Seeing Rowan standing there with the flowers triggered a visceral wave of nausea. The horrifying memory of being strapped to his operating table flashed in her mind, a trauma so deep it had caused her to violently throw herself off a hospital bed in terror.

By the time Lemira snapped out of her daze, Rowan was standing right in front of her.

She didn't reach for the flowers. The gesture felt sickeningly ironic. In her past life,

he had made sure she never had the chance to 'recover.'

Rowan's expression wavered slightly. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I just don't like those flowers." Lemira flatly rejected them.

Rowan glanced down at the bouquet and offered a gentle, apologetic smile. "My mistake. I just picked them up on a whim. I'll get you something you like next time."

"Hopefully, there won't be a next time. I don't plan on getting hospitalized again." Her words were sharp and full of thorns.

Rowan caught the hostility but kept his temper perfectly in check. "You're right. I shouldn't have worded it like that. Where are you heading? I'll drive you."

"No need. My cab is already here."

Without giving him a second glance, Lemira slid into the waiting taxi and closed the door. He gave her an unsettling vibe, and she wanted absolutely nothing to do with him.

As the taxi pulled away, the gentle warmth on Rowan's face instantly evaporated, replaced by a freezing, predatory coldness. He casually dropped the expensive bouquet onto the asphalt and crushed it to a pulp beneath his shoe.

Lemira headed straight back to campus. Finals were approaching, and she couldn't afford to miss class.

The moment she stepped through the university gates, the path was lined with cheering students holding massive banners.

"Congratulations to Our Hero, Lemira, on Her Safe Return!"

"Bravery Knows No Gender! Thank You for Saving Us!"

Lemira froze in shock. Dean Miller walked up to her, a proud smile on his face. "Lemira, your selfless heroism during the dormitory fire saved countless lives. After a faculty review, we have decided to award you a full scholarship and officially establish The Bravery S Commendation in your name."

Lemira was stunned. She hadn't expected the university to do something this monumental. Why hadn't Stella or Janice tipped her off?

Her two friends walked up and flanked her. "We wanted it to be a surprise!" Stella grinned. "You saved so many people. The girls petitioned the school board to throw you a massive welcome back ceremony."

When Lemira finally made it back to her dorm floor, the tribute was even more intense. Her photos were plastered on almost every door.

"Everyone says you're their idol and their savior," Janice laughed.

Lemira walked into her room to find her desk completely buried under mountains of snacks and gifts. Despite outliers like Sophia Sinclair, most girls were incredibly sweet and genuine.

Given the overwhelming attention, her professors excused her from attending lectures for the day to let harrest. She decided to stay in the dorm wanting to avoid the crowds of students trying to catch a glimpse of her.

When Stella returned from her afternoon classes, she brought explosive gossip.

"Gregory Jones dumped Sophia!"

Lemira looked up, shocked. "That fast?"

"I know, right! He was fully prepared to marry her, given her status as a top-tier socialite. Canceling the engagement out of nowhere definitely meant there was drama, so I did some digging."

Janice practically dropped her bag. "Spill! What happened?"

"Word on the street is Gregory caught Sophia in a hotel room with another man. He brought his security team and caught them red-handed. The official announcement canceling the engagement went out this morning."

Lemira's eyes widened. "She actually cheated on him in a hotel?"

Had Sophia lost her mind? She was incredibly manipulative and calculating-how

could she make such a fatal, amateur mistake? The Sinclair Group's survival

completely depended on Gregory's wealth.

"It's true. Caught naked in bed," Stella confirmed with a wicked smile. "The guy is a wealthy heir who used to be one of her most desperate lapdogs. His mother

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personally went to the hotel to drag

him out and beat Sophia to a pulp in the process."