Broken Vows, A Scientist's Revenge

Dicker

g I wanted to see. The fresh bandages on my hand throbbed, a consta

"You mean the day you physically assaulted me and the

ent, that's all. You're so clumsy." She gestured vaguely at my bandaged hand. "And really, th

b, a sneering dismissal of my

facade of my research institute, a possessive glint in their depths. "Javier says I'll

r "fresh perspective" was

d dangerous. "You're a leech, Bambi. You feed of

that's so cruel! I'm just trying to help Javier. He's been under so much stress because of you." She fluttere

access. Javier was truly burning all

e, Bambi," I muttered, pushing past her

wreckage. I needed to find a

felt heavy with loss. My assistant, Dr. Chen, a brilliant but t

here!" she exclaimed, her voice hushed

ank. "What

er shoulder. "She was 'assisting' with the clean-up, as per Mr. Swanson's orders. B

laceable ones. The ones from my mother' s tissue,

pered, my voi

.. it was so deliberate. She was wearing these ridiculously high he

m blared, piercing the silence. Liquid nitrogen fumes billowed from the sh

help." Her "

rage. "Get out, Bambi! " I roared, my voice raw and gut

inctively stepped between us. He grabbed my arm, his fingers digging into my skin. "Aurelia! Stop this mad

planter I had almost fallen on earlier scraped against my arm, reo

alm. "Are you alright, darling? Don't pay

lutching Javier's arm. "Oh, Javier! She's so mean! I w

word was a kn

f the neuro-oncology division. You will respect her authority. And you will stop harassing her." He gestured around the ruined lab, to the

at. Head of the division. R

ssure. He had stripped me of my legacy, annihilated my work, and now,

... it's for the people who are suffering. It's for the f

elia. This is business. Bambi has proven herself to be a more... amenable colleague. And she unders

My voice was thick with despair. "You are going to

th. "My decision is final. Either you a

e could I go? He had systematically dismantled

I asked, my voic

es your 'tainted' research. You will be erased from the scientific community." He took a step closer, his voice dropping t

He was capable of anything. He woul

I wouldn't let him. I wouldn't let him win

ice flat, devoid of e

ise, then triumph. "A wise decision, Aurelia.

hing possessive in his gaze. He didn't want me t

u dare try anything foolish. I'll be watching your every move. And if you so much as breathe

rum against my ribs. A living

se, two burly security guards appeared from nowhere, grabbin

ling against their hold. "Wh

her head resting on his shoulder. He turned away, his arm around her,

bandaged hand screaming in prot

by his side, leaving me suspended in the air, my feet

rt sha