Chapter 4

Bracing myself for the worst, I walked into the office with a sense of impending doom.

Julian’s private office.

The grey-toned decor gave off a suffocating, clinical vibe.

Julian himself was practically radiating a murderous aura.

Hearing me enter, he didn't even bother to look up.

"You took your sweet time. Are you physically incapable of walking faster?"

I chanted in my mind: *He's yelling at Chloe, he's yelling at Chloe.*

"How long have you been in my research group?" Julian asked, his voice dripping with impatience.

"Two years," I said, my voice trembling slightly.

"Two years? And this is the kind of garbage data you compile?"

Julian threw the report right at my feet.

I bent down to pick it up, locking eyes with his cold, ruthless gaze.

His sharp eyes felt like they could rip me to shreds.

"Two years in my lab and you still make such amateur mistakes? Do you think there’s any point in continuing your research stipend next month?"

Terrified, I blurted out, "Yes, yes, it's my fault."

Marcus knocked and walked in, carrying a stack of files. He glanced at me, frowning slightly.

"The latter half of this report is actually excellent, but the beginning is a complete disaster. If you don't want to do the work, you can leave the project," Julian continued to hammer down on me.

"Avery has been in the group for two years, and she’s always been the most meticulous. This doesn't make sense. I heard she worked on this report with Chloe?" Marcus tried to speak up for me.

Julian shot him a freezing glare.

In that brief distraction, my eyes fell on the fountain pen Julian was holding.

That pen looked incredibly familiar. It was almost identical to the one I had gifted my online boyfriend.

I had handpicked it at a vintage store, and the owner had assured me it was a one-of-a-kind piece.

On some weird instinct, I blurted out, "Is that pen nice to write with?"

Julian’s already icy expression hardened even further. "Mind your own business."

"You're pulling an all-nighter in the lab tonight. You don't leave until the data is fully corrected."

Julian’s word was law. If I didn't finish, I definitely wouldn't be going home.

Chloe was nowhere to be found in the lab all afternoon.

Since I couldn't reach her, I had to completely redo her half of the report myself.

Collecting data, searching through literature...

I worked through the entire evening. Soon, all the other lab members left.

I was the only one left in the lab, illuminated by the glow of my computer screen.

Alone, keeping company with the dark night.

I took a massive gulp of my mint-infused cold brew to shock my brain awake.

Once finished, I took the updated report back to Julian’s office.

He had a mountain of his own research to do, so he hadn't left his office all evening either.

Julian suddenly looked up, his brow furrowing. "What is that smell on you?"

"Mint cold brew. I was too tired, so I used it to wake up."

"I hate that smell." He stopped, his eyes narrowing. "It smells like..."

He seemed to struggle to find the words.

Without thinking, I finished his sentence: "Like burnt tires."

I suddenly remembered my online boyfriend using that exact description with me.

That's why it was on the tip of my tongue.

Julian looked momentarily dazed, rubbing his temples with his fingertips.

He stared at me intensely, his eyes locked onto mine. "Who did you hear that from?"

"I heard it from..."

Before I could answer, Chloe pushed the door open and walked in.

"Julian, you must be exhausted. I bought you some..."

Seeing me there, Chloe froze.

She was carrying several designer shopping bags. So that was where she had been all afternoon.

"Oh, Avery, you're still here."

*Yeah, thanks to you.*

Julian casually flipped through my report. "I don't expect to see such amateur mistakes again."

"It's late. You can go home."

As I turned to leave, I heard Chloe ask Julian in a sweet voice, "What were you guys just talking about?"

I didn't care to look back at her expression.