Joseph let out a cold laugh. "How do you think this ends? Here, see for yourself!"He grabbed a document off his desk and threw it in Sophie's face.Sophie picked it up, and her face turned paler with each line she read. There were words regarding disciplinary action… project funding slashed by half
"It's good that you understand!" Sophie snapped just as Yasmine's phone rang."Hello?" she answered, and whatever she heard made her face go white."How can they be doing an inspection all of a sudden? This wasn't supposed to happen! Plus, didn't they just inspect us?"Alright, I'll be there right a
Meanwhile, Sophie had just received her disciplinary action. In no time, two of her labs were slapped with notices for rectification. It felt like her world was crashing down."Aunt… Dr. Xander, what do we do now?" Yasmine asked while gripping Sophie's arm anxiously.Hank looked equally distressed w
Beckett's expression finally softened. "Should we try to placate Christine?""No need. I know Chris well; she's not one for power struggles or internal conflicts. She's one of the rare few who are deeply committed to academia," said Hendrix."What about her three students and the lab everyone's talk
"How's that possible?" Beckett was in disbelief.Not only were Miranda and the other students at Bedford College, but their advisor, Christine, was still officially a faculty member."If it's not credited to the college, then where?"Aileen replied, "Infinity Lab."A thought flashed through Beckett'
"You…" Hendrix was tongue-tied.Christine spoke slowly and firmly, "My students deserve my protection. I'd rather forfeit any superficial recognition than let those who've hurt them benefit. That's all there is to it."I didn't put my name on this one, and I won't in the future. The college had bett
The Landon estate wasn't the typical modern-style mansion but rather a traditional courtyard-style home. The front and back courtyards were interconnected, with the walls a faded gray, and some sections even peeling.The front yard was paved with blue-gray stone, giving the place an old-fashioned lo
Out of politeness, Miranda lightly shook his hand but quickly pulled hers back. Kai thought for a moment and extended his hand toward Madison.Madison had just eaten a tart and hadn't brushed off the crumbs on her hands. Feeling a bit embarrassed, she apologized, "Uh… I'll skip the handshake. Sorry
Miranda glanced at her phone. It was a call from Paul. "Hello, Paul, Merry—"Before she could finish her sentence, she heard the sound of heavy breathing on the other end. Taken aback, Miranda froze for a moment. "What's…""Come outside, Mimi.""What?""I'm out front at your entrance. Come out."As
Austin stuck out his tongue at Yale. "Uncle Yale, shame on you! How can you compare yourself to little kids?" Yale was at a loss for words. Great, he thought, even the kids were bullying him.Suddenly, Susan thought of something and asked, "By the way, where's Paul?" "Oh, he got a phone call earli
Jenny was shocked. "Are they really that powerful?""Of course!" Quincey couldn't help but sigh. "I can't help but admire Miranda sometimes. Back when she needed money, she latched onto a rich young scion. Now that she's still young but craving for status, she went straight for a prominent academic
"Well, Dad and Mom still have a few jars left," Jenny said. "After thinking about it, we really shouldn't turn down Lionel's and his family's good intentions. Oh, right. Quincey, we still have to visit your maternal grandparents for Christmas. Let's head back now."The other members of the Sutton fa
Miranda walked over with a bright smile. "Aunt Jenny, the reason I gave the project to Jack back then was because we were working on a tight budget. Other smart home renovation companies were quoting too high. "Secondly, Jack's team was truly capable and qualified to handle the job. I would've like
Jenny had heard from other relatives some time ago that Jack's company was growing rapidly. His business had boomed so quickly that they could barely keep up with the demand. She had felt a little envious when she first heard the news. Jenny hadn't seen it with her own eyes and didn't know just how
Jenny's words dripped with sarcasm. It felt like someone had hit the pause button on the originally cheerful atmosphere as the smiles on everyone's faces froze. Lionel scratched his head and replied politely, "We were just lucky…""Oh please, don't be so modest! I've got terrible luck, and everyon
Mindy maintained a polite smile. "It's the thought that counts. After all, we're family. There's no need to compare."With that, Cynthia's expression softened into a genuine smile. "Mindy, you really do have a way with words. No wonder you're a famous writer."Jenny hadn't managed to gain the upper
Rena's smile widened and looked more genuine. "These are not cheap, right? You're really too much. We're just having a Christmas dinner with family, so there's no need to bring all these gifts."She wasn't like Jenny, who couldn't stand seeing others doing well. Her brother-in-law's success was a g