The assistant was about to take on the task of serving drinks, but when he saw Joen raise his hand, he held back and quickly stepped away. Joen ced two sses of water on the coffee table in front of Robert and Mirabe, then sat down. His face softened with a rare, gentle smile. "I''m really sorry. I didn''t expect my student to act so recklessly."


    If the assistant had still been there, he would have been shocked by Dr. Joen''s uncharacteristically kind demeanor.


    Robert, used to dealing with Dr. Elliot''s sternness, stayed calm with Joen. He simply said, "No one saw thising. But shouldn''t your student apologize to Mirabe in front of everyone?"


    Joen''s expression changed slightly at Mirabe''s name. "Yes, an apology is necessary. But Summer isn''t on campus, and we can''t seem to get in touch with her."


    Robert frowned. "What do you mean you can''t contact her?"


    Did she take off? Or were they just avoiding giving them an exnation?


    Joen rested his fingers on his knee, his skin unusually pale from years in theb. His gaze settled on Mirabe as he said cryptically, "Maybe she''s already facing the consequences of her actions."


    Robert was thrown by this vague reply.


    Mirabe lounged back in her chair, seemingly unaffected by Joen''s look, like she didn''t quite get what was going on. She kept quiet, her eyes drifting to the ss of water on the coffee table, lost in thought.


    "I''m not sure I follow, Doctor?" Robert asked, trying to clear up his confusion.


    Seeing Joen''s focus on Mirabe, Robert turned to her, noticing her gaze on the water ss. Was she thirsty but too shy to take it?


    Robert cleared his throat and handed one of the sses to Mirabe. After that, he looked back at Dr. Joen.


    Mirabe, reluctantly taking the ss, seemed puzzled: "?"


    "Maybe you should ask your student," Joen suggested, his gaze moving past Mirabe, still full of patience and politeness.


    Robert was more puzzled. How did this turn back to Mirabe?


    He was about to speak when a phone rang, cutting him off.


    Joen''s phone buzzed. He nced at it and then hung up.


    Not even a minuteter, the


    assistant burst into the imel


    skipping the knock, clearly.


    hurry.


    Joen noticed his assistant''s anxious look and narrowed his eyes. "What happened?"


    The assistant rushed to Joen''s side, bending down to whisper quickly in his ear.


    After hearing the news, Joen''s expression turned serious. "We need to go."


    Without a word to Robert, he stood up and quickly left the office.


    His hurried exit suggested something big had happened.


    Robert stared at the door, trying to make sense of it. "What''s going on?"


    Mirabe raised an eyebrow, thoughtfully saying, "Sounds like theirb just blew


    up."


    "Theb


    lew up?" Robert looked at


    Mirabe. "What do you


    do know that Mirabenow