Scattered on the Wind

He did not even spare Morgan a glance.

Turning directly to the tutor, Dean said calmly, “I was there when Hazel stayed up late to finish her assignment. There’s no way she plagiarized. As for why there’s overlap…”

He paused before finally looking at Morgan. “That’s something you should ask someone else.”

The tutor knew about Dean and Morgan’s relationship. Now, seeing that Dean not only refused to protect his girlfriend but was openly testifying for Hazel instead, and factoring in the Lyons’ background, it instantly tipped the scales for him.

His expression darkened with fury as he pointed straight at Morgan. “Morgan! What else do you have to say for yourself? The evidence is clear! I’m extremely disappointed in you!”

Morgan stared at Dean in disbelief. If this had happened before, she might not have understood why he would treat her like this. However, now that she knew the truth, she understood it all perfectly well.

For Hazel, he could fake a relationship with her. For Hazel, he could post her private photos publicly. Hence, it was no surprise that he was now pinning the offense of plagiarism onto her to protect Hazel. The pain tore through her chest, but she also knew that any explanation would be meaningless after Dean’s words.

The tutor dismissed Dean and Hazel first. Then, he harshly reprimanded Morgan again, declared her assignment void, and recorded the incident in her academic file.

Morgan left the office in a daze. The moment she stepped into the hallway, she saw Dean leaning against the wall alone, clearly waiting for her. She stopped in her tracks, looking at the man she had loved for two years, the man who had deceived her, used her, and hurt her from beginning to end.

Her voice came out hoarse and trembling. “Dean… don’t you think you owe me an explanation?”

He looked up, his eyes calm and indifferent as ever. “Hazel accidentally deleted her assignment yesterday. It was close to the submission deadline, so she asked to use yours as a reference.”

A reference? Was copying it word for word, down to the same typo, considered a reference?

Morgan found it hard to breathe.

Dean continued speaking in that cold, pleasant voice that now sounded unbearably cruel. “You’ve lost your spot in grad school. Hazel is still competing for hers. This assignment is important to her. As for you…” He paused briefly. “Since you’re in this situation anyway, it doesn’t really matter anymore.”

Everything he said revolved around Hazel. He never once considered how she felt or how much this would hurt Morgan.

The overwhelming grief and rage finally drowned Morgan. She could not hold it in anymore. She broke down, screaming and crying hysterically, pouring out every ounce of grievance, pain, and despair she had been suppressing.

It was probably the first time Dean had ever seen the gentle, obedient Morgan in such a state. His brows knitted slightly in confusion. Whenever they disagreed in the past, all it took was a faint frown from him, and she would immediately give in, no matter how unreasonable the request was, even if it meant handing her assignment over to Hazel.

So what was going on this time?

“It’s just an assignment,” he said, frowning as he grabbed her wrist. “Why make such a scene? Enough. Haven’t you always wanted to have a meal with me? I have time today. I’ll take you.”

Morgan forcefully shook his hand off. The motion carried all the despair and anger she had bottled up for far too long.

“I’m not going!” Her voice shook with emotion, her eyes red as she glared at the man she once loved with her whole heart. “Dean, I’m not that pathetic! If you don’t want to eat with me that badly, then don’t ever eat with me again!”

With that, she turned around and ran from the suffocating place.

Dean stood where he was, watching Morgan leave. It was the first time she had resisted him so fiercely—one could even call it defiance. A trace of confusion and displeasure appeared on his face.

The Morgan he knew had always looked at him with careful admiration and unquestioning obedience. She never disobeyed him. If he frowned even slightly, she would immediately reflect on herself and then soften her voice to appease him. Now, the light in her eyes seemed to have gone out, replaced by something he could not understand—cold despair and distance.

He wondered. Was she just throwing a tantrum over the assignment? If she were, how immature of her.

He did not chase after her. To him, this really was nothing more than a trivial matter. Comforting Hazel required effort, but comforting Morgan? There was no need. She would calm down on her own.

With a detached expression, Dean looked away and walked off in the opposite direction.