Independence

Ingrid wasn’t her same old self. Her old items just didn’t suit her anymore. “Look through these things. If you find anything useful, take it. If not, please help me get rid of the rest.”

“Huh? You don’t want them?”

“Yeah,” Ingrid replied.

Her roommates were speechless.

Ingrid returned to her dormitory and left without taking anything. She walked out of the campus and called Dan to pick her up. With a mix of astonished and envious stares following her, she settled into the back seat of the car and departed with style.

That evening, she discovered that Hansel had finally returned home. She smiled and greeted him, “I have

on, I can stay good news. I’ve submitted my withdrawal application to the university today. From now home and take care of you and our baby.”

After a busy day of social events,

ally resolved the issue with his company’s bidding project. hadn’t even had a chance to take off his coat when he arrived home when Ingrid sprang the “surprise” onThis is property © NôvelDrama.Org.

him.

Hansel looked at her as if she was a fool. “Do you even know what you’re doing?”

Ingrid didn’t catch the skepticism in his tone. She thought he was moved by her sacrifice and had finally seen her worth.

Her eyes welled up as she said softly, “Hans, are you worried about me? I’ve thought it through. You and the baby mean everything to me.

“I’m willing to give up anything for you. Please stop taking out your frustrations on me and treat me and the baby better.”

Hansel scoffed and said indifferently, “If you don’t want to study anymore, just say so. You don’t need to blame me. It’s your life, so do whatever you want.”

If she didn’t value herself, why should he remind her? Everyone was fundamentally different, and she was light–years away from Miranda. At times like this, he felt like giving himself a good slap.

As the rainy season ended in June, the weather started to get hot. Miranda woke up to find the succulents at home in full bloom; the climbing roses on the balcony were also blossoming. Everything seemed lively and flourishing.

She had been working hard in the laboratory lately, immersing herself in experiments and continually updating her data. When she returned home, she was too rushed to notice her plants.

On this rare, less hectic morning, she took the time to water the plants, loosen the soil, and pull out the weeds. She also fed the fish in the aquarium.

Miranda arrived at the laboratory on time, greeted everyone, and began working.

She had already collected data for 42 groups, with 12 single and 15 control groups left to complete. The

task was challenging and required full attention.

Sandy showed up two minutes late. Her husband was on a business trip, and her in–laws were in the hospital, so she had to handle the school run for their son. To top it off, she got stuck in rush hour traffic, which frustrated her.

“I’ve had such a rough time lately. I broke two plates this morning, and the car almost got scratched on the way to drop my son off. I think I need to find time to go to church,” Sandy said.

Silas interjected, “Since when did you become superstitious? Didn’t you say you believe in science and data?”

She sighed. “When asking for help and solving problems doesn’t work, sometimes you turn to something more. My mother–in–law is still in the hospital with severe arthritis, and she’s in a lot of pain.”

Miranda paused her work and glanced at Sandy.