Chapter 3

Julian didn't even look at Avery. He spoke directly to Martin. "I watched Tessa pull an all-nighter to finish her paper. She didn't plagiarize. As for why the two papers look alike..." He paused, then flicked his eyes toward Avery. "You might want to ask Avery." Martin knew that Julian and Avery were a couple. But now, Julian had spoken up for Tessa. Considering Julian's family background, Martin began siding with Tessa. "Avery," he snapped, pointing at her, "what else is there to say? We have a witness! I'm disappointed in you!" Avery stared at Julian, stunned but no longer feeling confused. If this had been before, she might have struggled to understand why he would do this to her. But now, she knew the truth. He had dated her to use her. If he could leak her photos to ruin her, he could naturally pin Tessa's plagiarism on her. Pain tore through her chest, but she knew nothing she said could stand against the weight of his words. Martin dismissed Julian and Tessa, then turned on Avery. He voided her submission and told her the violation would go on her record. Avery stumbled out of the office in a daze and found Julian leaning against the hallway wall, clearly waiting for her. She stopped and looked at the man she had loved for two years—the one who had lied to her, used her, and hurt her. She rasped from a dry throat, "Julian, don't you think you owe me an explanation?" He finally looked up, his gaze as cold as ever. "Tessa accidentally deleted her draft last night, and the deadline was today. She asked to borrow yours as a reference." Reference? She had copied it word for word, including the typos. How could that be called a reference? The pain in Avery's heart was so sharp, stealing her breath. Julian continued, his detached voice cutting like a blade, "Your direct admission is already gone. Tessa's still in the running, so the paper matters to her. It doesn't matter if you take the blame. You're already ruined." It didn't matter? Every word out of his mouth sided with Tessa. Not once did he think about how Avery felt or how much it hurt her. The surge of emotions hit without warning. Grief and fury crashed over her, and she heard herself shout, sobs ripping through the words as all the humiliation and hurt she had swallowed finally broke free. Julian had never seen Avery so shattered before. In the past, just a slight furrow of his brow was enough to make her give in. She would blame herself and even hand her work to Tessa if he asked. What was different now? "It's just a paper," he said, frowning as if she were being unreasonable. He caught her wrist and said, "Enough. You've been asking me to have lunch together. I'm free today. Let's go." Avery yanked her hand free from Julian's grip, the force carrying all the despair and fury she had held back for so long. "I'm not going!" Her eyes burned as she glared at the man she had once loved to the bone. "I'm not that pathetic, Julian! If you don't want to have lunch with me, then don't!" She turned on her heel and stormed off, desperate to escape before the place suffocated her. Julian stayed where he was, watching her run off with a faint crease of confusion and annoyance on his brow. Avery had always looked at him with a soft, shy glow in her eyes, eager to please and quick to yield. She never defied him. If he frowned, she would immediately wonder what she had done wrong and soften her voice to soothe him. But now, the glow in her eyes had vanished. In its place was something distant and unreadable. Was she seriously upset about a paper? How childish. Julian didn't bother chasing her. To him, it was nothing serious. If Tessa were upset, he would bend over backwards to comfort her. But with Avery, he didn't need to. She would always come back to him in the end. He turned his gaze away and walked off.