Eve Vaughn looked at the reply on her phone, and her heart ached.

’That ’sir’... his tone didn’t sound very good. Maybe I really did overstep.’ After all, this man had always been so gentle before, like a wise elder who could dispel the gloom in her heart with just a few words.

After signing the contract with the agent and finalizing the details for the house, Eve Vaughn hurried back to her dorm.

As she was leaving, the agent promised confidently, "Miss Vaughn, your asking price for this villa isn’t high, and the location is excellent. I’m certain I can sell it for you within a month."

It was already evening by the time she got back to her dorm room.

Just as she reached the door, Eve Vaughn heard Sharon Lowe’s voice from inside.

"Did you guys hear? Eve Vaughn is actually one of the three students chosen for the sponsorship by that rich businessman! My boyfriend saw it today when he was helping a professor organize files in the records office. The information is one hundred percent accurate!"

Aria already knew about it, so she wasn’t surprised. She even retorted, "So what? So many people applied, and Evie was the one who got chosen. That just proves Evie is more outstanding than everyone else."

Sharon Lowe snorted. "Are you really that clueless, or are you just playing dumb? Eve Vaughn might not be some rich heiress, but she’s a Rivaster local. Her family doesn’t look like they’re so poor they can’t even afford to eat. I refuse to believe she’s poor enough to need financial aid from someone else."

Just then, Eve Vaughn suddenly pushed the door open, startling Sharon Lowe, who was right in the middle of her rant.

As it happened, all three of her roommates were in the dorm. With Eve Vaughn’s arrival, the four of them were all present.

Seeing Eve Vaughn’s upset expression, Aria knew she must have heard what Sharon Lowe had just said.

"Evie, don’t listen to a certain sourpuss running her mouth."

Aria comforted Eve Vaughn, glancing in Sharon Lowe’s direction.

Sharon Lowe heard the passive-aggressive dig from Aria and turned her attention to Nina Steele instead.

’Anyway,’ she thought, ’Nina Steele is always quiet as a mouse. She looks timid and afraid of trouble—the easiest one to pick on!’

Therefore, Sharon Lowe said sourly, "If anyone in this dorm should’ve gotten that sponsorship money, it’s Nina Steele! Her grades aren’t bad; she’s always in the top three of our department. And she’s always working several part-time jobs at once. Isn’t her family situation more difficult than Eve Vaughn’s? Who knows, if Eve Vaughn hadn’t competed for the sponsorship, maybe it would have gone to Nina Steele!"

Before Eve Vaughn could say anything, Nina Steele suddenly stood up and said coldly, "I don’t need a sponsorship!"

With that, she grabbed her books and canvas bag, and left, presumably for the study room. She was clearly displeased.

Eve Vaughn watched Nina Steele’s retreating back, feeling utterly frustrated.

Although nothing good ever came out of Sharon Lowe’s mouth, Eve Vaughn couldn’t help but think that if she hadn’t applied for the spot, Nina Steele would have had a very good chance of receiving the sponsorship.

Hearing the door close behind Nina Steele, Aria deliberately turned to Sharon Lowe and said, "Oh dear, looks like someone’s little trick to sow discord backfired! She didn’t appreciate your ’help’ at all! Hahaha, somebody’s really made a fool of herself!"

Sharon Lowe’s face paled at the jab. She sneered, "Sharing a dorm with a bunch of paupers. What rotten luck!"

After saying that, Sharon Lowe took out a pile of luxury goods from her closet—everything from small items like perfume and lipstick to large ones like bags and clothes.

Every day around eight o’clock, she would start her livestream.

"Hey, besties! Today I’m sharing some of my recent favorite bags and clothes!"

In front of the camera, Sharon Lowe’s entire demeanor changed. The title of her stream was even ’Daily Life of a Wealthy College Beauty.’

As soon as she went live, she was flooded with likes and comments.

"Wow, so beautiful! Some people’s college experience is just on another level! Buying luxury goods like they’re groceries."

"You can tell from the streamer’s vibe that she comes from a rich family. And she’s at a prestigious university, too!"

"..."

Many of Sharon Lowe’s fans were even her own classmates from Rivaster University.

The persona she had crafted for herself was that of a wealthy, beautiful top student from a prestigious university.

Sharon Lowe stood before her camera, basking in the adulation and envy of others.

Just then, Eve Vaughn sensed that something was off.

Because the bag Sharon Lowe was showing off right now... wasn’t it the very same one that Mason Lawson had helped her get from Lana Chambers and her daughter at the luxury boutique the other day?

At the time, the salesperson had said it was the only one of its kind in all of Rivaster.

So why did an identical bag now appear in Sharon Lowe’s hands?

And the clothes Sharon Lowe was showing off to her fans also looked vaguely familiar to Eve Vaughn.

The doubt flashed through her mind, but Eve Vaughn was still too preoccupied with the student sponsorship issue to give Sharon Lowe’s situation much thought.

’After all,’ she reasoned, ’there are only so many luxury brands these days. It’s common for people to have the same classic items.’

The most pressing matter now was to find a way to help Nina Steele. She couldn’t just stand by and watch her eat nothing but plain broth and rice from the cafeteria every day.

Besides, her suggestion today that her benefactor sponsor Nina Steele instead had already made him unhappy.

It seemed he wasn’t going to take her suggestion and sponsor Nina Steele.

Suddenly, a person popped into Eve Vaughn’s mind.

At that thought, she quickly grabbed her phone, slipped out onto the balcony, and quietly called Mason Lawson.

At that moment, Mason Lawson was in his office, working.

Thinking about how that girl was selling her house behind his back, all while keeping him in the dark and feeding him meaningless chatter every day, made him extremely irritable.

So when he answered the phone, he asked coldly, "What is it?"

"Little Uncle, what are you doing? Have you eaten?" Eve Vaughn asked, trying to sound endearing.

Mason Lawson retorted coldly, "It’s eight o’clock. You haven’t eaten?"

’Was she so busy selling her house that she didn’t even have time to eat?’

Eve Vaughn heard the edge in Mason Lawson’s voice and said with a cheerful grin, "Who upset my Little Uncle? I’ll go beat them up for you!"

Mason Lawson couldn’t stand this sycophantic act of hers. It was obvious she wanted something.

"What is it? Just say it."

Mason was actually quite curious. What could she possibly be asking him for this time? ’She’s probably going to ask me to be the big sucker who buys her family’s villa.’

Eve Vaughn adopted a solemn tone. "Sigh, it’s a long story! Little Uncle, are you home? Can I come find you?"

Mason Lawson glanced at the dark sky outside. He wasn’t comfortable with her coming out so late at night.

"Wait for me at the university. I’ll come pick you up."

After giving the order in a deep voice, he grabbed his car keys and left the office.

...

Meanwhile, Eve Vaughn was still at the university, waiting for Mason Lawson.

Just then, a commotion erupted from downstairs. It sounded like someone was confessing their love.

The noise disrupted Sharon Lowe’s livestream. She quickly ended the broadcast and muttered irritably, "So annoying! Who’s making all this racket at this hour?"

Aria, curious as well, hurried out onto the balcony.

To her surprise, a large heart made of candles was laid out downstairs. Todd Hayes stood in the middle of it, holding a bouquet of white roses and facing Eve Vaughn’s dorm room.

"Oh my god, Evie, get out here, quick!"

Aria shouted in surprise to Eve Vaughn, "Is Todd Hayes confessing his love to you?!"

Eve Vaughn was in the dorm packing a few things, because Mason Lawson had just texted her that he was about to arrive.

Hearing Aria’s words, her heart leaped into her throat.

Eve Vaughn rushed to the balcony. It was just as Aria had said.

Students from many other dorm rooms were also poking their heads out, curious about the commotion.

"Eve Vaughn!"

Todd Hayes mustered his courage, looked up in the direction of her dorm, and shouted, "I like you! Please accept me!"

Sharon Lowe sidled up next to Eve Vaughn and said sarcastically, "You rejected Todd Hayes this morning and kept stringing him along just so he’d make a bigger scene and put you in the spotlight, didn’t you?"

"I can’t be bothered to talk to you!"

Eve Vaughn shot her a glare and hurried downstairs.

’This wasn’t putting me in the spotlight; this was a complete and utter public humiliation!’

When Eve Vaughn got downstairs, Todd Hayes’s face lit up. "You finally came down! I was wrong; just writing a confession letter was too hasty. But now, like this, can you see how sincere I am?"

In his eyes, the fact that Eve Vaughn had come down meant she was agreeing!

The surrounding students were chanting and cheering, "Say yes! Say yes!"

Eve Vaughn’s gaze passed through the rowdy crowd and suddenly landed on Mason Lawson, standing motionless under a streetlight.

The man was dressed in a khaki trench coat, his cold, stern expression half-hidden in the dim yellow halo of the lamplight, exuding a chilling aura.