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Novel Catalog
“Thank you for treating me so well over the past two years!” Sarah said, her voice shy and soft.
To an outsider, it might have sounded as though she were about to confess something important to Carlisle.
However, Carlisle, who was accustomed to Sarah’s behavior, responded indifferently, “Just say what you want to say. Don’t beat around the bush.”
Sarah tucked a few strands of hair behind her ear, offering him a sweet, almost innocent smile. “Actually, I just wanted to tell you that I won’t accept your confession, even if you get accepted into Riverland University.”
Carlisle raised an eyebrow, his amusement evident. “Are you serious? You still think I’m trying to get into Riverland University for your sake?” He couldn’t help but laugh internally. Hadn’t his actions over the past month made his feelings clear enough?
“I know you won’t admit it, but it’s fine,” Sarah continued, her tone now condescending. “I just wanted to be honest. Even though your results have improved, thanks to Wanda’s help, you’ll likely end up at a Tier 3 university at best. If you manage to get into a Tier 2, that would be a miracle. So, don’t even fantasize about joining Riverland!”
Her words were laced with arrogance, a smug smile playing at the corners of her mouth.
Suddenly, Sean slammed his fist on Carlisle’s desk, his voice rising with anger. “Sarah, how can you be so shameless? What did Carlisle ever do to you? Why do you have to say such hurtful things and wound his pride like that?”
As Carlisle’s closest friend, Sean had seen everything. Ever since Carlisle developed feelings for Sarah, he had changed—becoming more frugal, staying away from his usual habits, and dedicating himself to studying. Yet, Sarah continued to take advantage of his kindness without a care for his feelings.
Sarah’s smile faltered slightly, but she quickly regained her composure. “What do you mean by ‘hurt his pride’? Does he even have any pride left? If he did, would he have read his love letter to the entire class like that?”
She looked at Carlisle, waiting for a reaction, but to her surprise, he remained calm. His expression was impassive, almost detached. How was he not reacting to her cutting words? It confused her.
“Are you done?” Carlisle asked, his voice calm but heavy with an unspoken intensity.
“I’m not done yet!” Sarah retorted with a smirk, clearly enjoying her control over the conversation. “How about this: Let’s make a bet. If you manage to get into Riverland University, I’ll agree to go out with you.”
Her smile widened as she spoke, certain that Carlisle would never succeed in entering Riverland. She relished the thought of watching him fail.
“Alright,” Carlisle agreed with a smile, his voice steady.
Sarah froze for a moment, clearly taken aback by his swift agreement. Had she expected him to react with anger or frustration? She hadn’t anticipated this level of calm.
But it didn’t matter. She was confident he would never make it.
“Then we’ll see,” Sarah said with a sly grin before grabbing her bag and leaving the classroom.
As she exited, Sarah’s friends gathered at the door, laughing amongst themselves at the spectacle they had just witnessed.
“Are you okay?” Sean asked, massaging Carlisle’s shoulders with a concerned expression.
“I’m fine,” Carlisle replied with a smile, brushing off the tension. “I’ve got a great mentality.”
He knew exactly what Sarah had wanted to say when she approached him. But he had chosen to engage with her, just as he always had, not to avoid confrontation but to see it through to the end.
In his past life, despite his best efforts, he had failed to enter Riverland University, and the bet Sarah had proposed became the subject of mockery among his classmates for years. He had agreed to it this time, not because he expected her to take him seriously, but because he wanted to prove her wrong.
Later that evening, after class had finished early, Carlisle returned home to an empty house—Hilda and Gordon were not there. He made his way to the fridge, grabbed a can of Coke, and settled onto the sofa, letting the cool breeze from the fan wash over him. But his mind was elsewhere.
He opened Wanda’s letter with a mix of curiosity and anticipation. Was it a love letter? He doubted it, but what else could it be? Maybe a letter of encouragement?
As he unfolded it, he found that the handwriting inside was neat, graceful, and full of warmth.
