Chapter 273

Evelyn Laurent quickly pushed thoughts of Vincent Lowell to the back of her mind.

Finals week descended upon Harvard University, casting a tense atmosphere over the entire Physics Department.

Evelyn sat in the library, her notebook sprawled open with formulas scribbled across the pages. Lillian Rothschild chewed on the end of her pen, frowning at the problem set before her.

"Use Fourier transform here," Evelyn tapped the question lightly with her pencil.

A few physics majors nearby glanced at them hesitantly but ultimately kept their distance.

Since Evelyn's true identity had been exposed, those who once mocked her alongside Sophia Lowell now avoided her like the plague. They skirted around her carefully, even their eye contact measured and cautious.

Lydia Montgomery's seat remained empty. After the incident, she rarely showed up to class, and when she did, she seemed lost in a daze.

"Finally done!" Lillian burst out of the exam hall, stretching her arms wide.

Sunlight filtered through the plane trees in front of the academic building, casting dappled shadows. Just as Evelyn was about to speak, she noticed the mischievous glint in Lillian's eyes.

"Your man's here!" Lillian waggled her eyebrows and jerked her chin toward the distance. "I'm out!"

Beside a black Maybach, Ethan Sullivan's tall frame stood out sharply. He leaned against the car door, his gaze burning into Evelyn.

A week apart had honed his jawline even more sharply.

"How was the exam?" Ethan reached for her backpack.

Evelyn sidestepped his hand. "Fine."

The warmth inside the car chased away the chill but did nothing to dissolve the silence between them. Ethan's fingers tightened slightly around the steering wheel.

"You're avoiding me," he said abruptly.

Evelyn stared at the scenery flashing past the window without answering.

"Is it because of what Sophia said?" Ethan's voice was low. "Or... did you find something?"

Evelyn whipped her head around, meeting his deep, unreadable gaze. Emotions she couldn't decipher swirled within them.

"You knew I was looking into you?"

The corner of Ethan's mouth lifted in a bitter smile. "The Lowells pulled strings to check flight records from three days ago. And..." He paused. "The archives of Cloudhaven Orphanage from fifteen years ago."

Evelyn's breath caught.