Chapter 923

The moment the ceremony concluded, Principal Shaw cornered Seth to chat.

Seth’s entire focus was on Noreen. Seeing her get up to leave, he wanted to call out to her, but Shaw’s chattering cut him off.

After giving a brief, polite response, he spotted Dylan chasing after Noreen.

Seth’s brow furrowed. Abandoning any pretense of politeness with the principal, he stated flatly, “My apologies, Principal Shaw, but I have a pressing matter to attend to. Let’s catch up another time.”

With that, he practically sprinted out the door, terrified of being a step too late.

He had been a step too late in the past.

This time, he absolutely refused to fall behind.

“Noreen.”

Dylan had followed Noreen out, managing to call her name just before she walked out the campus gates.

Noreen stopped and turned to look at him.

“Can we talk alone for a minute?” Dylan asked, his tone pleading.

Noreen was completely upfront with him. “If it’s about work, anytime. If it’s about anything else, let’s just leave it.”

Her outright rejection made Dylan’s heart sink. He finally voiced the question that had been eating at him. “Is it because of Seth?”

Noreen didn’t answer right away.

“You’ve been waiting for him all these years, haven’t you?”

Noreen’s gaze remained incredibly calm and composed.

She answered him with absolute sincerity. “No.”

“I haven’t been waiting for anyone.”

Over the years, she had genuinely hoped to meet someone who could make her heart flutter again.

Unfortunately, she never did.

Admittedly, there had been plenty of high-quality men who had shown interest in her.

But in the end, the timing was always just a little off.

Just like with Dylan.

She had wavered. She had been fully prepared to take Claire Chase’s advice, to welcome a new life and embrace a new relationship.

Sadly, they had missed their window.

Ultimately, she seemed accustomed to missing her chance with everyone.

She simply kept walking forward, step by step, at her own pace.

The people around her came and went like passing scenery.

But she had never stopped and stayed for anyone.

Including Seth.

“But just now, you were clearly…”

Dylan was anxious, his words tumbling out with desperate urgency.

But the words got caught in his throat.

He revised his sentence. “…clearly paying attention to him.”

He had been sitting right next to Noreen. He had seen her every move.

At first, she hadn’t paid Seth any

mind. But after her conversation et

with Principal Shaw, she had been throwing s subtle glances at Seth all night.

“And you’re saying you’re not waiting for him?”

Noreen shook her head, her answer unwavering. “I’m not.”

“To be precise, he ran ahead and waited for me.”

That final sentence completely silenced Dylan.

How was he supposed to argue with that?

During the five years Seth was gone, Dylan had been given ample time and endless opportunities to win her over.

But he hadn’t.

He had even missed the one moment she had actually wavered.

The regret was entirely his own to bear.

Seth hastily bid farewell to Principal Shaw and chased after them.

But as luck would have it, he bumped into an old acquaintance halfway there who

dragged him into a conversation.

He

ned the guy off as fast as

reached the gateshe

possible, but by the

nowhere to be seen. Content.

Even her car was gone.

She had probably left.

A crushing wave of disappointment washed over him.

His mind spiraled with a million chaotic thoughts.

Did she leave with Dylan?

It was incredibly rare for her

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personal bodyguard not to be hovering around today, yet she had been snatched away by Dylan stepping in halfway.

Seth felt an overwhelming sense of loss.

But he didn’t give up. He pulled out his phone and called Noreen.

The call went through, but no one answered.

His driver, Linda, was standing by the car, grinning at him like an absolute idiot.

Seth frowned, thoroughly confused by the goofy smile.

Linda simply reached out and opened the rear door of the car.

The sound of a ringing phone drifted out from the backseat…

Seth froze in his tracks.