The crowd instinctively turned to look at Arthur’s sleeve. There it was—a mugwort design, seamlessly blending with the fabric, so lifelike it almost seemed as if a real leaf had fallen onto the cloth. They weren’t experts in embroidery, nor had they seen Mr. Ivan’s signature work up close before. The craftsmanship was impressive, no doubt, but none of them could say with certainty whether it was truly his. Zac’s eyes flickered toward Ruby before he suddenly spoke. "Ms. Ruby has always been known for her fairness and integrity, never accepting bribes. But today, you seem quite eager to stand up for Arthur." His expression didn’t change much, but the implication in his words was unmistakable. Ruby’s brows furrowed slightly. She met Zac’s gaze directly and said, "Are you implying that I accepted a bribe from Arthur?" Zac raised his brows, feigning innocence. "Ms. Ruby, I would never say such a thing. I just find it odd… Why are you so eager to defend Arthur today? Is there some reason for that?" Ruby let out a sharp laugh, almost in disbelief. Two years. For two years, Zac had stirred up endless trouble. No matter how much she taught or corrected him, his nature remained unchanged. She exhaled, resigned to the fact that some things simply couldn’t be fixed. But that didn’t mean she would tolerate his nonsense. Her voice turned cold. "I spoke up because I happen to know the truth. It’s my duty as a teacher to make sure my students aren’t falsely accused. But in your eyes, that automatically means I was bribed? That I’m biased?" Zac faltered for a split second. Ruby continued, her tone unwavering. "If you don’t believe me, then go ask an embroidery expert. Anyone skilled in the craft will be able to tell you whether this was made by Mr. Ivan or not." The crowd buzzed with conversation. "Isn’t Mr. Yoder one of the most famous embroiderers in South City? I heard even he couldn’t replicate Ivan’s signature style." "Yeah, Mr. Yoder is a big deal in the fashion industry. He’d definitely be able to tell at a glance." "If we could get Mr. Yoder to take a look, we’d have our answer immediately!" "But Mr. Yoder is South City’s top designer. How are we supposed to just ‘get’ him to come here?" "Right now, it’s just one side arguing against the other. Without an expert to confirm it, we really can’t say for sure who’s lying." "But even Ms. Ruby stepped in to vouch for Arthur. Could she really be wrong?" "Yeah, with her personality, she’d never bother defending a lie." Zac clenched his jaw tightly. After a long pause, he scoffed, "And how exactly are we supposed to get Mr. Yoder here? Ms. Ruby, you’re making demands you know we can’t meet." Ruby didn’t expect him to be so shameless. Her brows furrowed again, irritation flashing across her face. Just as she was about to speak, a deep, authoritative voice rang out. "Who said you can’t get Mr. Yoder?" The crowd turned toward the entrance. Someone gasped. "Mr. Lane? Mr. Lane is here!" The moment Zac heard that name, his whole body stiffened. Damn it! Why now? Why does he always show up at the worst times? Since Mr. Lane had transferred to their school, Zac had tried countless times to bribe him, all to no avail. Not only had Mr. Lane rejected every single one of his gifts, but even his father, John, had been turned down multiple times. At first, Zac had thought maybe he just wasn’t offering enough. Then he realized— No.Mr. Lane was just that stubborn. Anytime Zac got into an argument or conflict, Mr. Lane never once sided with him. Never. It didn’t even matter who Zac was up against—Mr. Lane would always lean toward the other side. And now, yet again, he had come charging in, probably to stand by Arthur’s side. Zac’s face twisted in frustration. Mr. Lane made his way through the crowd, heading straight for Arthur. Without a word, he grabbed Arthur’s wrist and inspected his sleeve closely. His fingers traced the embroidered mugwort, his eyes narrowing. "This… This really is an Ivan original. This is his work. Only he could create something like this." He spoke as if he were talking to himself. Then, suddenly, he looked up and locked eyes with Arthur. "You… You know Ivan?" His voice was thick with disbelief. "He just said on the phone… He invited you over for a drink? You know where he is?" His grip on Arthur’s wrists tightened. Arthur winced slightly from the pressure. He was genuinely taken aback. What the hell? This guy is a hardcore Ivan fan? Arthur raised a hand and patted Mr. Lane’s wrist in an attempt to calm him down. "Mr. Lane, don’t get too excited. Yeah, I know Ivan. I know where he lives." Mr. Lane’s sharp, no-nonsense eyes suddenly glistened with emotion. "Tell me. Tell me where he is!" Arthur hesitated. Ivan had always been a private person, someone who cherished his solitude. He didn’t like visitors, let alone strangers showing up at his doorstep.Arthur couldn’t just give away his location so easily.