dominated every participant. Speed, technique, power—he scored the highest in all categories.Staff members and participants who had already finished their turn stood up cheering, clapping for Eric’s performance.Among those who were completely entranced was Chloe—finding it harder and harder to ignore him.“Tell me, how am I supposed to pretend I’m not mesmerized by him?” Chloe muttered from the special seating area.Lily, who heard that, immediately tapped Chloe’s shoulder, making