Burnt Bridges

Two months before National Exams, Edward Carter—a devoted teacher at Nova Academy—collapses from exhaustion while writing detailed study plans for his students. Battling a 104°F fever that nearly causes a seizure, he still feels joy for the student who just won a gold medal in a major competition. Even when his credit is stolen by Brian Lee, he doesn't care. As long as his students can pursue their dreams and Nova Academy thrives, nothing else matters. He turns down lucrative offers from competing schools, his loyalty unshakable. But before his fever even subsides, he receives a cold call from his girlfriend, Vanessa Shaw—the head of Nova Academy. "You're fired," she says.