The Queen Returns—And She's Unforgiving

Sebastian's comment came so abruptly that it caught everyone off guard.

Tiffany, who had been maintaining a sincere, composed expression, visibly froze for a second. The warmth in her demeanor thinned ever so slightly. She almost wondered if she had misheard.

But Lucas showed no reaction at all. He simply raised his eyes to glance at Evelyn, his gaze calm and deep with a faint trace of amusement tugging at the corners of his lips.

Evelyn, however, remained composed. Her expression didn't shift, not even a flicker. It was as if Sebastian's words had no relevance to her.

Lucas seemed to think of something, and his eyes lifted slightly before he turned away, disinterested once more.

Tiffany pressed her lips together for a moment before speaking again, her voice even but clearly cooled. "Mr. Hill, I didn't expect this would be such a difficult request."

She hadn't expected that instead of refusing her directly, Sebastian would sidestep it by pulling Evelyn into the conversation. To her, it felt like a roundabout way of saying no.

Still, after a short pause, she managed to recover. She kept her tone gracious though it was slightly distant now. "I'm genuinely committed. I'll continue to pursue the opportunity to study under Professor Hill. There's no need to joke like that, Mr. Hill."

Her thesis was built on real academic depth. In this niche field-aside from a handful of people like Sebastian, who had inherited advantages-she considered herself already top-tier.

Evelyn might've learned a lot from Sebastian, sure. But to claim Evelyn could guide her in her thesis was laughable. Tiffany was leagues above that.

Lucas offered no comment. He didn't even raise an eyebrow at Sebastian's suggestion. Instead, he said lightly, "It's fine. No need to make it difficult, Mr. Hill. We can revisit it later."

Sebastian smiled, but the humor didn't quite reach his eyes. Internally, he was almost exasperated. He hadn't been joking.

Evelyn genuinely was capable of helping with the thesis. She was even more qualified than Tiffany realized. But if the other party wouldn't even consider it, there was no point in pushing. He would let them believe whatever they wanted.

Just then, Jacob arrived and pulled Lucas aside to discuss a few work matters. Once they were done, Lucas gave Evelyn a passing glance before turning to Sebastian with a polite nod. "Mr. Hill, I'll let you and Ms. Reed continue. We'll talk again next time."

Tiffany hesitated for a moment. She wasn't particularly thrilled that Lucas had mentioned Evelyn.noveldrama

In her mind, ignoring someone like that was better. Saying goodbye, even out of courtesy, only gave Evelyn more room to read into things. And Evelyn would overthink it. She would assume she still had a place in Lucas' mind.

But Evelyn didn't even lift her eyes. Her calm, composed face gave no sign of reaction as if she hadn't heard a single word. Sebastian kept up the pleasantries. "Of course, Mr. Grant. Take care."

Just then, the rain started.

It fell steadily, the glass windows fogging slightly from the temperature drop. The chill seeped into the air, even inside.

Tiffany stopped walking, turned to Lucas, and smiled softly. "It's freezing outside. I didn't dress warm enough. Can I borrow your coat?"

Lucas turned to her emotionlessly and silently handed over the coat that had just been hanging from his arm.

Tiffany looked down, smiled sweetly, and slipped it on.

That scene-the quiet intimacy, the shared moment-burned itself into Evelyn's mind even though she hadn't wanted to see it. She cast a faint glance in their direction as the two walked out together side-by-side.

So, her instincts had been right all along.

The coat Lucas offered her earlier... Tiffany had already worn it.

She was just grateful she had tossed it back before it could mean anything.