Right Person, Wrong Time

Nicole chuckled and looked at Roxanna, then she turned her gaze away. "I can't do this? Gina, you're Master's student as well. You should know the grudge between him and the Yaels. I wouldn't stop you if you wanted to take their side and join the science academy, but you shouldn't have made any deals with them while you're still the base's director."

Nicole stared into Gina's eyes, recounting her sins, "You made so many deals with the Yaels and sold almost everything the base has, lining your pockets with the profit you made from the sale. The recruitment for the base used to be a stringent process, and the candidates had to go through multiple levels of selection, but you turned it into a game of the rich. A mockery of the old trial so the scions can make their portfolio shine better. You destroyed the master's life's work in mere years, and you're calling me cruel?"

Gina was about to say something, but Nicole stopped her and turned to Roxanna, then she smiled. "Bet you don't know who Roxanna really is. She's a member of the science academy, but she snuck in to keep an eye on you, you fool. Know why? Because they're worried you might stop dealing with them."

Roxanna froze. She didn't expect Nicole to find out who she was. She didn't think Nicole would know she was a part of the science academy, and she paled.

Shock flashed in Gina's eyes, but then she figured out the gist of the matter. In the beginning, she did follow White's orders and never dealt with the science academy, but things changed once Roxanna came. Roxanna kept egging her on, pushing her into starting a deal with the science academy.

She was in deep, but now the truth was finally revealed to her, and she woke from her dream. This whole affair was the science academy's conspiracy, and she fell right into it. Gina felt a chill spreading across her body, and she looked at Roxanna. She gritted her teeth as she accused, "You're from the science academy?"

Finally, Roxanna was genuinely panicking. The expose came too suddenly, and she tried to explain herself, but she swallowed her words, her confidence gone. She was working for the science academy. Old Mr. Yael sent her to keep an eye on Gina so she wouldn't ruin their plan.

She thought she kept the secret well hidden, but Nicole learned about it, nonetheless. The reason she was fearless was because she knew that she could return to the science academy even after she left this place. That was why she faced Nicole without fear.

Nicole chuckled and looked at Gina, mocking, "You have no idea you've been used, Gina. Once you leave this place, no one is going to hire you. The whole industry knows of the grudge between the base and the Yaels, and yet you ignored it just to brown-nose the Yaels. Do you really think anyone's going to hire a traitor like you?"

Gina went two shades whiter. She clenched her fists, still in disbelief that she was plunged into this mess.