Thank you, Mr. Chavez," Winona said, extending her hand. A few seconds passed, but there was no response. Lowering her head, she waited, panic creeping in as an eternity seemed to stretch before her. Finally glancing up, her face was pitiful, tears welling in her eyes.

Jeremiah hadn't even looked at her; Andrew stood casually, hands in his pockets, his disdain blatant. Unwilling to give up, Winona called out again, "Mr. Chavez, can you help me?"

This time, Jeremiah gave her a brief, cold glance, sharp enough to sting. Without another word, he looked past her, into the distance. Suddenly, his expression softened, revealing a vulnerability beneath his usual stoicism.

Winona's heart sank. Stiffly, she turned to follow his gaze, spotting two figures approaching. Disappointment and a stubborn resolve filled her.

Yvette had just finished showering when Jeremiah's text arrived. She was about to sit down at her computer, but changed her plans, grabbing Bonnie to head out. Dressed in casual workout clothes, they left together. Thanks to Yvette's influence, Bonnie also favored athleisure, though while Yvette wore simple black and white, Bonnie preferred bright, playful colors. They drew attention wherever they went, especially with Yvette's reputation at Argrol University.

Bonnie spotted Jeremiah and Andrew at the library entrance; their striking appearances were impossible to miss. She also noticed a girl in a white dress sitting on the ground, though she couldn't make out who it was.

Watching, Bonnie thought, Is this girl trying to pull a stunt? Probably not for money. More likely, it's because of Jeremiah's good looks… To Bonnie, Jeremiah already felt like Yvette's.

Yvette, focused on a message from Eagle King, hadn't looked up. Bonnie, fuming, grabbed Yvette's arm. "Yve, someone's pulling a stunt on Jeremiah. For love and justice, we have to save him!" Without waiting for a response, she tugged Yvette toward the library.

Hearing this, Yvette looked up and spotted the library entrance. Unlike Bonnie, she instantly recognized the girl as Winona. Jeremiah, noticing their approach, walked toward them. "You're here," he said.

Andrew remained, glancing down at Winona. I have to give her credit for sticking around this long, he thought.

Yvette nodded, her expression calm, indifferent, and faintly defiant. As Bonnie moved closer and recognized Winona, her irritation intensified. Why is she here? she thought.

"Bonnie, you look ready to bite someone. What's got you so worked up?" Andrew teased, but Bonnie wasn't in the mood. She pointed at Winona. "What's her deal?"

Andrew waved dismissively, sounding exasperated. "We found her collapsed at the library entrance. She's been refusing to get up, insisting on help."

His blunt words left Winona no room to save face. Her complexion paled as she glanced at Jeremiah and Yvette, standing together. Their quiet understanding was palpable, leaving no room for anyone else. Yvette hadn't even acknowledged Winona's presence, and that cold indifference stung the most. Winona clenched her fists, anger simmering. How dare Bonnie look down on me?

Noticing the scrape on Winona's leg and the blood, Bonnie's irritation softened slightly. Despite her anger, she couldn't kick someone while they were down. "Hey, do you need help getting up?" she asked gruffly, surprising Andrew, who'd expected a lashing out. Bonnie is still too young; she could easily be fooled, he thought.

Meanwhile, Jeremiah, beside Yvette, caught the scent of her body wash. His throat tightened. My self-control around Yvette is slipping. This isn't good.

Hearing his sigh, Yvette turned, looking up at him curiously. "Why are you sighing?" she asked.

Jeremiah was captivated by her focused gaze, and felt his heart skip a beat. Without thinking, he gently turned her toward him.

As his hand touched her shoulder, Yvette instinctively tensed, but relaxed upon recognizing him. They stood face to face. "Don't look at me like that," Jeremiah said softly. "I'm afraid that I…" He trailed off.

Yvette furrowed her brows. She hated when Jeremiah left his thoughts hanging; it was a pet peeve. Meanwhile, Winona's jealousy boiled over. If I had a knife… she thought.

Bonnie noticed Winona's dangerous look and stepped back, onto Andrew's foot. "Ouch! Bonnie, why'd you step on me?" Andrew yelped.

His shout snapped Winona back to reality. She masked her fury, replacing it with her usual gentle expression. Standing up, she brushed the dirt off her skirt, highlighting the cut on her leg. Ignoring Andrew and Bonnie, she limped toward Yvette and Jeremiah.

"Yvie, Mr. Chavez, are you two together? Does Dad know?" Winona asked provocatively, her tone sharp. Realizing there was no point in pretending, she decided to go all in.

Yvette glanced at her, her expression unreadable, then calmly put away her phone. Her voice was icy. "You must have a lot of free time," she remarked.

Winona was caught off guard. Nearby, Bonnie snickered. Yvette continued, cool and unyielding, "Since you're so eager to poke your nose into other people's business."

The sting of the insult hit Winona hard, but she fought to maintain composure. The more arrogant Yvette becomes, the more I'll play the understanding one. Sooner or later, Jeremiah will see my worth, she thought.