03 No Turning Back

+8 Pearls

As Martha ranted, her expression twisted again with fury. “This is all Scarlett’s fault. All of it!” she hissed. “I want her to pay–utterly, painfully!” Franklin pulled her gently into his arms. “Alright,” he murmured, “I promise. Reba will get justice.

Jack rested his chin on his hand, thoroughly enjoying the show. “Pixel really had it rough,” he mused. “But in the end, she shined through on her own merit.” He grinned. “Jasper, you were right from the start. You’ve got great taste in people.” Jasper’s reply was immediate and dry: “Except you.” Jack gawked. “Hey! No love. for me?”

Just as he was about tounch into a dramaticint, a man in ck stepped up and whispered something in his ear. Jack’s gaze drifted toward Uncle Hat and he let out a coldugh. “Good thing you encrypted Pixel’s USB,” he said. “Otherwise we really would’ve had a mess on our hands today.” He narrowed his eyes. “Wait–don’t tell me you actually saw all thising?” Jasper didn’t answer right away. His gaze was still fixed on Scarlett, now standing at the center of the hall, calmly giving media interviews. Finally, in a t tone, he said, “It’s just human nature.”

Scarlett had been thest to present. With the presentations concluded, it was time for the experts to deliberate and pick the best one. But they couldn’t. Every one of them had gathered around Scarlett instead, peppering her with questions. And just like that, it turned into a recruiting frenzy.

“What field are you pursuing for your PhD? Have you considered immunology?”

“I specialize in cancer research! You’d fit perfectly in myb!”

“Here’s my institute’s card–please,e visit sometime!”

Eventually, John couldn’t take it anymore. He shoved the other professors aside with a scowl. “That’s enough! Scully’s already agreed to be my student. Back off, all of you!”

The crowd erupted into good–natured protest, half–serious, half–joking. Scarlett quietly backed away from them, trying not to draw more attention. She slipped through the crowd like a breeze.

But then-“Scarlett.”

She had only walked a few steps when Calvin blocked her path.

She frowned. “Is there something you need, Professor Miller?”

Calvin looked nothing like his old self. The arrogance, the superiority–it had all melted away. He looked like a defeated man, as though he’d aged five years in an hour.

“That idea of marking cancer cells,” he rasped, “that was something I mentioned to you before…”

Scarlett’s frown deepened.

“I’m not saying you stole my idea,” Calvin added quickly. “I know you’ve taken it much further than I ever

did.”

His voice was hoarse. Even he had never thought to take the concept all the way to cell–surfacebeling. Scarlett had surpassed him in every way. A cold pang of guilt twisted in his gut.

43.81%

Chapter 103 No Turning Back

48 Pearls

Earlier, when Reba had run off in tears to the Joyner family, he’d stepped away from the chaos. Now. stopping Scarlett like this—she probably thought he was here to im credit for her work. And who could me her? The kind mentor she once respected was long gone.

“So, what exactly are you trying to say, Professor Miller?” Scarlett asked evenly.

“I’m saying… you’ve changed. You were too impulsive before. Always picking fights with Reba. But now, I can see you’ve grown. You’ve refocused on your research.” He took a breath, slipping back into that old, kind tone. “If you’d like, I’m willing to wee you back to theb. You’ll need ess to our simtion systems to keep developing this work.”

He paused, then offered the clincher. “Once you return, I’ll give you the keys myself. You can run the system whenever you need. I’ll even handle the funding applications with the university. You won’t need to worry about money.”

It was a generous offer–one that would’ve seemed irresistible months ago. ess to the simtion systems had always been tightly controlled. Back when Scarlett had needed them most, she was told to wait, told to prove herself, told to stop peting with Reba for attention.” Eventually, she discovered that Calvin had quietly handed Reba a spare key. Even when she came in with a mountain of documentation proving her work was ready, he brushed her off.

That was the day she gave up on theb.

“No thanks,” she said calmly.

“You’re turning down ess to the entire simtion system?” Calvin was stunned. In his mind, he’d already mapped everything out: he would lead the new cancer–marking project, push it forward with Scarlett as the star researcher, and ultimately im the glory of revolutionizing cancer treatment. Of course, Scarlett would get top priority with theb’s resources. He thought it was a dream deal. He never expected her to refuse without hesitation.

He stood there,pletely thrown.

“I said what I needed to say when I left theb,” Scarlett said coolly. “If you have nothing else, could you step aside? Please and thank you.”

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