Novels by rice4299

During my days off, I spent most of my time holed up in the apartment, trying to distract myself. Claire had been a lifesaver, as usual. She’d insisted we watch some cheesy rom-coms on her laptop, complete with bowls of popcorn that she almost burned."You’re thinking about work again," she said mid-movie, catching me staring blankly at the screen."I’m not," I lied, but the tension in my shoulders gave me away.Claire muted the film and turned to face me fully. "Maggie, you’re allowed to take a break without feeling guilty. The lab won’t fall apart without you."I sighed, leaning back against the couch. "It’s not just the work. It’s... everything. The dynamics there, the way people look at me—it’s like I don’t belong."She frowned, tossing a piece of popcorn into her mouth. "Who cares what they think? You’re smart, you’re capable, and you’ve worked hard to get where you are. If they don’t see that, that’s their problem."I smiled faintly. Claire always had a way of making things soun

It was one of those days where everything seemed to go wrong.The lab felt quieter than usual, but not in a comforting way. Liam was off, which left me juggling more tasks than I was prepared for. I told myself I could handle it, but the weight of everything pressed down harder with each passing hour.By mid-morning, I’d already made small mistakes in an experiment. A few samples got messed up with their IDs. What was even worse was--I dumped a few samples that supposed to be the correct ones I wanted.What I could do was to dig the bin. Luckily, it was not too full.I could feel my cheek was heating. Olivia, of course, noticed.“Careful there, Maggie,” she said lightly, her voice dripping with feigned concern. “Wouldn’t want to mess up something important.”I didn’t respond, forcing myself to focus on the re-set of the experiment. But her words lingered, weaving into the ever-growing knot of stress in my chest.By lunchtime, my phone buzzed with a message from my mother.If you’re no

The call came early, just as I was getting ready to leave for work. My phone buzzed on the counter, and I hesitated before answering. The familiar number flashed on the screen—my mother. I braced myself, pressing the phone to my ear. “Mum.” Her voice was warm at first, the usual pleasantries exchanged. But it didn’t take long for the conversation to shift. “Maggie, when are you coming home?” she asked, her tone slipping into that familiar mix of concern and insistence. I sighed. “I don’t know, Mum. Work’s been busy. I can’t just leave.” “Busy? Too busy to think about your future? You’re not getting any younger, Maggie. Do you remember James? His mother told me he’s single again. It’d be good for you to meet him when you’re back.” My stomach sank. “Mum, I’m not coming home to get married. I’m focused on my career right now.” At the same time, Daniel’s face came to my mind before I even realized. She made a disapproving noise. “Your career won’t keep you warm at night. Y

The morning started like any other. I tried to lose myself in the routine of setting up experiments, focusing on the samples in front of me. But it was impossible to ignore the tension still lingering from the past few days. My mind replayed fragments of conversations I’d overheard and the heavy silence that followed Daniel’s defense of me. I thought I could escape it for a while. That was until I saw her.The woman in the pub I saw last time. She was waiting for me near the lift on the ground floor when I went to go downstairs grab a quick coffee. Her polished appearance and cool smile immediately set me on edge. She wasn’t supposed to be here. "You must be Maggie," she greeted, her tone was too sweet to feel genuine. "Do you have a moment?" I hesitated, my instincts screaming at me to walk away. But I forced a polite smile and nodded. "Of course." Lauren gestured to a quieter corner of the corridor, away from the lift. "My name is Lauren. I just wanted to have a quick word, wo

Daniel stood outside his father’s office, staring at the polished oak door. His fist hovered for a moment before he finally knocked.“Come in,” Mark’s voice called, deep and commanding.Daniel pushed the door open, stepping into the large office. The walls were lined with shelves of awards and business accolades. His father sat behind the massive mahogany desk, reviewing documents. Lauren sat elegantly in one of the chairs opposite him, legs crossed, a glass of wine balanced perfectly in her hand.Mark glanced up. “Daniel. To what do I owe this visit?”Daniel shut the door behind him, his posture tense. “We need to talk.”Lauren’s eyes flicked to Daniel, her expression carefully neutral, but her grip on the glass tightened ever so slightly.Mark leaned back in his chair, folding his hands. “Go on.”Daniel didn’t waste time. “I’m not interested in taking over the company. I’ve told you that before, and I’m saying it again. I have no intention of leaving the lab.”Mark’s face remained i

The lab was silent except for the steady hum of the machines. It was late—much later than I should've stayed. But the work needed to be finished, and the stillness made it easier to focus. At least, that was what I told myself.I didn’t realize Daniel was still here until I heard the faint shuffle of papers across the room. I glanced up, startled to see him at his desk, sleeves rolled up, leaning over a set of reports. The dim overhead light cast shadows along his sharp features, making him seem even more distant—and yet, not at all.Why was he still here?He noticed me staring.“Still here?” he turned to me and asked, his tone quieter than usual, even….a little bit emotional, lacking its usual authority.I quickly looked away, focusing on the samples in front of me.“Yeah. Just finishing up some things.”Daniel closed the folder he was reading and leaned back in his chair. For a moment, he said nothing, only watching me.“You work too hard,” he said finally, his voice softer—almost c