Masuk“Even though I don’t fully understand your research, can you tell me about the breakthrough your team made?” Felix asked, genuine curiosity in his eyes.Miranda’s eyes brightened too. She set down her glass and thought for a moment.“Our team recently got some promising breakthrough data from the animal models,” she said. “It supports the approach I proposed. If the next round of preclinical research and early clinical trials go smoothly, we may be able to see real therapeutic effects in patients.”Admiration flashed in Felix’s eyes.“Dr. Declan mentioned your theory to me,” he said with a smile. “He said it has the potential to change the early treatment of neurodegenerative diseases at the root. It might even have a shot at an Aurora Prize nomination.”At the mention of the Aurora Prize, Miranda pressed her lips together.Those words carried enough weight to move any scientist.They represented more than personal honor. They were the highest recognition a research breakthrough
Miranda turned her face away and stubbornly said, “No.”But Felix pressed again.“Were you worried about me?”His eyes were serious, with a trace of deep affection.Miranda took a deep breath, then turned back and glared at him in irritation. She wasn’t truly angry. She was only annoyed by his childish behavior.He was already thirty years old, yet he was still playing games like an eighteen-year-old.Felix couldn’t help laughing. His laughter was bright and pleased.Then he walked toward the engineers.“Mr. Gibson, how was it?” the chief engineer asked eagerly.Felix put away his smile and returned to his professional manner, commenting on the test drive in detail.Miranda listened from the side. Although she didn’t know much about cars, she could still feel the men’s excitement and the intensity of their discussion over the technical details.It was almost eleven thirty when Ben invited the engineers to lunch.Felix walked back over to Miranda.“Let’s go. I made a reserv
Miranda stood quietly to the side and waited while Felix finished inspecting the car.Then he took off his suit jacket and rolled up his sleeves, revealing strong forearms with faint veins visible beneath the skin. A staff member came over and handed him a racing helmet.As Felix put it on, he seemed to glance at Miranda.For some reason, her heart tightened.Wasn’t a test drive supposed to be just a normal drive around the track?An engineer thoughtfully opened the driver’s-side door for Felix. The chief engineer got into the passenger seat to explain the vehicle’s systems, while everyone else moved back to the safety area.The moment the car powered on, a low, restrained hum filled the air, like something ready to launch.This was clearly not an ordinary test-drive mode.Ben suddenly said, “Looks like Mr. Gibson is going to test its limits.”One of the engineers beside them spoke with a mix of nerves and excitement.“This model has been tuned with our latest track mode. The
“I don’t need to read the contract. No matter what, I’m grateful for what you tried to do,” Miranda said firmly.Felix frowned.He wanted to argue, but the words stopped before they could leave his mouth.He looked up at her. Though she stood with the sunlight behind her, her eyes were bright. There was no anger in them, no prideful stubbornness, only clear understanding.Only then did Felix suddenly realize that perhaps he really had been wrong.He wanted to make her path easier, but some roads were ones she needed to walk on her own. Some obstacles were ones she needed to overcome herself.Only then would the success truly belong to her. Only then would she have the confidence and the right to speak for herself.At that thought, complicated emotions rose in Felix’s chest.There was disappointment, but more than that, there was admiration and relief.He gave a low laugh, his expression carrying a hint of indulgent tenderness, then stood and walked toward her.Miranda didn’t
The elevator rose.Behind Miranda stood Felix, steady and powerful beside her.With a soft chime, the elevator doors opened.When they entered the conference room, several of DE’s key executives were already waiting.At the long conference table, Felix pulled out the chair beside him and said to Miranda, “Sit here.”Miranda paused.Ben smiled. “Dr. Stone, please.”Everyone turned to look at Miranda.They had all been informed before the meeting. Today was not really about negotiating a strategic partnership. They were simply here to go through the motions.Miranda looked at Felix.He had already taken his seat and was gesturing for her to sit.Miranda sat down beside him.Felix spoke first.“I asked everyone here today mainly for one thing. This concerns a deeper strategic partnership between Dr. Stone’s project and DE. As for the framework agreement and specific details, the relevant teams can follow up later.”Several DE executives nodded in agreement.Ben then took ou
Miranda knew where this might lead, and still, she found herself drawn to him.Life was ultimately just a series of choices. She was already whole on her own. She didn’t need anything from anyone.And yet, her heart still chose him.The next morning, Mia ran over to Felix’s side as soon as she finished washing her face.“Daddy, take me to school.”A short while later, Felix walked in wearing a full suit and took Mia’s hand to bring her to school.Mrs. Young stood by the door, smiling as she watched them leave.“Mr. Gibson is up early today.”Then she turned back to Miranda.“Ma’am, I’ll make you breakfast. Maybe something to help you get your strength back too.”Miranda’s face flushed at once.Had Mrs. Young heard her going over to Felix’s side last night?Had she misunderstood?“Mrs. Young, don’t make anything like that. Just a regular breakfast is fine. I’ll eat and then head to work,” Miranda said.Mrs. Young immediately stopped teasing and smiled.“All right. I’ll go
In the second photo, Mia was riding a little pony, beaming with a toothy grin and flashing a peace sign at Xena’s camera.The images hit Miranda like a punch to the chest. Her heart clenched so tightly she could barely breathe. She had been gone just one day, and Felix had already taken their daugh
Sienna tapped away on her phone, sending a message to Xena.“Xena, we’re having dinner later. Come join us!”“What kind of dinner?”“Just my brother and a few of his friends. Leo will be there too.”“Is Miranda going?”“Even if she is, you can still come. What are you afraid of?” Sienna narrowe
“I’m working. If it’s not urgent, don’t bother me,” Miranda said coldly before ending the call.She was genuinely overwhelmed at the moment. The live sample she had spent two hours cultivating required her full attention to monitor all the data precisely.Tossing her phone aside, Miranda returned
Out in the hallway, Xena turned to Fiona with curiosity. “Why is Miranda part of your research team?”“You know her?” Fiona asked coolly.“I do,” Xena replied, but she didn’t elaborate.Fiona answered mildly, “Her father, Professor Eugene Stone, was a respected figure in the medical field and a c







