Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed

Chapter 812

Scales's lips twitched. "Hey, what do you mean, 'you men'? Don't lump me in with the rest. I'm nothing like that."

Mamie rolled her eyes. "Oh, please. There's a saying, you know-'men are all the same."

Scales protested, "I'm telling you, I'm not like him."

"I don't buy it."

"If you don't believe me, try me!"

Mamie was caught off guard as Scales spun on his heel and walked away. It took her a second to process, and then she blinked in confusion. Try what, exactly? Meanwhile, Grace and Slater, though spared from expulsion, found themselves in limbo. Their advisor had dropped them, and none of the other professors were willing to take them on. In the end, the school grudgingly arranged something for them, just to get it over with.

Academics? Ambitions? Those were off the table. At this point, just keeping their heads down and scraping by for a diploma was the best they could hope for.

On top of that, the university proactively reached out to the competition organizers to explain what had happened. The grand prize originally awarded to Roseanne's team was returned, and an official statement correcting the winners was posted online.

One scandal had unearthed a whole mess beneath the surface.

As the deep chill of late winter set in, the end of the year crept closer.

After spending several days in the lab, Carlson left for his hometown with Arkle.

Duke called more than once, urging Mamie to come home.

"My darling girl, when are you coming back?"

mom and I have packed up

Your great-uncles might not say anything to you, but they'll definitely give me

sighed. "I know, Dad! I'll

pleased he did a little spin in the living room. "I'll have Larry pick you

need. He got that new tattoo-he looks like a mobster. I'll just grab a cab." "Alright, alright,

back to her

into the lab too,

own.

...

thick and deep

locked up

car was out of commission-she'd noticed a tire pressure warning light that morning and

choice but to

a request on the app, but the screen kept showing "searching

hour? That was

outside, Roseanne quickly

flakes swirled through the air, gathering on the tree branches until they formed thick,

resist poking the nearest branch, watching as

though it had already snowed several times over the

so she tucked her red hands back into her pockets and checked

a snowflake drifted down and landed on her eyelashes. The icy touch made her

before she left. Roseanne hadn't

beep that cut through