Chapter 378: Flowers for the Wrong Woman

"Look, isn't that the older grad student from our department?"

Avery Quinn suddenly stopped walking.

Sabrina Ford stumbled as she was pulled along, following Avery's gaze.

Under the sunlight, a tall, well-built man stood holding yellow roses, offering them intently to Clara Whitmore.

Avery curled her lip. "Pretty girls have all the luck. School just started and she's already got suitors."

"Sabrina, you're not bad either. How come no one sends you flowers?"

Sabrina's lips curved slightly. "Is this really something to compare?"

"Stop acting so aloof!" Avery sneered. "I don't believe you're not jealous."

Sabrina's smile remained unchanged.

Avery tossed over her shoulder, "Fake it too much and it becomes obvious," before striding away.

Sabrina stood still, her smile gradually freezing.

Nearby, two male students were conversing.

Derek Romano adjusted his glasses. "...Did you remember all these precautions?"

Zach Nolan scratched his head, then suddenly widened his eyes. "Senior, look!"

Derek turned and saw the flower-giving scene, his brow furrowing. "If you want academic success, don't get distracted by such things."

"...Got it, senior!" Zach nodded earnestly.

"That girl is Professor Miriam Caldwell's student," he added. "Really impressive."

Daring to challenge Professor Lenora Voss in class and making Reid Everett lose face.

So cool!

Derek showed no interest, barely glancing before looking away.

"Let's go. I'll take you to buy daily necessities."

Zach hastily waved his hands. "No need, I brought everything."

Derek sighed. "You mean the toothbrush with no bristles left, or the towel full of holes?"

Zach's dark face flushed red. "I...I think they're still usable..."

New things cost money.

Derek saw his younger self in Zach.

They came from the same mountain village, though Derek had entered Ashford University earlier.

Zach only got into a regular 211 university for undergrad and took two tries to get into grad school.

As fellow villagers, Derek always wanted to look out for him.

In this cold city, warmth was a luxury for rural kids like them.

"My treat."

"Really not necessary," Zach blurted in dialect, "Ma and Pa gave me money."

Derek said nothing, heading straight for the supermarket.

Roses, confessions—none of that concerned them.

A casual bouquet to some was half a month's living expenses for them.

The world was never fair.

* * *

Clara sidestepped the yellow roses. "I have class."

Without looking back, she walked toward Maya Torres and Noah Kessler.

Grant Holloway stood holding the flowers, a bitter smile forming on his lips.

Only when the crowd dispersed did he snap out of it.

The yellow roses were tossed into a trash can, stained with grime.

He turned and left.

Under the shade of a tree, Sabrina watched Grant's retreating figure pensively before gathering her books and departing.