Part 3The Scent of Betrayal
About 985 characters · Part 3 is the last of the three Parts printed here; Part 4 continues in the official app.
Looking back, Marcus had been acting strange for two months.
He's an engineering professor. His life is lectures and his lab. This is a man who wouldn't notice if his collar was inside-out.
But two months ago, he suddenly started caring about his appearance.
He started researching anti-aging serums and skincare.
He'd stand in front of the mirror at night, tapping toner onto his face like some influencer.
His phone, once tossed carelessly on the counter, became his lifeline.
He took it into the shower. He slept with it under his pillow. He even clutched it in his hand when he went to the bathroom.
When he looked at his screen, he’d subconsciously angle his body away, shielding it.
Once, I brought him a plate of fruit and got too close. He flinched like a startled rabbit and locked his phone.
When I asked, he always had an excuse.
"It's just my grad students. They might message about the experiment at any time."
Right. He's been teaching for twenty years, but now he's this dedicated.