For a split second, silence reigned.Then came the crunch of glass beneath a polished leather shoe as Dr. Russell Alton, one of Hillgrove’s senior board members, stepped into the lab.His sharp eyes scanned the wreckage—shattered vials, a toppled tray—before finally landing on Sean, who stood rigidly near the shelves, hands clenched at his sides.Evan stumbled backward, clutching his collar like he’d narrowly escaped death.“Dr. Alton!” Evan exclaimed, voice trembling but loud. “He grabbed me! Threw me onto the shelf. I—I tried to talk calmly, but he just snapped!”Sean said nothing at first. His jaw was locked tight.Dr. Alton turned to him. “Mr. O’Connor. Is that true?”Sean’s gaze flicked from Evan to the broken glass, then to Alton. His voice, when it came, was calm—too calm.“That’s not what happened,” he said flatly, clearly uninterested in defending himself. All he wanted was to return to his work.Evan let out a forced, incredulous laugh. “You’re seriously going to lie? After

No one had expected Dr. Alton to speak about someone like that—and certainly not about Sean O’Connor.It wasn’t just shocking—it was revolting.Just hearing Alton’s words made everyone in the room feel a mix of disgust and unease.“He should leave the research to the actual researchers!” Dr. Alton snapped.Evan nodded quickly and added, “I don’t understand why you’re supporting him, Dr. Havel. He’s just some random guy leeching off our resources. He can’t even afford his own equipment, let alone carry out proper research on his own.”Dr. Havel’s expression darkened, his patience worn thin. He had given them a chance to apologize and change their ways, but it seemed they had chosen to lie and scheme against Sean instead.“That’s enough,” he snapped, his voice sharp and commanding. “Both of you had a chance to apologize. You chose to double down—with arrogance and disrespect.”The room fell silent again, tension crackling in the air. Dr. Alton and Evan looked stunned, clearly not expect

Evan looked at Sean, his eyes wide and pleading. Panic had taken over.He hadn’t just lost a job—he had lost his future. His career. His only lifeline.“I—I have a younger brother who’s sick too,” Evan stammered, desperation thick in his voice. “That’s why I took this job. For the medical coverage. I was scared I’d lose it. I didn’t mean to mock you—I didn’t understand. Please... I didn’t know.”Sean looked down at him, expression unreadable. No anger. No triumph. Just stillness.Controlled. Distant. Unmoved.To the side, Dr. Alton stood rigid, horror slowly settling into his face. Watching Evan throw away every last bit of pride made his stomach twist—but he couldn’t afford to stand still now.He swallowed the bitter taste of pride and took a stiff step forward.“I… apologize,” Dr. Alton said, voice strained. “I was wrong. Deeply wrong. My judgment was clouded. I let arrogance get the better of me. I see that now.” But Sean didn’t reply.Didn’t acknowledge them.Instead, he slowly tu

Rosalind could hear heavy footsteps and raised voices through the phone, but she couldn’t make out what was happening.Then she heard it—her name, loud and clear.Her brow furrowed, heart quickening. “Chloe, are you alright? What’s happening?!” she demanded.On the other end, Chloe’s voice trembled. “Ms. Springfield… men just barged into the reception area. Armed. They’re demanding to see you.”Before Rosalind could respond, the call abruptly ended.For a split second, she stared at the silent phone in disbelief. Then she shot to her feet.Striding out of her office and into the hallway, her heels clicked sharply against the marble floor. The tension in her chest grew heavier with every step. She bypassed the elevator and took the stairs, her pace unrelenting.By the time she reached the ground floor, she heard shouting.“Where is she?! We know she’s here!”“Are you joking with us?!”“We don’t care who the hell she is! Just take us to her!”“We don’t have all day—send someone to get R

Rosalind didn’t flinch.Even as Vincent’s voice thundered through the room and echoed in her ears, she met his fury with composure.“I’m not here to argue about blame,” she said, her voice steady. “I’m here to understand what you want—and what it’ll take for you to leave Sean out of this.”Vincent stood abruptly, his chair scraping harshly against the floor.“What I want?” he repeated, incredulous. “You think this is about wanting something?”His tone cracked like a whip. Rosalind’s gaze flicked away for the briefest second. If he refused to say what he wanted, how could she offer anything? How could she take responsibility for what had happened?Still, she tried. “If it’s financial restitution, I can arrange it. Quietly. Generously—”“Money?” Vincent cut her off with a bitter laugh. “Do you think I care about your hush money? My son will never walk again, and you want to buy me off?”Rosalind didn’t blink. “It’s not about buying you off. It’s about offering what I can—because I am sor