Nothing happened over the next few days. Nathaniel had just finished a round of data simulations and was packing up when someone suddenly shoved open the lab door.
Lillian Whitmore stood there, her face pale with worry. "Nathaniel, your mom and brother are causing a scene outside! Security can't stop them!"
Nathaniel froze for a moment. He had cut off the money he sent home the day he left. He hadn't expected them to come after him so soon.
From a distance, he could already hear Julian shouting insults and Grace wailing at the top of her lungs.
A crowd had gathered at the entrance.
Grace was sitting on the ground, slapping her thighs as she cried. "My son has made something of himself, and now he's forgotten his own parents! How could he treat us like this?"
Julian was pointing at the security guards and cursing them. "Get out of my way! What's wrong with asking my own brother for money?"
Nathaniel pushed through the crowd. "Mom, Julian, what are you doing?"
Julian yanked himself free from the security guard and stormed up to Nathaniel. "What am I doing? Nathaniel, don't push me too far! I'm still short of 20,000 dollars for my wedding. You're giving me that money today, no matter what!"
"The money I send every month is enough to cover the household expenses. But I'm not paying for your wedding," Nathaniel said coldly.
"Damn it! You were so generous when you were with Audrey. What happened now? She dumped you, and suddenly you're broke?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Julian reached out and shoved Nathaniel hard in the chest. "This is what you get!"
Nathaniel was caught completely off guard. He lost his balance and crashed to the ground.
His elbows and knees slammed against the cold, hard marble floor. Blood began to seep from his scraped skin.
The entire area fell silent. Everyone stared in shock.
Nathaniel tried to push himself up, but a sharp pain shot through his knee, leaving him unable to move for a moment.
The scrapes on his skin burned, but the pain was nothing compared to the humiliation of being shoved to the ground in front of everyone by his own brother.
He looked at the family he had spent more than ten years supporting and spoke through clenched teeth. "I don't have any money."
"Stop being so damn stubborn!" Julian snapped, completely losing control.
He grabbed a small metal sculpture from a nearby flower bed and hurled it at Nathaniel.
People screamed in alarm. But just as the sculpture was about to hit him, a figure rushed in front of Nathaniel.
Thud!
The heavy metal sculpture slammed into the person's back.
It was Audrey.
No one knew when she had arrived. She had thrown herself in front of Nathaniel, shielding him completely with her own body.
She let out a muffled groan and frowned in pain, but she didn't move an inch. She remained firmly in front of him, protecting him.
Nathaniel stared at her in disbelief. Julian's legs nearly gave out beneath him. He was so terrified that he almost collapsed.
Grace's face turned deathly pale, and her whole body began to tremble.
Julian had hit Audrey. Their entire family was finished now.
Audrey spoke clearly and firmly, "Call the police. Someone has attacked a research scientist and threatened public safety. Get the security footage and preserve all the evidence."
The police arrived quickly. Julian and Grace were both terrified.
As the officers led Grace away, she continued to wail. "Nathaniel, I'm your mother! You can't treat us like this!"
Nathaniel watched as Julian and Grace were taken to the police cars.
The crowd slowly began to disperse, but the scene that had just unfolded remained vivid in his mind.
He struggled to his feet, only to stumble.
Audrey reached out to steady him.
Then she noticed his injuries. "You should go to the medical office."
When Nathaniel looked up, he saw her eyes lowered toward him, her brows drawn together with concern.
That expression suddenly reminded him of Audrey in high school.
Even back then, she had been a genius who had won countless awards.
Despite her cold personality, she had been admired by countless boys.
Nathaniel, on the other hand, had always been an average student. His parents paid little attention to him, and he was just another ordinary face in the classroom.
Their lives should never have crossed.
But once, after Julian had falsely accused Nathaniel of doing something wrong, Logan had beaten him so badly that he could barely walk. Not wanting anyone to notice his injury, Nathaniel had spent gym class sitting in a corner of the school field.
After everyone else had left, he heard footsteps approaching him.
Audrey quietly placed a bottle of antiseptic and a packet of gauze beside him.
Her voice was calm, and she politely kept her eyes away from his swollen ankle. "Everyone's gone. It's pouring outside. No one will see you here."
Heavy rain poured beyond the windows. When Nathaniel saw her wet hair and rain-soaked shoulders, his heart began to race.
That was the moment he fell for her.
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