Chapter 572

Phoebe glanced at Jack twice before finally looking away. "It's late. Let's head back."

"I'll walk you back," Jack said, standing up.

Phoebe neither agreed nor objected. She simply moved forward quietly, stepping on fallen leaves as Jack accompanied her to the girls' dormitory. Only after watching her disappear into the hallway did he turn and return to his dorm.

By 9:00 am the next morning, Phoebe had already boarded her flight. Jack didn't go to see her off-nor had Phoebe invited him.

Their relationship hadn't reached the point of warranting a private farewell. More importantly, he couldn't find a suitable reason to be there.

In the end, Jack only learned of Phoebe's departure from Feena. A pang of deep regret struck him at that moment.

As the university's centennial celebration approached, Emily sought out Jack with increasing frequency.

Ever since he'd accepted gifts from her and Quintis, Emily had taken it as a positive signal. She wasn't one to waste momentum. Lately, she'd been making frequent campus visits, offering Jack small gestures of concern and the occasional lavish present.

Not long ago, it had been a limited-edition phone and an expensive watch-each item exorbitantly priced. The Patek Philippe alone was worth millions of dollars.

Emily had considered even grander gifts but held back, wary of overwhelming him with extravagance.

However, she noticed Jack never wore or used any of those luxury items-neither the watch nor the phone. Instead, he stuck with his modest, thousand-dollar smartphone.

Emily wondered if Jack disliked extravagance or if he just didn't want to show off. She didn't dare to ask outright, leaving her to speculate. If he hadn't used any of them, maybe he genuinely didn't care for them.

Today, Emily went to Alnewgo University to find Jack. She arrived not with lavish gifts, but with just a bag. Inside the bag was a thermos of broth that she had painstakingly prepared.

She remembered how much Jack had loved that broth as a child. After all these years, Emily wasn't sure if his tastes had changed, but she had to try.

She hoped this gesture would show him what no luxury ever could; that his mother had never forgotten him. She still remembered the exact way he liked his bone broth, with the balance of spices and the tenderness of the meat.

In anticipation of Jack's return, she had never stopped honing her cooking skills, clinging to the hope that he might one day taste it again.

And now, at last, her efforts bore fruit. That carefully simmered broth would finally serve its purpose.

To ensure the broth stayed fresh and flavorful, Emily had chosen to prepare it right there in the van. She worried that making it in advance and transporting it to campus might compromise its taste and by extension, how Jack perceived her efforts. Newest update provided by f͟i͟n͟d͟n͟o͟v͟e͟l͟.net

By the time they arrived at Alnewgo University, the broth had just finished simmering. Emily carefully opened the van doors to let the steam escape, then instructed her assistant to ladle out a bowl. If Jack was in his dorm, she planned to deliver it herself, before it cooled and lost its perfect warmth.

It was lunchtime, and students streaming out of classes couldn't help but stare at

the odd sight. There was a pot of broth inside the luxurious van parked on campus. Emily, who was elegant, impeccably dressed, was overseeing its preparation.

However, Emily ignored their stares. She would do anything that Jack likes. Her only wish was to bring him home as soon as possible.