Chapter 3 Unscrupulous

I woke up in an empty room, and I was bound by thick, heavy ropes. I had no idea how long my imprisonment had gone on for. All I felt was someone injecting nutrients into me every day.

Then, Irene showed up. She came to me and asked, "Having your Ability stripped must be painful. Honestly, I can't believe Joshua tied you up in something like this. It must hurt."

She looked healthy. More than healthy. It almost looked like she had absorbed the essence of a man. I had to reconsider whether Joshua really did cheat on me. Maybe he did.

"All I did was say the word, and Joshua gave me your Ability." Irene bragged, claiming, "I had no idea he'd do that to you. You're not mad, are you? We are best friends. We can share boyfriends and Abilities, can't we?"

Disgust. That was all I felt. It came on harder and stronger than ever before. Just looking at Irene filled me with the urge to disembowel her. Violently.

"It's the celebratory feast tomorrow. We get to eat cakes. Most people don't get that chance, so I told Joshua you're my plus one. I'm sick of cakes, anyway."

I was still disgusted, but the chance of getting out filled me with hope, though I didn't show it outwardly. My lack of response killed Irene's enthusiasm to annoy me, so she left.

The day came, and I was brought out of my ward. Team Zephyr's guys greeted me. The new guys were confused, so they asked, "Why does everyone respect her?"

"That's Sera, the captain's girlfriend. The team only got so famous thanks to her."

"Wait, the captain's girlfriend isn't Irene? Her dress is expensive, and the captain bought it for her. This one is practically wearing rags. There's no way she's the captain's girlfriend."

"I…"

I stared at the perfect couple not far away. They were glamorous. Then I looked at the tatters I was wearing. Dried blood was caked all over it. I sneered quietly.

A volunteer went past me, then they turned back. "No regular people in this feast. How'd you sneak in? Get out of here, or the guards will take you out!"

There were people whispering about this little commotion. Irene came up to me, and Joshua escorted her. She looked at me like I'd disappointed her. "I thought I told you regular people can't come to this feast, Sera. Why would you do this? Even if you wanted to see Joshua, this isn't the way!"

Joshua frowned. "Don't try to get what's out of your league."

I looked at them coldly. "That should be my line. How does my Ability feel, Irene?" I raised my voice, making sure everyone could hear me. "Captain Frost stripped me of my Ability and gave it to Irene just because he could. If Irene wants someone else's Ability…"

The news was a bombshell. Everyone couldn't believe the rumors were true.

"If we're talking about contribution, I found a whole supermarket's worth of supplies for the base. That alone makes me worthy of this feast." I looked at Team Zephyr, and the members looked away or suddenly got interested in the floor beneath them.

I snickered. "If it weren't for that contribution, you think Joshua could've afforded the cakes and your pretty little dress? You two are mooching off me, and you have the gall to laugh at me? I can't believe—"

"Enough!" Joshua interrupted harshly, embarrassed by the exposure.

"I'm sorry, Sera," Irene apologized immediately. "This is all my fault."

"This isn't your fault, you don't have to say sorry." His face shifted. "Volunteers, we have a regular person here. Deal with her."

'I know I might not be your girlfriend, Joshua, but I did so much for the team, yet you would throw me under the bus just to make Irene happy. I can't believe I used to love you,' I mused.

The volunteers and guards were eager to throw me out, but I wouldn't let them. I turned around.

"What's that?" Irene shouted. "That's the healing elixir! How could you steal the base's most precious resource? Even if you'd lost your Ability, you can't steal that!"

The guards surrounded us. I was stunned. I had no idea how the elixir got into my pocket. Then, an alarm blared.

The guards got their orders. "Someone has infiltrated the lab and stolen the healing elixir."

Everyone looked at me. Some had accusatory looks in their eyes, some didn't believe I was the thief. Some just watched the show indifferently.

"Steal? Why would I steal the elixir I handed in?" The elixir in the tube was blue and sprinkled with starlight. This was the exact formula I developed and handed in to the base. I was the only Healer in the whole base.

I explained, "Even if I hadn't developed this, I'm just a regular woman. I could never have the power to break into the lab. It's top security."

I had a point, and the guards' leader was hesitating to get me. Then, someone from Team Zephyr blurted, "That's bullshit! Irene's the one who developed that elixir! You can't steal her credit!"

"Yeah, this feast is only held to celebrate the person who developed the healing elixir."

The guards' leader checked the database and shook my head. "Sorry. According to our investigation, Irene's the one who developed the healing elixir."

I looked at Joshua in disbelief. "What is the meaning of this, Joshua?"

I developed the healing elixir right before I went out for that mission. The elixir could heal the frostbite suffered by metahumans quickly. Just my luck, I had to take a mission before I could get to the lab.

Joshua told me he'd help me hand in my paper, but he changed the developer's name to Irene instead!

Joshua looked away. "I can't believe you'd try to steal someone else's credit, Sera."

I was horrified. Not even the pain of being abandoned in the freezing landscape out there could compare to the agony I was feeling right now.