With the end of final exams, summer vacation had officially begun.
Daisy was eager to leave, having booked her train ticket well in advance. She hugged Emily and Yuki tightly, promising to bring back plenty of delicious treats when school resumed, and then she happily set off for home. Katherine, on the other hand, disappeared quietly from the dorm. Rumor had it that a modeling agency had noticed her, and she would be practicing her runway walk during the summer break.
Yuki decided to stay, as there were still duties to attend to in the dormitory during the summer. Wherever Miss Carolyn was, that was her home. Emily also remained at the campus. For her, it didn't matter where she was; her father wouldn't be returning to the country for several months.
The dormitory had grown quiet, with echoing footsteps resonating in the corridor. The weather was stiflingly hot, like being in a steamer. Emily spent much of her time in the dorm, reading and writing in her journal while enjoying the breeze from a fan. Yuki, meanwhile, had begun her multiple jobs, returning late each night. The dormitory often felt eerily silent, with Emily alone, and since she couldn't spend all her time with Ryan, she found herself interacting more with Miss Carolyn.
Emily would excitedly share amusing stories.
Miss Carolyn would always listen with a warm smile.
Sometimes, in the midst of her tales, Emily would suddenly fall silent, lost in thought as she gazed at the white walls for a long time.
Miss Carolyn would gently pat her hand, then rise to fetch her a bottole of refreshing drink to help beat the heat.
After a while, once Emily finished her drink, she would begin to animatedly share more fun anecdotes.
And Miss Carolyn would quietly listen again.
Time passed in this way, and soon it was Thursday.
That evening, after saying goodbye to Ryan outside the dormitory, Emily hadn't even stepped into Miss Carolyn's manager's quarters when her phone rang.
She smiled as she answered, thinking how she wouldn't forget to give him his gift the day after tomorrow.
"Hello?"
"This is Ryan's mother."
The voice on the other end was elegant and commanding.
Emily froze instantly.
"Are you Emily?"
Inside the sleek and comfortable Mercedes, which was far from the lavish cars often seen in movies, Ms. Isabella wore a beige dress with no jewelry. Her skin was like jade, and her eyes, misty and deep, slowly appraised Emily, who sat beside her.
"Yes, hello."
Emily had never seen such a beautiful woman; just looking at her made time seem to stand still. Though she knew it was impolite to stare, her gaze couldn't help but linger.
Ms. Isabella gazed at Emily for a long time, the minutes stretching out in silence. Emily felt puzzled—had she come here just to look at her?
"You're very bold," Ms. Isabella said softly, her tone sharp and incongruous with her gentle appearance.
Emily jumped slightly.
"Staring at your elder without blinking shows a complete lack of manners."
Emily scratched her head. "I'm sorry, ma'am. But hasn't anyone told you?"
"You're too beautiful. So beautiful that it makes people forget many things." Emily stuck out her tongue, smiling sheepishly.
"Is this how you use sweet words to get close to Ryan? Because he's a naïve boy, you think you can charm him with such flattery?" Ms. Isabella replied coldly.
Emily's eyes widened in shock. "Ma'am…"
"I've seen many girls around Ryan. Some are innocent, some are arrogant, some are pretentious, and some are sharp-tongued. Yet none of them could capture his heart," Ms. Isabella continued, her gaze piercing. The depths of her eyes were as dark as a deep pool. "But you, it seems, are extraordinary. You've managed to make Ryan like you, even to the point of asking to formally introduce you to me."
Emily froze.
"You see, all you have are sweet words—cheap flattery. Those words may impress Ryan, but they won't sway me."
The air conditioning hummed softly in the car.
The cool air seemed to add a layer of frost to Ms. Isabella's expression.
Taking a deep breath, Emily forced a smile. "Ma'am, how do you distinguish between sincere words and mere flattery? Was I lying to you just now? Is it not honest to admire beautiful things when you see them?"
"The heart is different."
"The heart?"
"Honesty carries no ulterior motives, while flattery is intended to achieve personal goals," Ms. Isabella replied, her voice low. "Why did you come to Elm Academy?"
Emily felt as rigid as a wooden puppet.
"And why did you specifically transfer to Ryan's class? The staff at Elm's student office recalled that a girl from Lingyun Academy inquired about Ryan's enrollment records regarding exchange students. Was that you?"
Ms. Isabella's gaze was piercing. "Please tell me why you are going to such lengths to get close to Ryan."
Emily bit her lip, her color draining.
The air conditioning hummed quietly in the car.
She couldn't find her voice, her mind swirling, palms clammy with sweat. "What do you think I'm after?"
Finally managing to squeeze out the words, her back was already slick with perspiration. No, she couldn't let Ryan know her true motives; otherwise, she'd lose any chance of staying by his side.
Ms. Isabella's gaze grew icy.
"I will not allow you to remain close to Ryan, nor will you ever have access to any of his family's wealth. So please, leave."
"Property? Did you say property?" Emily exhaled, a smile suddenly brightening her face. "Alright, I know what to do."
Ms. Isabella frowned, puzzled by the girl's sudden cheerfulness.
Emily fixed her gaze on her and said, "Ma'am, please rest assured."