Wyatt, a Velmora native from a prestigious family, had booked a private room at the most luxurious restaurant near campus to treat Mia to dinner. As soon as they entered, Mia clung to his arm, asking, "Why isn't Luna coming, Wyatt? Is she still mad at me?"

"Of course not. She's sick in the hospital. We didn't tell her about dinner," Wyatt replied, cleaning her utensils.

Mia anxiously grabbed his sleeve, worry etched on her face. "What illness? Is it serious? I want to visit her."

"She's always been healthy, so it shouldn't be anything serious," Ethan interjected, pouring her a drink. "She didn't answer Wyatt's call, so we wouldn't know where to go even if we wanted to visit."

Mia blinked, her eyes soft and watery. "Maybe she didn't hear the call because she's sick. Shall we call her again?"

She’d seen Luna that morning, perfectly healthy; the sudden illness seemed fabricated. Mia suspected Luna was feigning illness to garner sympathy from the seniors and avoid punishment.

Russell, genuinely concerned, said, "Wyatt, why not call her again? Maybe she really didn't hear it earlier."

"You're the only one worried about her! I think she's doing it on purpose. First, she used Wyatt's medal to apologize to Mia. Now, she's ignoring his calls. Can't you all see? She's clearly throwing a tantrum at Wyatt and still blaming him for making her apologize to Mia," Ethan scoffed.

The medal incident had left Wyatt uncomfortable. However, news of Luna's illness had initially calmed his anger, allowing him to even help organize materials. Now, seeing Luna’s unanswered calls reignited his fury.

"Let's just eat. Ignore her. She used to be the only woman on the team, and we spoiled her too much. She's forgotten her place and become more unruly. This incident can serve as a lesson. Maybe it'll keep her from acting so willfully in the future," he snapped.

The others fell silent, but Russell remained uneasy. Knowing Luna longest, and owing his place on the team to her, the thought of her being resented didn't sit right. He shyly spoke up for her: "Luna's just being stubborn. She wanted to stay on the team so badly that she made a mistake. But she apologized and was punished. I believe she won't hurt Mia again."

Mia inwardly sneered. She knew these guys wouldn't give up on Luna easily, especially Russell, given their shared humble backgrounds and close friendship. She needed to make Russell resent Luna; otherwise, he'd continue defending her.

She said, "Russell's right. I believe Luna only slandered me in a moment of impulse. You've all been a team for a long time, and the five of you really care about her. It's only natural for her to feel unsettled to see me join the team so suddenly and you all being so kind to me. I totally understand, and that's why I don't blame her at all."

Her sincere and guilt-ridden expression touched the others.

"You sure are understanding, Mia," Ethan said, pushing a newly served dish toward her. "You've lost weight lately. Have some more."

Wyatt followed suit, placing a piece of steak on her plate. "If Luna were as understanding as you, she wouldn't have done those things."

For a moment, they ate and drank cheerfully, as if forgetting Luna. But soon, Wyatt's phone rang—Wilson.

"Do you know that Luna wants to leave the team?"

"What?" Wyatt's low voice silenced the room. They then overheard the rest of the conversation.

"Did she tell you that herself? Could she have just been mad?"

Wilson's tone was sharp. "If she'd told me herself, I wouldn't be calling you. She sent me an email. I'll forward it to you. Ask her about it. If she means it, let her be. My team doesn't need someone with poor character and who throws tantrums. Who does she think she is to challenge me? She isn't the only choice for my team anyway!"

Wilson's fury was evident. He felt he'd already done Luna a great favor by keeping her on the team, and her audacity to leave showed ingratitude and poor judgment. His research team represented the pinnacle of medical intelligence in the country; it wasn't an opportunity to be casually discarded. If Luna gave up now, she'd regret it.

After hanging up, Wyatt saw the forwarded email—Luna's resignation. He frowned deeply, a wave of anger rising. He should have been happy; Luna’s actions had embarrassed him. Instead, a heavy weight pressed on his chest. Something felt wrong.

"What's wrong, Wyatt?" Mia tugged on his sleeve.

Wyatt tossed his phone on the table. "Luna wants to leave the team. She just sent the professor a resignation email, and now he's furious. He wants me to ask if she's serious."

"Is she crazy? She worked so hard to get in, and now she wants to leave just like that? What the hell is she doing?" Kevin jumped up.

Ethan sneered. "I told you she was just throwing a tantrum. Deep down, she wants Mia gone and thinks we can't function without her. What a joke!"

Trevor, siding with Ethan, said in disbelief, "This is the top research team in the country and a dream for many interns. I don't believe she'd just quit."

But Russell felt differently. He paled, his breathing labored at the sight of the email. "Luna never jokes about serious things!"

His words resonated. Luna was known for her seriousness, discipline, and meticulousness. This wasn't like her.

"Could she really want to leave?" Wyatt's voice was soft, almost a murmur. His eyes dimmed; his trembling hands went unnoticed. Something pierced his heart, though he couldn't define it.

Mia, tearfully interjected, "It's all my fault. Luna must want to leave because she hates me. I'll talk to the professor right now and tell him that he shouldn't approve her resignation. If anyone should leave, it's me. Compared to me who just joined, Luna's worked with you for years. She's more familiar with the team and works well with you all. Even if I pass the exam, I could never replace her."

Internally, Mia seethed. While she hadn’t completely ousted Luna, she’d successfully turned the professor and seniors against her. If Luna stayed, she’d undoubtedly face mistreatment. Mia had planned to make Luna's life miserable by assigning her the hardest work while taking credit herself. With the professor and seniors on her side, Luna would eventually leave in disgrace. But now… what was going on?