Casting her mind back to the events that day after learning the truth, she realized that the man was all too suspicious.
It was after he had taken over the experiment the other day that a great amount of gas materialized. That aside, when we were going to check on the flask, he deftly hid behind Us…
In that instant, turmoil brewed within her. Verily, the fact that a partner who had worked. with her for so long had almost killed her was a bitter pill for her to swallow.
“I’ve caught him, Mr. Farwell.” While she was wallowing in self-doubt, Cayden’s voice drifted into her ear.
Promptly snapping back to her senses, Roxanne swung her gaze over, only to see Colby restrained by Cayden, his head hung sol low that it almost touched his chest.
Colby initially wanted to flee. Unexpectedly, he ran right into Cayden, who had been keeping guard, just when he reached the gates of the research institute.
Even with his head lowered, he could sense Roxanne’s questioning gaze on him.. His gaze grim, Lucian threw a look at the woman beside him. Aware that she couldn’t accept the truth of the matter, he stepped forward and blocked her from seeing Colby.
“It was just an experiment, Dr. Galloway. Why did you leave in such a hurry?” He fixated an icy gaze on the man restrained by Cayden, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
Colby kept his head bowed, his pupils darting around incessantly. Now that things have come to this, I won’t be able to keep the truth under wraps no matter what I say. Besides, Lucian has already discovered there’s a problem with that bottle of distilled water. Does he have other evidence in hand?
As his brain whirred, Lucian’s voice rang out once more. “Did you think you could get away with it by privately asking the purchasing staff. to help you sneak the medicine in?”
The instant those words fell, Colby snapped his eyes up and gaped at the man in shock. He knows! He really knows everything!
Lucian held his gaze expressionlessly. “Are you still planning to deny it at this point? Or are you only going to confess to your crimes when the police have arrived?”
Behind him, Roxanne had stepped out at some point in time and regarded Colby blankly. When Colby met her gaze, his lips twitched. An intense struggle transpired within him.
A long time passed before he ultimately admitted, “Indeed, it was me. Everything was my doing!” The very moment Roxanne heard his confession with her own ears, her legs went weak.
She instinctively shot her hand out and grabbed onto Lucian’s arm, digging her nails into her palm to retain her composure. With her eyes pinned on Colby, she questioned, “Why did you do such a thing? I don’t think I’ve wronged you in any way in all the years we’ve worked together. Even this project is a collaborative effort between us both.”
I still remember how pleasant it was to collaborate with him while abroad. Likewise, it’s still vivid in my mind that I only gained a foothold in the research institute because of him back when I first returned to the country.
But turning her gaze back to the man with a blank expression in front of her, she inevitably wondered whether the Colby she knew had ever existed.
Colby stared at her fixedly, the self-deprecation in his eyes intensifying. “Why did I do so? Do you really not know? Roxanne, do you know that your reaction now makes me feel that everything I’ve done has been nothing but a joke?”
Roxanne’s brows knitted together, bafflement written clear in her eyes. A feverish light came into Colby’s eyes, and he revealed the entirety of the thoughts hidden deep within him.
“If you want a reason, blame it on the fact that you’re too outstanding and eye-catching. Why must you be so striking? It makes me look like a rat in the drain, only worthy of looking up at you all day long. But what about you?
You weren’t even willing to look down and spare me a glance! Am I that contemptible to you? Admittedly, Jack, Jonathan, and Lucian are far more impressive than me. However, have any of them been by your side as long as I have? What gives? You just couldn’t see me!”
Hearing that, Roxanne was stunned, and her expression turned panicked. Huh, he likes me? When did this start? Indeed, I’ve never noticed his feelings for me. Looking back, we first got acquainted when I went abroad to lick my wounds after being hurt by Lucian.
At that time, not only was I pregnant, but I was still in love with Lucian. I hadn’t the presence of mind to take note of other men. Moreover, the only impression I have of him is merely that of a lab partner who was very much in sync with me. After returning to the country, I was wholly focused on the research institute.
When everything at the research institute had finally gotten on track, Lucian reappeared in my life. At the end of the day, the space in my heart belongs to Lucian when he’s there and remains empty when he’s absent. I’ve never thought of allowing another man in….
From Roxanne’s expression, Colby understood everything. He chuckled bitterly in a self- deprecating manner. Roxanne lifted her eyes to him. “And so, you came up with this idea?”
Even then, she wasn’t willing to believe that the gentle and elegant man who had helped her tremendously would do such a thing. Alas, her skepticism when things had come to that merely made Colby feel all the more insulted.
“If I hadn’t done all this, would you have noticed me? Do you know how much I’ve given up all these years just to have you see me? Do you think I’m really only capable of being your second, considering my capabilities?”
Every single word out of his mouth hit Roxanne squarely in the chest. Only then did she realize how much she had. overlooked all these years.
I’m already the top traditional medicine practitioner in Chanaea, and he’s about on par with me. In fact, Professor Lambert even praised him once. He has the capability of branching out and handling things on his own.
Yet, he has always been my partner. I always thought that Professor Lambert specifically arranged for us to be together because he trusted us. Never had I imagined such a reason behind it all.
“Do you think this incident is the only thing I did?” Colby’s voice rang out once more. Shocked, Roxanne swung her gaze to him..
Meeting her gaze in derision, Colby suddenly: burst into laughter. “Haha! It turns out that you don’t even know what I’ve done! You only investigated the incident this time because Lucian told you about his suspicions, huh? Sure enough, you never notice me, no matter what I do!”
“No, that’s not it! I just… I just trusted you too much, Roxanne explained on reflex. No sooner had she said that than Colby. interjected coldly, “I’d rather you don’t trust me so much! I don’t want you to look at me with the same expression all the time.
You smile at them and cry because of them, but when it comes to me, you’re forever acting professionally. Am I not even worthy of being your friend? Do you look down on me that. much, Roxanne?”
A frown marred Roxanne’s countenance. For a moment, she didn’t quite know how to respond to his accusations. Some time passed before she awkwardly asked, “Other than this, what else did you do?”
By then, Colby had already put away all expression from his face.
At that question, his lips turned up. “I’m not going to tell you that. Anyway, I’m going to leave this place soon. You’ve never seen me all these years, so this time, I’ve got to leave you thinking about me. Go and investigate yourself!”
Roxanne balled her fists, her expression as grim as ever. “Don’t do this, Dr. Galloway-”
Before she had finished speaking, Colby cut her off sharply. “Don’t call me Dr. Galloway! I almost killed you! Aren’t you the least bit angry? Why must you still address me so formally?”
Frowning, Roxanne went silent for a long time before murmuring, “Why must you do this, Colby? You could’ve just talked to me directly. Why did you have to use such a method?”
When Colby heard that she had finally changed her address toward him, his expression eased for a second. Yet in the next heartbeat, he had. steeled himself again.
Thereafter, he no longer responded no matter what Roxanne said. “Colby Galloway, you should never have made a move against her!” Seeing that Roxanne had ceased speaking, Lucian stalked over to Colby.
Before Colby even knew what was happening, a hard punch had landed on his stomach. “I’m only giving you one punch because you’ve taken care of Roxanne for such a long time. If you dare do anything dumb again when you get out, I don’t mind sending you to meet your maker!” Lucian’s voice was frightfully chilly.
Soon, the police arrived. Colby was then escorted into the police car by the police. Before leaving, he glanced back over his shoulder and took a long look at Roxanne.
Roxanne merely held his gaze for a second before she promptly averted her eyes. Truth be told, she didn’t quite know how to face the man.
At the sight of her avoiding his gaze, Colby gave a bitter chuckle that dripped with self deprecation. He cooperatively got into the police car. Thereafter, the police car sped away.
Cayden also departed after taking his leave. from Lucian. Following that, Roxanne and Lucian were the only ones left at the entrance of the research institute.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.