The guard, seeing no other way, finally called Grace.


    Grace was buried in paperwork for the project with Yule Group. When she saw the


    contact name sh on the screen, she hesitated momentarily before answering.


    "What is it?"


    "Ms. Lambert, something''s off with Mr. Lambert. His mental state doesn''t seem


    good."


    Grace frowned and pushed the files aside. "What happened?"


    Still believing Andrea was someone Grace had personally sent, the guard didn''t


    mention her.


    "He just... keeps saying he wants to see you."


    Grace exhaled slowly, her voice steady. "Let him tough it out. He needs to


    remember this lesson."


    Liam hadn''t been hooked for long—as long as he had the will, he could still


    recover.


    The guard nced at the tightly shut door, sighing helplessly.


    "Ms. Lambert, if you have time... maybe you shoulde by. He''s your brother,


    after all."


    Grace pressed her fingers against her forehead. "I''lle by this afternoon."


    She finished sorting her documents quickly and was just about to leave when her


    phone rang again. It was Sebastian.


    "Ms. Lambert, we might have a problem. I haven''t been able to get a hold of


    Jasper since yesterday afternoon."


    Grace immediately switched course, turning her car toward Druville College.


    She knocked on Jasper''s room door and entered, where she found out he was


    sick.


    Grace reached out to feel his forehead as she stood by his bed, then quickly


    opened the sliding door to the balcony for some fresh air.


    "You''re burning up. Why didn''t you tell your roommates?"


    Jasper batted her hand away, his voice hoarse. "No need for you to worry about


    me, Ms. Lambert."


    He coughed hard several times after he spoke.


    Grace realized that Jasper was just like a prickly little hedgehog—he absolutely


    refused to show weakness to anyone.


    He didn''t want his roommates to know, and from the looks of it, he didn''t get along


    with them either.


    Grace felt a bit guilty when she


    thought back to how Liam had once


    gotten people to pick on Jasper.


    Could Liam have dragged the whole


    ss into isting him, too?


    That sort of thing usually happened


    in elementary or middle school, not


    at the university level, where people


    should''ve been mature enough to


    know better.


    She decided not to ask. Instead, she headed to the campus clinic and bought


    some medicine.


    On the way back, she ran into Jasper''s roommates in the hallway.


    They looked surprised to see her. "And you are?"


    "I''m his rtive. He''s running a fever. I came to check on him."


    The guys clearly didn''t buy it. One of them gave her a once-over, noticing how


    stunning she looked and how well she was dressed.


    "Yeah, right," he sneered. "Bet you''re just some sugar mama keeping him


    around."


    Grace had figured Jasper was probably just unpopr, but she hadn''t expected


    him to be treated this badly.


    Her smile turned cold.


    "And you''re so sure because... what, you''ve done that yourself?" She crossed her


    arms, voice casual but cutting.


    "Honestly, kid, it''d be a miracle if any rich woman looked twice at you. Maybe if


    you''re lucky, a 60-year-old might give you a shot."


    The guy''s face flushed bright red, and his lips trembled like he wanted to retort but


    couldn''t. How could he, staring at a face this pretty?


    Grace patted him on the shoulder, her tone light but mocking.


    "You''re all still young. Why be so


    bitter already? Jealousy doesn''t look


    good on you. Once I''ve sorted


    Jasper out, maybe I''ll introduce you


    guys to a few sugar mamas. Don''t


    expect them to be young and hot,


    though. Is 60-something okay with


    you?"