Chapter 390: Thinking It Was a Dream
Carlos seemed dazed. Everyone initially thought he hadn't fully recovered and offered words of comfort. However, his expression seemed off. Isabella, prompted by his reaction, checked the gossip and nearly burst out laughing at the dinner table, desperately suppressing her laughter with a fit of coughing.
"Hahaha, I knew it," Isabella thought. "How could he forget everything?" As his health improved, his memory returned gradually. But Carlos apparently believed he'd had a vivid, fantastical dream involving someone far beyond his reach, leaving him utterly bewildered. David and the rest of the family followed suit with their own coughing fits.
"So, this saga isn't over yet?" they wondered. They felt uneasy, privy to a major secret they were keeping from their own family. It felt wrong.
If Carlos regained his memory independently, it would be wonderful. However, his belief that it was all a dream was foolish. Perhaps the perilous events of that day had traumatized him, resulting in these dreams? Alexander empathized; Sylvie acted as if nothing had happened with her teacher, so Carlos naturally suspected nothing. Therefore, it remained uncertain whether he'd truly recovered his memory.
Intrigued, Carlos went to school to tie up loose ends, followed by Isabella, Rosalie, and Christopher—the three with the most free time. They claimed concern for Carlos, but were really there for the drama. At the school, Carlos went to the dean's office, leaving the trio to wander the halls. They coincidentally spotted Sylvie leaving an office.
Sylvie recognized them, her expression tensing before relaxing slightly upon confirming Carlos' absence. She nodded a greeting with a small smile. Unacquainted, they couldn't detain her. They watched her go with heavy hearts.
As soon as Sylvie left, Christopher exclaimed, "Huh? This office? She's leaving?"
Isabella and Rosalie, looking up, were startled. Meanwhile, in the office, Carlos heard the dean recommending a term suspension and rest. He agreed.
The school wasn't intentionally making things difficult. The incident had caused a stir, and Carlos' presence in class as if nothing happened would have been disruptive. He'd also planned a leave of absence, so the dean's suggestion aligned with his intentions.
The dean then said, "However, starting next semester, in addition to the regular faculty, would you consider mentoring more students?"
Carlos' immediate resistance was evident.
The dean continued, a hint of bitterness in his voice, "You can't let one bad experience deter you. After all, someone like Penelope is rare. Many talented individuals lack the financial resources. They need help from wealthy mentors like you." The dean, reluctant to lose Carlos' volunteer services, heaped praise upon him. "Don't you think it's a shame to deprive others of a chance to succeed because of Penelope?" The dean looked at Carlos hopefully.
The kind-hearted Carlos couldn't refuse, nodding and asking, "Alright, do you have anyone in mind?"
The dean promptly produced a prepared list. "Maybe we should take in a few more? It would be safer to have them keeping an eye on each other. Of course, we'll assess their character first," the dean said, smiling.
Carlos wouldn't have stopped helping students because of Penelope. However, aware of his imperfect judgment, he preferred choosing from the dean's recommendations.
Because of his "dream," however, his first instinct was to look for Sylvie's name. Besides Penelope, Sylvie was the top performer in their cohort.
He naturally assumed Sylvie's name would be on the list. After scanning it and then double-checking, he confirmed her absence.