He truly hadn't expected Lemira to expose something like that in front of a crowd. If this got out, the humiliation would be unbearable.

Lemira glared at him coldly. "If you don't back off right now, I will start livestreaming every single thing you put Stella through. Let's see if you and Mrs. Waverly ever have the nerve to show your faces in public again."

Even though this was an internal Waverly family dispute, if it blew up online, someone as obsessed with her social standing as Mrs. Waverly would be absolutely mortified.

Even though Stella was now an orphaned heiress, she still had older family friends and connections. If they found out her fortune had genuinely been stolen, Mrs. Waverly's reputation would be irreparably destroyed.

Lemira knew Asher still cared about his public image. Threatening his reputation was the only way to make him leave.

Seeing the growing crowd of students filming with their phones, Asher realized he couldn't let the situation escalate. He had no choice but to retreat for now.

Before walking away, he gave Stella one last intense look. "One day, you'll understand my sincerity."

Lemira felt genuinely nauseous. "If you're so sincere, why don't you cough up all the money you stole from her to prove it?"

Asher hesitated. "Once the company bounces back and turns a profit, I will naturally pay her back."

He simply didn't have the funds right now.

Janice couldn't hold her tongue any longer. "An arrogant gold-digger! I've never seen a man act so entitled while leeching off a woman."

Knowing he was fighting a losing battle and lacking the money to prove otherwise, Asher finally turned tail and left in disgrace.

With the main attraction gone, the crowd of students quickly dispersed.

Only then did Stella finally step out of Caleb's protective embrace, her cheeks still burning hot.

She looked at Lemira. "Why are you guys back so early?"

"Class ended, so we came straight here. Looks like we arrived right on time."

Lemira gave Stella an apologetic look. "Sorry about this. I ran into Asher at the campus gates earlier and threw his flowers away, warning him not to come near you. I just didn't expect him to be so relentlessly stubborn." .net

"You have nothing to apologize for. I know exactly how Asher is. Honestly, it's exhausting dealing with him, but considering you had to live with the Langston family for all those years..."

The emotional abuse Lemira endured over the years was far worse than what Stella was dealing with now.

"That's all in the past. I'm doing great now, and no one from the Langston family can touch me anymore."

"True. With Orion backing you, Asher wouldn't even dare breathe too loudly in your presence."

Stella knew Lemira had finally found her peace.

Lemira glanced at the imposing bodyguard who had resumed his silent post in the background. "Well, with a guy like that watching over you, I don't need to worry either."

Stella's face flushed a deeper pink. "Let's just go inside."

She hated standing out in the open like this.

Lemira turned to Caleb. "Looks like you'll have to wait down here a bit longer."

Caleb gave a curt nod, offering no verbal reply.

Stella quickly dragged Lemira and Janice toward the dorm building The sheer curiosity burning in her friends' eyes was impossible,

ignore and she knew

interrogation was inevitable.

Caleb watched Stella's retreating figure, his dark eyes growing heavier with an unreadable emotion.

He then looked down at the tacky heart made of candles and flowers on the pavement. Without a word, he bent down, gathered the mess, and dumped it all straight into the nearest trash can.

Upstairs, Lemira caught a glimpse of Caleb cleaning up the courtyard through the window.

She turned to Stella. "Alright, spill it. You and the bodyguard have history, don't you?"

Janice didn't hold back. "Did you guys sleep together? Because looking at his size, I'm honestly not sure your small frame could handle him!"