Chapter 154

No.1

The next morning, the conference room at Aethel Intelligence was buzzing with low, anxious energy.Elisa stood at the head of the table, a cup of black coffee untouched beside her.

Tessa Vaughn burst into the room, her face a mask of indignation. She didn't speak; she just thrust her tablet in front of Elisa.

On the screen was an email from the JHU project coordinator. It was a formal notice, cc'd to the entire leadership team.

Due to an unforeseen personal injury sustained by Dr. Mills last night, she requires a period of rest and recovery. The submission of the phase-one clinical data, scheduled for today, will be postponed indefinitely.

"Indefinitely?" Tessa hissed, her voice trembling with rage. "It's a data transfer! Does she have to type it with her own two hands? This is a pathetic excuse!"

Elisa read the email, her expression unreadable. This was Allena, extending her victory from the personal realm into the professional. It was a power play, a middle finger delivered via corporate email.

No.2

"Get her on the phone," Elisa said, her voice quiet and cold.

Tessa made the call. A snooty assistant answered."Dr. Mills is resting and cannot be disturbed."

"Tell her," Elisa said, her voice loud enough for the assistant to hear over the speakerphone, "that if l don't get a call back in ten minutes, Aethel's legal department will be handling all future communications."

The call came in less than five.

"Faye," Allena's voice was lazy, laced with a triumphant purr. "So aggressive, so early in the morning."

"The data," Elisa said, cutting straight to the point. "I want it by five p.m. today."

No.3

Allena gave a soft, theatrical sigh. "I'm afraid that's not possible. The doctor's orders. And August

agrees. He said my health should be my top priority."

She was using his name like a shield, a weapon.

"This is a multi-billion-dollar project, Allena," Elisa said, her tone flat and devoid of emotion. "Your personal life is not a valid reason for delay."

"How can you be so heartless? My injury was because of-"

Elisa hung up.

No.4

She picked up the internal line and dialed August's executive assistant, Simon.

"Simon," she said, her tone leaving no room for argument. "I need to speak with August. Now."

Simon sounded flustered. "Ms. Wilder, I'm sorry, Mr.Chambers is in a meeting."

Elisa heard the lie in his hesitation. "Is he in Allena Mills's office at the JHU building?"

The silence on the other end of the line was a confession.

Tessa, listening beside her, clapped a hand over her mouth in disbelief. The CEO of Chambers Group was

No.5

skipping his own meetings to play nursemaid to his mistress at a partner company's office?

A dangerous calm settled over Elisa. "Simon, give him a message for me. I am on my way over there righf now. If he is still in her office when Iarrive, I will walk straight into the project director's office and formally request that Dr. Allena Mills be permanently removed from this project for gross professional misconduct."

She hung up, grabbed her jacket, and walked out.

When she reached the JHU satellite office, the door to Allena's corner suite was slightly ajar. Elisa could hear their voices from the hallway-August's low,soothing murmur, and Allena's soft, pleased laughter.

She didn't knock. She pushed the door open and walked in.

The scene was grotesquely domestic. Allena was reclining on a chaise lounge, her hand wrapped in an absurdly large bandage. August was sitting on the edge of the sofa, patiently peeling an apple for her with a small silver knife.

No.6

They both looked up, startled. August's face

hardened into a mask of fury. He shot to his feet,instinctively placing himself between Elisa and Allena.

"What are you doing here?" he demanded.

Elisa ignored him. Her eyes were locked on Allena."I've submitted a formal request to the oversight committee," she said, her voice like ice. "To replace the clinical data consultant,effective immediately."

The color drained from Allena's face. She looked at August, her eyes wide with panic.

"Elisa, that's enough!" August strode forward and grabbed Elisa's arm, his fingers digging into her bicep. "Have you lost your mind?"

No.7

He was seething, his voice a low, vicious snarl."You're just jealous. You can't stand to see her succeed, so you attack her at work. Can't you keep your personal feelings out of the office? You are completely unprofessional!"①