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?"

Your mom and I have

minute to show up! Your great-uncles might not say anything to you, but they'll definitely give me an earful. Have a little pity on your

Dad! I'll be

in the living room. "I'll have Larry pick you

new tattoo-he looks like a mobster. I'll just grab a cab." "Alright, alright, whatever you

next day, Mamie flew back to her home in

left, Scales stopped coming into the lab too, leaving Roseanne

own.

...

had fallen, thick and deep

eight o'clock, Roseanne double-checked the power, locked up the lab, and grabbed

light that morning

tonight, she had no choice but to order

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

hour? That

Roseanne quickly

on

resist poking the nearest branch, watching as a

though it had already snowed several times over the winter, Roseanne

her red

just as a snowflake drifted down and landed on her eyelashes. The icy touch made her blink, and the fragile

one more snowfall before she left. Roseanne hadn't expected it to come

beep that