Adam sensed something was amiss. He glanced at Celine, then loosened his grip. The soft, fair foot quickly withdrew and was hidden beneath her skirt.

Adam sat up, shifting back to the main topic. “I’ll have someone handle this.”

Celine curled up on the bed and refused. “Thank you, Mr. Alvarez, but that won’t be necessary.”

Adam looked at her. “Celine, don’t be ungrateful. Do you think I want to deal with your problems?”

“Then don’t,” she retorted. “Since you told me to leave Alvarez Residence, my problems haven’t been your concern.”

The tension between them thickened, and Adam’s frustration was palpable.

Celine raised her delicate eyebrows and looked him up and down. “Didn’t Carly satisfy you last night?”

Adam froze.

“If she did, why are you here? You just want to help me so I can repay you later, don’t you?”

His mind flashed back to that stormy night—the one secret they shared. He’d helped her, and she had repaid him.

Adam stood up abruptly. “I must have been out of my mind to come looking for you.”

With that icy remark, he turned and walked out. He was gone.

Celine wrapped her arms around herself. She didn’t need Adam’s meddling. He should stop pretending to be kind—just stay cold and heartless as usual. She certainly didn’t want his pity.

Just then, the dormitory door opened, and Hailey entered. “Celine, why did Mr. Alvarez leave so quickly? He hardly ever visits. You should have kept him! You can’t just let him go to that mistress, Carly!”

Hailey had left earlier to give Celine and Adam some privacy.

Celine understood Hailey’s intentions and gave a bitter smile. “Forget it, Hailey. He’ll never like me.”

Hailey was about to speak, but Celine cut her off. “Our top priority is the current issue.”

Hailey’s eyes lit up. “Celine, do you have a plan?”

Of course, she did. She didn’t need Adam’s help. She could handle it herself.

Celine got out of bed and tied her long, jet-black hair up, exposing her swan-like neck. She turned to Hailey. “Let’s go, Hailey.”

Hailey was puzzled. “Where are we going?”

Celine blinked, her bright eyes sparkling with mischief. “To deal with Elijah!”

Hailey burst into laughter. Earlier, in Bailey’s office, she’d sensed Celine had a plan when she stopped her from acting impulsively.

“Alright, let’s go!”

Adam returned to his luxurious Rolls-Royce.

On the driver’s seat, Leo noticed his stormy expression and cautiously asked, “Mr. Alvarez, how should we handle Mrs. Alvarez’s situation?”

Adam’s voice was ice-cold. “Don’t bother with her. She can handle her own mess.” He let out a frosty snort. “When she gets kicked out of Yorhine University, she’ll come crawling back to me.”

Leo was speechless. Were they fighting again?

Just then, Leo’s phone vibrated with a new message. “Mr. Alvarez, there’s been a twist in Mrs. Alvarez’s situation!”