Chapter 3

The crowd immediately broke into a heated discussion.

"Ms. Gunner has been leading the Alphalink Project for years, but progress has been rather slow. Could it really be…"

"People's true intentions are hard to read. Who knows what is really going on behind the scenes?"

"If the shares end up with Avery, Mr. Faraday must have been deceived."

Their remarks dripped with sarcasm, fueled by the satisfaction of exploiting my misfortune and a blatant distortion of the truth.

It seemed they had all forgotten that this laboratory had been built from the ground up.

Every piece of equipment and every research decision had been shaped by my unwavering effort over countless days and nights.

Draco said in a self-righteous tone, "Erica, are you really prepared to let everyone else's efforts go to waste because of your own selfish motives?"

Avery looked toward the wall filled with certificates and awards and sighed. "Draco, I think these hollow honors have blinded Erica. How can she confront reality while holding onto past achievements?

"Why don't we burn these certificates? It will not only help Erica, but also remind us not to remain stuck in the past."

How could she say that? Those trophies and certificates were the result of my journey and the entire team's effort!

Draco nodded immediately. "Avery is right. Since she refuses to face reality, we will help her confront it."

He then instructed the guards, "Get rid of these eyesores. Burn them."

"Stop!" I shouted sharply as I stepped forward to block them.

Avery moved closer and pulled me aside. "Erica, if you keep this up, how is Draco supposed to manage the company going forward?"

The guards immediately began tearing the certificates down from the wall.

Anger surged through me. I grabbed a wooden stick and swung it toward Avery.

"Erica, how dare you!" Draco shouted from behind me.

His expression turned vicious as he seized a fire extinguisher from the corner and slammed it hard into my back.

I let out a sharp gasp of pain. My vision blurred, and I dropped to my knees.

Before I could recover, Draco's face darkened further as he snapped at the guards, "Douse her. Let her see who's really in charge."

It was a plastic drum used in the lab for storing toxic chemical waste.

Although the guards hesitated, they still lifted the container and poured its contents toward me without delay. A sharp, pungent odor filled the air instantly. I forced myself to endure the pain and staggered aside in a desperate attempt to avoid it.

The liquid hit the ground and immediately began to hiss with a sharp sizzle.

The onlookers' faces went pale as they quickly backed away in panic.

If it had struck me directly, the outcome would have been unthinkable.

As Draco looked at my disheveled appearance, he warned coldly, "Erica, if you dare cause any more trouble, I will have you thrown out of this lab immediately."

I stared at him in disbelief. "Draco, how can you treat me like this for a woman who once betrayed you and left without a word?"

He gave a mocking laugh. "Erica, if you hadn't interfered back then, I would have been with Avery a long time ago. Avery never betrayed me. She left because she had no choice, all for the sake of helping me accomplish something greater."

My lips trembled, but I said nothing.

At that moment, Linda Hartwell, a senior staff member, suddenly stepped forward. She pointed at Draco and said angrily, "Draco, do you have any conscience at all? Have you forgotten how Erica helped you build this lab from the ground up?"

Draco's expression turned dark instantly. He could not stand being reminded of how dependent he had once been on me.

He turned sharply toward her and snapped, "Who gave you the right to speak here? If you don't want to work, then get out!"