Chapter 530:

    Left without anything to do for Nina, Ste returned to her experiments.

    Sizing up her newest rival was all that mattered to her that day.

    Inside theb, Sandra gave Ste a mischievous look and said, “Sylvia, did you see Nina earlier? I heard she’s got that ice-queen vibe—totally unapproachable.”

    Ste’s mind drifted to Nina’s sharp, tailored look. Dressed in a fitted ck turtleneck and dark jeans, with her hair cut just at her jawline, Nina gave off a chill that was hard to ignore.

    That coolness brought back memories of the first time she had met William. Still, Nina’s words today hadn’t bothered her one bit.

    Everyone might be gossiping about how distant Nina seemed, but Ste believed there was something admirable about a person who put work above everything else. Chit-chat couldeter.

    “My impression is that Nina’s actually impressive,” Ste said. “She looks like she knows what she’s doing.”

    Facing someone like Nina made the idea ofpetition appealing to Ste.

    Sandra hadn’t expected Ste to feel that way about the new arrival. For once, Sandra had heard someone say something positive about Nina.

    “Sylvia, you want to hear thetest buzz about Nina? It’s juicy,” Sandra said. “Word around the institute is that Nina might have some connection to William. Rumor has it their history stretches back years, and some even im—” Sandra hesitated, unsure whether to spill the rest.

    Ste let out a smallugh and said, “You can tell me. I’m not bothered.”

    Clearly, Sandra’s reluctance meant the gossip had something to do with her. “They’re saying you might not stand a chance against Nina this time. She’s not just sharp—supposedly, there’s a heavy hitter in her corner.” After blurting it out, Sandra shot a worried look at Ste.

    Quickly, she added, “But Sylvia, I’m cheering for you all the way!”

    With a solemn face, Sandra held up three fingers, pretending to take an oath, which made Ste burst outughing.

    “Don’t stress, Sandra. We haven’t even startedpeting yet. There’s no reason to get worked up over rumors.”

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    Sandra nodded with conviction, secretly admiring Ste’s calm. Gossip never managed to rattle Ste.

    When lunchtime rolled around, Sandra stayed glued to Ste’s side, just like always.

    While the two of them stood in line for lunch, someone from behind crashed into Ste’s shoulder with enough force to make her stumble. Sandra quickly reached out and steadied her before she could fall.

    “You’re alright, Sylvia?” Sandra asked, concern in her voice as she shot a re at the person responsible. “What’s wrong with you? Everyone’s waiting like normal people—no need to push.”

    The woman smirked at Sandra’s reaction and said, “What’s your problem? I barely touched her. Are you really that sensitive? Or maybe you’re both scared you can’t keep up with Nina Carter?”

    Ste’s brow knitted in annoyance, but she stayed silent.

    The woman, growing more brazen, pressed on. “Let’s face it, Sylvia—you can’t hold a candle to Nina. She’s got an overseas degree, she’s close to William, and you’ve got nothing thatpares.” Her voice grew louder with each word.

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    Message from Noah: Have a nice week dear ones. God loves you and Noah wishes you all the best. (? ?? ? – ? ) ?

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