My Reborn Admirer Wins Over My Heart (Oriana) novel Chapter 127

**He Returned to Break and Own Me and for His Queen: Chapter 127 – James’ Anguish**

“No, it’s absolutely not the same! You just don’t get it!”

James’s fingers tangled in his hair as he unleashed a primal roar, a sound filled with frustration and despair that echoed off the walls.

“You ruined me!”

Luna, taken aback by the sheer intensity of his outburst, felt her gentle demeanor harden almost instantly, as if a protective shield had descended around her.

Who did James think he was? Even the act of serving her had been a privilege, a chance for him to shine. And now, here he was, audaciously acting as though he held some kind of power over her?

She let out a low, mocking laugh, her voice laced with sarcasm. “James, that’s entirely misguided. You took all the credit for yourself and left Mr. Flint embarrassed in front of everyone. How dare you turn this around and blame me?”

With a dismissive snort, she added, her tone light yet biting, “Who would have thought you’d end up being even more pathetic than Oriana?”

“You know nothing about me!”

James leapt to his feet, his face contorting with rage, transforming him into a figure of wild fury. The sudden shift in his demeanor startled Luna, causing her to instinctively retreat behind Leo, who stepped forward, his protective instincts kicking in.

“Listen, James. Luna’s right. This entire disaster falls squarely on your shoulders. You have no right to point fingers at her.”

Leo’s brows knitted together as he scrutinized the man before him, feeling a mixture of alienation and disappointment swell within him.

“It was a minor issue, yet you blew it out of proportion, making everyone lose face in the process. What on earth happened to you, James? Why provoke Oriana? Wouldn’t it have been wiser to simply keep your distance? And now, even in this moment, you refuse to acknowledge your own mistakes—still trying to pin the blame on Luna?”

He shook his head, disappointment etched into every line of his face. “I’m done with this nonsense. Truly, I am.”

James trembled, his entire body shaking with a mix of anger and despair. “Leo?”

Behind him, Luna’s voice was soft, almost a whisper. “Leo, please don’t be too harsh on James. He’s just upset and needs to express his feelings. I’m okay. I was merely startled earlier.”

“Luna, this isn’t your responsibility. You don’t need to defend him.”

“But James isn’t entirely at fault. This situation involves me too. If it weren’t for my presence, perhaps his pride wouldn’t have been so bruised that he felt the need to challenge Oriana. I’ll go speak with Mr. Flint. If I take on some of the blame, maybe he won’t be so furious.”

“Luna—”

James froze, his breath catching in his throat.

He lifted his eyes, dazed, and saw her clinging to Leo’s side, tears glistening in her eyes, looking so fragile and vulnerable. A wave of darkness washed over him, clouding his thoughts.

Finally, a bitter smile crept onto his lips, tinged with regret.

Why had he been so foolish, so blind, always chasing after Oriana?

He felt like nothing more than a pawn, manipulated and tossed around in someone else’s game.

Without uttering another word, James turned on his heel and walked away, his expression shrouded in shadows of despair.

By dawn, he found himself waiting at the foot of the dorm building, near the classrooms, anticipation thrumming in his veins.

When he spotted Cormac, he dashed toward him, urgency fueling his every step.

“Mr. Flint!”

Cormac’s eyes flicked toward him, then he turned to walk away, dismissing him without a second glance.

James hurried after him, thrusting three handwritten pages filled to the brim with his thoughts and apologies into Cormac’s hands, his voice raw with desperation. “Mr. Flint, I’ve genuinely realized my mistakes this time. I swear I’ll never bring you shame again. I’ll dedicate myself to my studies and research from now on. I won’t—”

Cormac halted abruptly, and James’s heart leaped with a flicker of hope. “Mr. Flint—”

Cormac snatched the pages from James’s hands, his gaze as cold as ice, his movements devoid of warmth.

With one swift, brutal motion, Cormac tore James’s painstakingly written self-critique into shreds, disregarding the effort and emotion that had gone into it.

Along with the paper, he shredded James’s last glimmer of hope.

Cormac flung the torn pieces at James’s face, the remnants of his effort scattering like his dreams.

“Idiot. You think I would ever let you back into my lab? Not a chance.

“When the MDT concludes, you either drop out or find someone else to mentor you. Mark my words. If you stay with me, forget about graduating—forget even a single experiment or paper. I’ll ensure you never touch any of it.”