Chapter 2

Back in my dorm, I fired up my laptop and logged into my email.

There it was, an unread email from James Hoskin, the editor-in-chief of Cell Journal.

Me: [Dear Ms. Newton, our review board unanimously agrees your CRISPR-Cas13d research will be this year's biggest breakthrough in gene editing. We look forward to discussing it with you at the Global Genetics Summit in Northveil next week.]

Attached to the email was a first-class ticket and an invitation with full access to the summit.

I closed the email and dialed a number I hadn't called in ages.

On the other end, a gentle, elderly voice answered. "Anna, finally decided to call your old teacher, huh?"

My nose stung, and my voice caught in my throat. "Professor, I want to come back."

There was a brief silence, then a soft chuckle. "Come back. The institute's doors are always open for you."

The next morning, I handed in my withdrawal application to the school.

In Professor Warren's office, he frowned deeply as he looked over my application. "Anna, what are you doing? You're about to graduate. Why drop out now?"

"Professor, I've made up my mind," I said.

"Is this about Miles's paper?" Professor sighed. "I know you've been wronged. But Miles's family, they're not people we can afford to cross. Hang in there a little longer. Once you graduate, you'll be free to go wherever you want."

I shook my head. "There are some things I can't tolerate anymore."

Just then, the office door swung open, and Miles and Rachel walked in.

Rachel held a document, her face with concern. "Anna, we heard you're dropping out. Is it because of us? If it is, I'm willing to reach out to the journal and explain everything, so they can put your name back as the corresponding author."

There wasn't a single flaw in her words, she made herself look completely innocent, while making me seem like the one causing all the trouble.

Miles jumped in right away. "Rachel, you're too kind. This has nothing to do with you. Anna, don't try to pull this kind of stunt on me, it's useless."

He stared at me, eyes full of contempt. "You're seriously throwing away your future to make me notice you? That's pathetic."

Watching them put on their little show together, I couldn't help but feel how absurd it all was.

"Is that all?" I grabbed the withdrawal form from the desk and handed it to Professor. "Professor, sign it for me."

Professor looked like he wanted to say something else, but Miles let out a cold laugh, pulled another document from his bag, and slapped it down on the desk.

Miles said, "Professor, you don't have to worry about this. This is the latest collaboration agreement between our company and the lab. For the next three years, we'll be providing about seventeen million dollars in research funding."

He paused, his gaze sharp as a knife, fixed on me. "But there's one condition: the lab can't have any researchers with questionable ethics or anyone who tries to steal someone else's work."

As soon as he said that, everyone in the office turned to look at me.

"Stealing?" I snorted. "Miles, what is it, are you accusing me of stealing your ideas, or maybe Rachel's so-called talent?"

"Anna, you know exactly what I mean." Miles snapped.

"I do know," I said, locking eyes with him, making sure every word hit home. "Every single piece of raw data in that paper came straight from my lab notes. And without me, you wouldn't even have a clue about Cas13d's transcriptional activation efficiency."

My words made Miles go pale as a sheet.

These were the core details of the experiment, I'm the only one who knows them.

Seeing this, Rachel stepped forward, her voice gentle. "Anna, we know you've worked so hard. Miles is trying to do what's best for everyone. If this paper gets published, it'll bring prestige to the whole lab. Can you let it go?"

"Honor?" I turned to Professor. "Professor, do you really see this as an honor?"

Professor looked grim. He avoided my eyes, picked up his pen, and signed my withdrawal form.

That was the moment my heart turned to ice.