Chapter 5: Delulu Bro

Sierra had no idea what Evan was thinking. Seeing him at the university wasn't surprising—he still lectured there. She merely said, in a cold voice, "I switched majors. I'm in biochemistry now." His gaze immediately became mocking and condescending. "That's great, Sierra! We're together again!" Denise's cheerful voice echoed in her ears, darkening Sierra's expression. Her lips tightened, and irritation filled her dark eyes. There was no joy. Between a hated major and the Xander siblings, she'd chosen the latter—she needed the lab.

Taking a deep breath, she suppressed her frustration and approached the lab's faculty member. "Sir, I'd like to apply for lab access." The professor apologized. "I'm sorry, but new students aren't allowed. It's for safety reasons." "Sir, I'm not new. My records show I took biochemistry as an elective three years ago." He hesitated, typed her name, and scanned her records. His expression became strange, then regretful. "Sierra, I can't approve your application."

"Why not?" Sierra frowned. She'd studied biochemistry before, applied for lab use independently multiple times, and her records proved her qualifications. The professor sighed. "Apologies, but it's not possible. For the next three months, you can't apply for independent lab use." He emphasized "three months." Sierra's face paled. She'd forgotten her three-month supervision period. She was a walking liability; one wrong sneeze in a lab full of chemicals, and people would assume the worst. And even after three months, her chances weren't guaranteed; she had a criminal record.

The sharp shift from hope to despair was instantaneous. Her disappointment was evident, even catching Evan's attention. But she quickly composed herself, thanked the professor, and turned to leave. "Sierra..." Denise called, but Sierra didn't respond. Evan couldn't shake the image of Sierra's fleeting sorrow; it unsettled him. He told Denise to explore the department, then followed Sierra. He easily caught up.

"You took biochemistry three years ago? Why didn't you tell us?" Sierra glanced at him; her gaze lacked sarcasm, yet Evan felt inexplicable guilt. Choosing a major was significant, and none of them had known. He vaguely recalled her consistently high grades. His brows furrowed. "What major did you originally want to study?"

Sierra, already in a foul mood, felt Evan poking at every sore spot. Finally, sarcasm broke through. "What I like—does it even matter?" Evan stiffened. He remembered; when they'd "persuaded" Sierra to switch majors, no one had asked her opinion. They'd only cared about Denny's wishes. Irritated by his creeping guilt, Evan's voice grew colder. "Biochemistry isn't suited for girls. You don't have to force yourself to study this to get closer to me. Whether you study it or not, you're still my sister. That's a biological fact."

He didn't believe she genuinely liked biochemistry; she must be doing it because of him. He remembered her previous attempts to talk to him, his initial ignoring, his eventual outburst: "What do we even have to talk about? Molecular transformations? Genetic coding? Do you even understand any of that?" She'd quieted down afterward. His demeanor softened slightly. "From now on, I won't ignore you anymore," he said generously, as if bestowing a great favor.

Sierra quietly scoffed. Evan frowned. "Talk properly." He'd already taken a step back; she was being difficult. Sierra clapped her hands, looking at him with mock reverence. "Wow! It's 3034, and delusional brothers like you still haven't gone extinct? Mr. Evan, you have truly opened my eyes."

She hadn't planned on this outburst, but he'd kept stepping on her landmines. Yes, she'd started biochemistry because of him, but she'd continued because she loved it. She wasn't here to please anyone anymore. None of them deserved it. Evan didn't understand "delusional bro," but her tone was clearly negative. His composure cracked, replaced by irritation. "Sierra, don't regret this!"

Regret? Not a chance. The only thing she regretted was returning to the Xander family and degrading herself trying to earn their love. Sierra didn't answer, turning and walking away, leaving Evan seething. After a while, he left too.

A figure emerged from a corner: a tall man in a neatly pressed shirt and trousers, buttoned up even in the summer heat, revealing only his slender neck. His sharp jawline and thin lips suggested restraint; his straight nose exuded elegance. Intelligent eyes gleamed behind thin glasses, their sharpness carefully concealed. Students greeted him respectfully: "Mr. Yeager!"

Jonathan Yeager nodded slightly. He hadn't intended to eavesdrop; he'd been passing by when the argument escalated. Leaving mid-argument would have been awkward, so he'd stayed and listened. He didn't know the details of their relationship, but the girl certainly knew how to deliver a verbal smackdown. The corner of his mouth lifted slightly. Then, remembering his purpose, his expression turned serious. Would he find Tano this time? Three years. Tano had vanished, his research groundbreaking and revolutionary. Jonathan had even taken a teaching position here, hoping for a lead. But so far—nothing.

Meanwhile, Sierra left the university. Without lab access, there was no rush. She wanted to visit her grandmother first. Three years. How was she doing?

"What? She's not here?" Sierra frowned. "Can you check again?" The nurse shook her head. "There's no patient under that name in our system. According to our records, she was discharged three years ago." Sierra stared at the discharge date—right after she'd been imprisoned. Had her grandmother's condition improved? Bradley had promised the best doctors for surgery. Sierra hailed a cab; she was going to the Coleman residence.