quietly out of the room. Unable to sleep herself, she stood on the balcony s

petition entry. Flora's heart leapt, expecting good news, but

ialled Otis. He answered instantly, alm

roared, "Otis, this was

ng me in the middle of the n

e phone so tightly that the veins stood out on the

ust want you to be a little more obedient. Come h

er eyes were bloodshot, murderous. She sp

he said smoothly, "I don't have much patien

ith a sharp tap, eye

the end," she muttered, crus

Right at seven, she changed clo

dow when she arrived at the office. S

the table, clenching her fists.

ly, "Professor, I assure you, this p

it; if it won an award, she and Asher wouldn't have to worry for the next few months, and it was her chanc

a single accusation of plagiarism co

er into a corner, to force her to s

ng his temples, looking weary. "But right now, things look

or two years. He didn't believe for a second that Flora would p

to someone reasonably well-known online who had also apparen

llow this," Flora said, picking up her scu

, then pulled open a drawer

a moment, she turned the sculpture around. The back still depicted the vast

onished. He even had to put o

favourite place," Flora said, her expression impassive. "Professor, please ask the committee to let me stay in the compet

ora," he said excitedly, "you never cease to amaze me. To be dealt s

r gaze. She smiled, but

ecautions. If I hadn'

rything clearly, and demand justice for you." Max stoo

nd didn't forget to remind him, "Professor

g. "Ah, right. Getting old and careless." He took a s

ur blood. Flora found it bitterly ironic-how unlucky was she to be born Otis's d

al bags, she returned home to find another pair of expensive leather shoes suddenly outside her doo

neck slightly, making himself com

ssly, saying, "You look just like a

ut the groceries on the table

he'd never imagined she knew how to cook. Yesterday, when he heard she was heading into the kitchen, he'd brac

tied her hair up and hurried to f

d sneered, "You spoil that guy way too much. Aren't yo

She looked at him coldly, her tone de

ole world turned its back on her and betr