When my fiance's student argued with me, she knocked over a gas cylinder and caused an explosion.

As the fire spread, my fiancé rushed into the lab wearing a gas mask. However, his priority was to carry his student to safety. As he left, he said, "Wait for the rescue team! A teacher should treat their students like how a parent treats their children. If something happens to Amanda, you don't deserve to be a teacher!"

In the end, I inhaled too much toxic gas and died, never having waited long enough for the rescue team to arrive.

Since I was the only one who had mastered the core data of the lab, no one could take my place. This meant that five years of hard work in the lab were destroyed, and Astran University was kicked out of a global research project.

Later, William, the once esteemed professor of Astran University, became a pariah—someone whom everyone scorned and reviled.

The Explosion

"Sarah, the one who's not loved, is the third wheel. Mr. Carter can only choose between you and me. Let's make a bet and see who he picks!" After Amanda said this, she knocked over the gas cylinder on the table.

In that split second, the force of the explosion sent both of us flying toward the door. Unfortunately, Amanda blocked the door immediately.

When I saw her take out a wet towel and cover her mouth, I realized she had come prepared.

The fire grew larger, and alarms blared throughout the laboratory. I was worried about my experiments. As I impatiently tried to push Amanda aside, I suddenly caught a peculiar smell.

Oh no! What was happening?

In that split second, my legs went weak, and I started to feel dizzy.

Suddenly, William opened the lab door while wearing a gas mask.

At the same time, Amanda threw the wet towel onto my face.

I reached out my hand toward William and said, "Help me!"

However, William picked up Amanda, who was panting. He looked at me and said, "Wait for the rescue team. You protected yourself well but left your student exposed to the smoke. A teacher should care for their students. If anything happens to Amanda, you don't deserve to be a teacher!"

As soon as he finished speaking, my head began to throb intensely. My hand went limp, and I could only watch as they left with a blurry sight.

William and I had stopped talking to each other for a month. After some time, he texted me and told me to place Amanda into my lab group to enhance her resume for her PhD application. I didn't refuse at that moment since I thought this was his way of trying to reconcile.

However, after Amanda joined the lab, she disrespected me and kept going against me. I complained about this to William, but he always believed I was the one who bullied her first. Slowly, I was too tired to argue with him.

My head hurt, and I felt like I was about to die. The experiment I was doing was only one cycle away from completion.

William, I wonder how you would react if you knew you indirectly caused my death and Astran University to be kicked out from the World Project group.

…

My colleagues were dealing with the gas leak in the lab while the students crowded around me as they watched the rescue team performing initial treatment for my poisoning.

Unfortunately, William didn't see any of this. At this moment, he was probably accompanying Amanda at the hospital.

…

The rescue team worked hard to save me. However, I had already lost consciousness.

Suddenly, my soul left my body.

Just like that, my life was nothing more than a fleeting dream.

"I'm sorry," the rescue team leader said sadly.

At the same time, the heart monitor showed a flat line.

The students broke into sobs. My colleagues were already drained from clearing the toxic gas in the lab. When they heard the news of my death, they collapsed to the ground.

Jessica, one of my colleagues, leaned against the wall and said calmly, "I don't think Sarah's death was an accident."

Lisa, one of my students, suddenly exclaimed, "Amanda must have something to do with it!"

When Jessica heard her words, her face turned pale. Then, she said sorrowfully, "Sarah is the only one who fully understood the experimental data for Project X. She can't just die like this!"

Another colleague of mine, Winny, said heavily, "She documented the data thoroughly and was going to use it to apply for the World Project. However, we weren't responsible for her part of the experiment. Even if we get that data, it won't be enough. This project is ruined!"

I wanted to cry but had no tears. I had wasted the school's resources, and everyone's precious five years.

Just as I was about to apologize, a mysterious force suddenly pulled me toward William.

At this moment, he was sitting beside Amanda with a dark expression.

We had stopped talking for a long time, so it had been ages since I had looked at him so closely.

Back then, he was the famous but poor campus heartthrob of the university. However, he was a proud man and never surrendered to life's hardships. I loved him for this.

Later, I rejected offers from prestigious research institutes just to stay by his side. After courting him for a long time, my wish came true as I became engaged to him.

After he became a professor, time seemed to favor him as he grew more handsome, attracting many girls. However, he remained indifferent and even went to extreme lengths to reject them.

Still, there was one exception—Amanda Rowley.

After meeting Amanda, he seemed to have become a different person. Even though she failed four of her courses, he still praised her as a genius. For her sake, he even broke his promises to me time and again.

Thinking about this, I felt a pang in my chest.

Suddenly, William looked at me with a soft expression and asked, "Are you okay?"

I was horrified.

Sarah Will Be Fine

"Mr. Carter, my head hurts."

Hearing Amanda's voice, I realized he was showing concern for her through me.

No wonder he was so gentle. After all, he had never looked at me like that before.

"Mr. Carter!" My student, Mindy, suddenly ran into the ward. She said timidly, "You should head back to the university. Everything is in chaos!"

However, William said nothing.

Mindy was always scared of William, so she could only wait nervously for his reply.

After some time, William said slowly, "Astran University is the top academic institution in the country. It's filled with outstanding people from all over. How could my absence cause chaos to the school?"

Mindy clasped her hands tightly and didn't dare to say anything.

Looking at her, I shook my head.

After all, I knew Mindy too well. She was an overly cautious person. Coming from a poor family, everything she had now was hard-earned. I knew she was afraid that she wouldn't be able to handle the consequences if William lost control of his emotions and took it out on her, who was a powerless student.

She couldn't afford to risk herself.

I turned to look at William, who was as indifferent as ever.

Perhaps unwilling to make things harder for Mindy, he said, "Ms. Jenkins' negligence caused Amanda's discomfort. Hence, I need to stay here with Amanda until she recovers."

Mindy glanced at Amanda, who was smiling brightly at her. However, Mindy glared at Amanda before silently leaving the room.

Amanda immediately pouted and said, "Did you see the way she glared at me? She's obviously upset on behalf of Ms. Jenkins. I didn't do anything wrong, though..."

"Don't think too much about it." William comforted her softly. "Just focus on getting better. Don't blame Ms. Jenkins, either. She's a careless person. She didn't do this on purpose."

I was furious. In that split second, I felt the urge to grab a chair and smash it over William's face.

All these years, I always endured his cold attitude toward me. However, I couldn't tolerate him belittling my career. I was furious!

Amanda smiled shyly and said, "I haven't known her for long, but she is quite bold. I've seen her being close with other male teachers more than once."

I was infuriated and thought, 'Fuck you, Amanda! Do you think everyone is as brainless as you?'

William's expression darkened. "Amanda, don't say things you're not sure of."

"Okay, I know!" Amanda playfully stuck out her tongue.

Just moments ago, William was being stern. Now, her behavior made him crack a smile.

Even though I was a mere spirit, I still felt chills run down my spine.

I was sure that William's face had clearly shown his distrust of me just now.

All these years, he had never truly tried to understand me—neither my personality nor my profession.

"My head hurts so much. Mr. Carter, can you hug me?"

However, William didn't move.

Amanda whined, "Mr. Carter, just this once. Think of it as an apology on behalf of Ms. Jenkins!"

After hesitating for a moment, William slowly sat down on the bed. Then, Amanda leaned into his arms with satisfaction.

Looking at them, I smiled bitterly. I thought, 'Enjoy this moment while it lasts, William. How far you and Amanda can go depends on how the university and the police judge you both.'

…

As Amanda lay contentedly in William's arms, she asked innocently, "Mr. Carter, why don't you call Ms. Jenkins and ask about her condition?"

William's face turned grim. "You're too naive, Amanda. You don't know her. She always played the victim to make me care for her."

I couldn't even argue against it. In the past, I would indeed fake being sick to get his attention.

However, ever since Amanda appeared, my little tricks no longer worked.

Whenever I pretended to be sick, Amanda would deliberately hurt herself. Every time, William would always pick her. Whenever I protested, he would look at me with disappointment and tell me to stop acting like a child.

"Amanda is from my hometown. It wasn't easy for her to get here. She's all alone here. As a local from Astran, you wouldn't understand the hardships she went through."

I would always try to argue back. "I also got into Astran University through my hard work!" I also pursued him through my effort! He didn't understand the hardships I endured all these years, either.

However, I never said those things to him.

"Wow." Amanda smiled. "Now I know how Ms. Jenkins managed to win you over, Mr. Carter!"

William stiffened for a moment. Then, he gently helped Amanda lie back on the bed before walking toward the door.

"Mr. Carter!" Amanda called out.

William turned around and smiled apologetically. "I'm just going to the restroom."