Chapter25 Isn't Stealing My Husband Enough?
Through the mist, Miranda's eyes widened as she reflexively retorted, "Just hold the shower head and rinse your legs yourself. It won't touch the wound!"
Clifton leaned back against the wheelchair, leisurely watching her completely reddened ears, his tone taking on a hint of innocence. "But my hand is weak. I can't hold the shower head. What should I do?"
This man is just too greedy!
Miranda ground her teeth in frustration, struggling forcefully against the wrist he held, practically fleeing as she tossed out one last sentence.
"Your left hand is perfectly fine. It's not injured!"
With that, she bolted from the bathroom without looking back, diving quickly under the covers and pulling them over her head, feeling her cheeks burning hot.
In the bathroom, Clifton watched her panicked retreat, the amusement in his eyes deepening.
He looked down at his perfectly intact left arm, then at the shower head she'd abandoned, the curve of his lips growing wider.
The next morning.
Miranda came downstairs sporting two faint dark circles under her eyes. Last night's scene had played over and over in her mind, keeping her tossing and turning half the night.
At the dining table, Clifton had already changed into a well tailored casual outfit, methodically eating his breakfast.
Fresh gauze wrapped his arm. He looked utterly refined, showing no trace of his roguish behavior from last night's bathroom scene.
As if sensing her gaze, he looked up and spoke flatly. "We'll leave for C City after breakfast. The car's already waiting outside."
"Okay." Miranda nodded in agreement, burying her face in her porridge, not daring to meet his eyes again.
During the three hour drive, Miranda leaned back in the rear seat, keeping her eyes closed the entire time, isolating herself from the man beside her with his powerful presence.
Not until the car smoothly entered C City's downtown area did she open her eyes and turn to ask, "The university is just ahead. Do you want to come with me?"
Clifton's gaze fell on the rapidly retreating street scenes outside the window, his expression inscrutable. "No. I'd like to look around C City on my own."
Miranda didn't ask further. This suited her just fine.
The car stopped at the university entrance. She got out alone and headed straight for the administration building.
In the office, she met her former university advisor, Professor Stella Green.
Though past fifty, Stella looked to be in her forties. Seeing Miranda, her face immediately lit up with a gratified smile.
"Miranda, I've been hoping you'd come." She personally poured Miranda a cup of tea. "I heard you've returned to the workforce. Your future must be very bright."
"You're too kind, Professor."
"Not at all." Stella waved her hand, her tone full of pride. "Back when you were in school, which major didn't you top? When the university wanted to invite outstanding graduates to give career planning talks to current students, you were the first person I thought of. Tell them about entering the workplace and how to take that crucial first step well."
Warmth spread through Miranda's chest as she smiled and agreed. "Being able to come back and share my experience with younger students is an honor."
"Wonderful!" Stella nodded with satisfaction. "The lecture is tomorrow morning. Go rest at your hotel first. I've arranged a room for you. Tonight we'll have dinner together with some faculty members and graduates who've also come to develop their careers in C City. Everyone can catch up."
Miranda naturally wouldn't refuse her professor's arrangements.
That evening, at a private dining room in a restaurant.
When Miranda pushed open the door and saw who was inside, a barely perceptible flash of surprise crossed her eyes.
Why would Ariana be here?
But thinking it over, Ariana had graduated from the same university. Being invited by their professor to this gathering wasn't particularly strange.
What truly stung was the man sitting beside Ariana, gazing at her tenderly as he tucked stray hair behind her ear. Harrison.
He had actually made the special trip to accompany Ariana to C City.
Miranda walked over nonchalantly and took the seat Professor Stella arranged for her, which happened to be directly across from Ariana and Harrison.
Her gaze unavoidably fell on Ariana's hand intimately hooked around Harrison's arm.
Truly grating.
Miranda picked up the wine glass on the table and tilted her head back, draining it in one gulp.
The harsh liquid slid down her throat, burning hot in her chest.
During those years of marriage, she had invited Harrison more than once to accompany her back to campus to visit her professors.
But every single time, his answer was a cold "I'm busy with work. No time."
So it wasn't that he had no time. He just didn't want to waste time on her.
Those years, at every alumni gathering, she came alone and left alone.
Never would she have imagined that now, with Ariana in the picture, Harrison's work schedule had suddenly cleared up. He could travel all this way to accompany her.
How utterly ironic.
At the table, the atmosphere was lively.
After several rounds of drinks, Ariana suddenly spoke with a coy laugh, her voice loud enough for everyone at the table to hear.
"Professor Green, I heard the university is inviting outstanding graduates back to give talks tomorrow? I happen to have free time on this trip. I've been managing several projects at Lancaster recently and have accumulated some experience. I was wondering... might I have the opportunity to share with the younger students as well?"
Professor Stella smiled and waved her hand at the suggestion. "I've already decided on the speaker."
She turned to look at Miranda, her gaze full of appreciation and approval.
"This time, I've invited my most outstanding student, Miranda."
That one sentence focused everyone's attention on Miranda.
The smile on Ariana's face instantly froze. Though she quickly recovered her composure, the unwillingness and jealousy in her eyes couldn't be hidden.
How could it be Miranda?
Her thoughts roiled like turbulent seas, deeply dissatisfied.
She was excellent too! She'd entered Lancaster right after graduation and had been working diligently for over three years. Why should this honor go to Miranda?
Could her three years of professional experience really not compare to someone who'd been a full time housewife for three years and had just recently returned to the workforce?
However, Ariana could only think these thoughts. She didn't want to leave a bad impression on the professor.
After dinner ended and they'd seen off the professors, Miranda was about to hail a cab back to her hotel when a figure blocked her path.
"Miranda." Harrison called out to her, his brow slightly furrowed.
"Yes?" Miranda's tone was cool and distant.
Harrison's gaze settled on her aloof face as he said in a deep voice, "Ariana prepared her speech for this lecture for a long time. She stayed up several nights working on it. Could you give this opportunity to her?"
Miranda was nearly laughing at his matter of fact tone.
"Did Ariana send you to tell me this?"
She paused, her voice cooling several degrees. "Mr. Whitmore, Professor Green made this decision. If you think it's inappropriate, you should go talk to Professor Green, not come to me."
Harrison's brow furrowed even more tightly. "If I go directly to Stella, it could easily give her a bad impression of Ariana. But if you voluntarily suggest replacing yourself with Ariana, given your relationship, she definitely wouldn't make things difficult."
"Ha."
Miranda let out an extremely light scoff, the sound full of undisguised mockery.
"Does Ariana think stealing my husband wasn't enough? Now she has to compete with me for this too?"