"You young people shouldn't overindulge," Yvette said casually as the door swung open. Andrew and Bonnie froze, disbelief etched on their faces. Jeremiah entered calmly, his expression unchanged. They exchanged baffled looks, silently questioning what they had just witnessed.

Jeremiah immediately spotted Yvette. She lounged lazily in a chair, one leg crossed, her left hand propped on the table, her foot swinging slightly. She appeared completely at ease. Across from her sat two police officers—one older, one younger—staring at her with utmost seriousness.

Andrew and Bonnie couldn't help but wonder, "What on earth is happening here?"

Yvette tilted her head slightly, watching Jeremiah. She paused, then, as if nothing unusual had occurred, mischievously addressed Nolan across from her. "If you don't get a grip, you're going to be in real trouble."

Lachlan and Nolan, believing Daniel had entered, straightened instantly and pretended to interrogate her. One said, "You better start talking, or else—"

Yvette pointed toward Jeremiah. "No need to fake it. It's not the Deputy Mayor."

They turned, their jaws dropping in surprise. Rubbing their eyes, they realized the man who had entered, wearing a single gold star on his shoulder, was a major general.

They scrambled to their feet, stunned. Neither had ever seen such a young major general. Meeting Daniel earlier had fueled their bragging rights for weeks, but this was something else entirely. They stammered, "H-He… Hello…"

Jeremiah quickly assessed Yvette, his eyes scanning her for injuries. Seeing she was unharmed, his icy expression softened slightly. "Did you have fun?" There was an unconscious hint of affection in his voice. Yvette's gaze remained cool as she replied flatly, "It was fine."

Bonnie finally spoke, her voice timid, "Yve, are you okay?"

She hesitated as she stepped into the isolation room, a shiver running down her spine. The place gave her the creeps; even her friends couldn't convince her to play escape room games, yet here she was. Wisely, she waited until Jeremiah and Yvette finished talking before speaking.

Yvette nodded, her tone softening. "I'm fine. Didn't I tell you to stay at school? Why did you come here?"

Andrew jumped in, feigning drama. "Yvette, I came to rescue you, too! The least you could do is look at me. Poor me…"

Jeremiah shot him a sideways glance. "Poor you for what?"

Andrew instantly deflated. He thought, Poor me for being ready to go through hell and back for Yvette because of Jeremiah, who doesn’t even appreciate it.

With a sheepish grin, he replied, "Nothing. This place just creeps me out. Let's get out of here—I reserved a table at Sky Nimbus to help us get rid of Yvette's bad luck."

While the group chatted, Lachlan and Nolan exchanged incredulous glances. Do they even realize they're in an isolation room? If anyone saw this, they'd think these guys were here for a friendly visit, not an investigation. And they're talking about food? one thought.

Once they left the police station, Yvette noticed Zachary and Lucas waiting near a sleek black Bentley. She felt a flicker of surprise. I didn't expect him to show up, she thought.

Zachary stepped forward, casting a cautious glance at Jeremiah before turning to Yvette. "Are you okay? Come home with me."

Standing on the top step, Yvette looked down at Zachary, who stood below with a pleading expression. She rubbed her temples, irritation clear on her face. "I'm not going home. You go by yourself."

The distance and indifference in Yvette's voice made Zachary uncomfortable. If he hadn't driven her away, maybe things would be different.

Sighing, his voice heavy with regret, he said, "Yvette, I really messed up. Can't you forgive me, just this once?"

Jeremiah's casual but commanding voice cut through the tension. "Let's go. We're running late for dinner."

Zachary swallowed hard, his words dying in his throat. Embarrassed, he quickly found an excuse to leave. "Yvette, you're always welcome at the Chambers residence. I'll be waiting for you to come home." With that, he turned and walked away.

Lucas followed him to the car but hesitated before returning to Yvette. He bowed slightly, his tone respectful. "Mr. Chambers had his reasons, Ms. Zeller. As soon as he got Ms. Chambers' call, he postponed the hospital checkup and rushed here. He didn't mean to make you stay in the dormitory."

With Jeremiah present, Lucas dared say no more. Yvette's expression was cold, her gaze distant and unfeeling. Once Zachary's car was out of sight, she stood for a moment. Then, she casually pulled out her phone and removed Zachary's number from her blocked list. "Let's go," she said.

Jeremiah was driving a black Jeep that day, airlifted from Betrico—so ordinary it couldn't have looked plainer. But Yvette knew better. She ran her hand over the vehicle's exterior, a flicker of recognition in her eyes. It was Mysonna's latest bulletproof material—a single piece worth several hundred thousand dollars, not yet available for sale in Clusia. Mysonna hadn't started selling it publicly, yet Jeremiah had reinforced the Jeep's body and windows with it. It was extravagant. There was no way Clusia could have gotten their hands on that yet, and even for a major general, there was no way Jeremiah could have obtained it so quickly. Looks like Jeremiah has another identity. Interesting, she thought.

Yvette settled into the passenger seat while Andrew and Bonnie took the back. From the moment they got in, Andrew and Bonnie began to bicker non-stop. Andrew wasn't sure why they always clashed, but he didn't realize their connection was complicated until later—like a fate meant to be.

Jeremiah driving himself was unusual, but it made sense since Emmett had left with Wyatt before they left the police station.

Suddenly, Bonnie's expression changed. She glanced at Yvette and Andrew, hesitation written all over her face.

She said, "Yve, I forgot to tell you—Mr. Sunderland showed up at the police station today. He wanted to bail you out! Can you believe it? He's our principal, and we've never seen him step in for any student before. You're the first!"

As Bonnie spoke, Andrew remembered the same news. Jeremiah had arrived too late to see Simon, but that piqued his curiosity. "Wait. Yvette, you know Mr. Sunderland? Why would he bail you out otherwise? He even stood up to Daniel for you. Be honest—did you, like, save his life or something?"

Yvette didn't even look up from her phone, her tone indifferent. "We're not close. I didn't save anyone's life."

Outside, the chaotic blur of neon lights from the square mixed with the darkness, creating a hazy glow that illuminated the night sky. Soft rain began to fall, misting the windows as the night deepened. The dark sky was sprinkled with stars, and everything felt wrapped in a quiet, peaceful stillness.