Chapter17
In a flash, Chase stormed forward, jaw tight.
“Sierra, who is he?”
A dangerous thought struck him–what if she had left because of this guy?
What if that was the real reason she disappeared?
After all, they had loved each other so much. There had to be something more.
He couldn’t believe Sierra would just stop loving him and run off alone to some remote region like
the Northwest.
Sierra’s expression turned stormy as she was blocked once again.
The guy beside her looked puzzled. “Sierra… who is this?”
She kept her tone level. “Chase Walker. He’s one of Professor Tyler’s new grad students. Since Professor Tyler’s still on a work trip, I’m covering the first couple of days as TA.”
Chase’s gaze drilled into her. “And who’s he?”
Like a jealous boyfriend catching someone cheating.
“That’s none of your business,” Sierra said curtly and moved to leave.
But Chase grabbed her words like a lifeline.
“You left because of him, didn’t you? You already liked someone else back then. That’s why you ghosted me!”
His voice cracked with raw emotion.
The guy beside her, still unsure what was going on, introduced himself.
“I’m Rowan. I’m a year above Sierra–we work together in the lab a lot. But we only met junior year.”
They’d met during research assignments. Sierra had started shadowing their professor early and often–she had natural talent and a precise hand, which eventually earned her the role of TA.
Thanks to her lab experience and top performance, she’d become the go–to undergrad in the department—and Rowan was one of the seniors who’d guided her through it.
But even with Rowan’s explanation, Chase wasn’t convinced.
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His eyes narrowed with suspicion. “So what exactly are you two now?”
Rowan opened his mouth, but Sierra stepped in first..
“That’s none of your concern.”
She grabbed Rowan by the wrist.
“Let’s go.”
Back then, Sierra had been so blind–thinking Chase was her salvation.
Looking at him now only made her stomach turn.
He acted like he owned her. Like any guy near her had to be interrogated.
It was like this back in high school–and it hadn’t changed.
He could flirt with whoever he wanted, but the second she so much as spoke to another guy, she was suddenly unfaithful?
Why?
They weren’t together anymore.
And even when they were… what were they, really?
Chase caught up to them again, desperate.
Sierra’s eyes turned icy. “Chase Walker, if you keep following me and asking invasive personal questions, I’ll have to repo
you.”
“I’ll submit a formal request to
your background for violating campus confidentiality.
That could get you expelled.”
Her words hit him like a slap.
Chase froze, helpless as he watched her and Rowan walk away.
His throat tightened like something invisible was choking him, and panic rose in his chest
Once they were a distance away, Rowan finall
“So… you know that guy?“,
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gave in to curiosity.
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“An ex?” he asked, eyebrows raised.
Sierra forced a smile. No one had ever known what she and Chase were.
Not really.
They weren’t officially a couple.
She wasn’t his girlfriend.
She was just the girl he used for sexual experience.
Without thinking, she said flatly, “No. Just a one–night stand.”
