When fate plays its hand (Miranda)

Chapter 0789

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Theodore sobbed like a child. He had always known he didn’t belong in Yasmine’s little clique. Their exclusion of him wasn’t subtle–it was blatant and deliberate.

At one point, Theodore had clumsily tried to fit in. After all, humans were social creatures. In such an environment, anyone who could join a group would avoid standing alone. Seeking safety and avoiding harm was human nature, and Theodore was no exception.

But soon, he realized that no matter how hard he tried, Yasmine and her group remained aloof, never reciprocating even a shred of kindness.

That’s when he finally understood–some people could never be won over, and some circles were impenetrable no matter what one did. So, he stopped trying and let things take their course.

When he learned about the upcoming competition, his first thought wasn’t to join

anyone’s group. Instead, he thought about what kind of project he wanted to do and who he could recruit to collaborate with him.

Deep down, he had already assumed Yasmine wouldn’t invite him. When one had no expectations, they could truly face rejection and isolation with a sense of calm.

Unexpectedly, Yasmine approached him herself, extending an olive branch. Theodore was stunned and didn’t immediately agree.

happy to respond, so she gave a smug laugh before walking away. After two days of internal struggle, Theodore

sought out Yasmine to reject her offer, she had already

Joining us is a privilege. Don’t you dare take it for

chimed in, “Exactly! We didn’t even want you at first, but we added your name out of consideration for our shared years as classmates. You should

didn’t even have the right to decline–he was now part of Yasmine’s team. Determined to maintain a professional attitude, he quickly adjusted his mindset and committed himself to doing

complaint. She asked him to gather academic papers, and he worked tirelessly for three days and nights to collect them all. Before he could rest for half a day,

worked harder during this time than Joli did. At least Joli’s overtime came with a paycheck, and he could still manage to get some sleep

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Chapter 0789

beck and call, practically

floor, and looking utterly lost and wronged,

froze. “What project

submitted for the

don’t have

stunned. “How could you not have it? By competition rules, each team member is supposed to submit their own copy of the

credited to reflect everyone’s contributions. Since Yasmine included your name on the team,