Madeleine chuckled, telling Roderick everything she knew about\u00a0<\/p>\n
the \u201cold fossil.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
After listening, Roderick pondered for a moment and asked\u00a0<\/p>\n
tentatively, \u201cThat old fossil, his last name is Shaw?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHey, how did you know?\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rebecca let it slip today. She mentioned some Professor Shaw.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Although she didn\u2019t say it outright, I guessed it was the old\u00a0<\/p>\n
fossil!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Roderick\u2019s mouth twitched twice, and he leaned back in his\u00a0<\/p>\n
chair.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t get too excited. Rebecca doesn\u2019t like him. She\u2019s just\u2026\u00a0<\/p>\n
willing to do whatever it takes to get what she wants.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Rebecca that Roderick described as ruthless and willing to\u00a0<\/p>\n
do anything to get her way was currently trying every trick in the\u00a0<\/p>\n
book to unlock a shared bike.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat is this thing!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 116\u00a0<\/p>\n
She grumbled, phone in hand, wishing she could just kick the\u00a0<\/p>\n
lock open.\u00a0<\/p>\n
If it weren\u2019t for building up her poor damsel in distress image,\u00a0<\/p>\n
would she have parked her multi\u2013million dollar G\u2013Wagon in the\u00a0<\/p>\n
lot across the street?\u00a0<\/p>\n
After trying for what felt like forever, she finally unlocked it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rebecca let out a long sigh and rode the bike to a restaurant a\u00a0<\/p>\n
few hundred meters away.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Seeing the elegant figure at the restaurant entrance from a\u00a0<\/p>\n
distance, Rebecca\u2019s heart leaped with joy, and she quickly\u00a0<\/p>\n
straightened her back as she rode over.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The man stood under a streetlight by the restaurant entrance,\u00a0<\/p>\n
the warm yellow light casting a soft glow around him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He was wearing a simple blue and white plaid shirt, exuding a\u00a0<\/p>\n
cool, scholarly air.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Gold\u2013rimmed glasses rested on his high\u2013bridged nose. The eyes\u00a0<\/p>\n
behind the lenses were as calm as still water. He was looking\u00a0<\/p>\n
down at his watch, and when he looked up, his gaze met\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rebecca\u2019s perfectly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cProfessor Shaw!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 116\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rebecca called out from a distance. She got off the bike when she was closer and then parked the shared bike on the side of\u00a0<\/p>\n
the road.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou rode a bike here?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, just like you, Professor Shaw, I\u2019m all for low\u2013carbon\u00a0<\/p>\n
travel.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Adrian Shaw had a gentle expression. He glanced at Rebecca,\u00a0<\/p>\n
then at the shared bike.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou didn\u2019t lock the bike.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rebecca\u2019s expression froze.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Oh no, oh no. I was so focused on how to unlock it, I have no\u00a0<\/p>\n
idea how to lock it!\u00a0<\/p>\n
If I say I don\u2019t know, won\u2019t that expose that I\u2019m lying to him?\u00a0<\/p>\n
The last time they met, she had mentioned that she either took\u00a0<\/p>\n
the subway or biked everywhere.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cUm, haha, I\u2019ll just leave it unlocked. I\u2019ll ride it back after dinner.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou should probably lock it. It\u2019ll be a while before we eat, and\u00a0<\/p>\n
we can go for a walk afterward.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 116\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rebecca thought that made sense and scanned the bike a\u00a0<\/p>\n
couple of times.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Wait, I don\u2019t see a lock anywhere\u2026\u00a0<\/p>\n
Just as she was starting to panic, Adrian\u2019s gentle voice spoke\u00a0<\/p>\n
again.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe shared bikes have all been upgraded now. You just have to\u00a0<\/p>\n
lock it on your phone.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cOh!\u00a0<\/p>\n
Right, right, I totally forgot. I only remember what they were like\u00a0<\/p>\n
before the upgrade.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rebecca smiled faintly, opened her phone, and sure enough,\u00a0<\/p>\n
she saw the \u201clock\u201d option on the screen.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Phew, that was a close call.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Adrian picked the restaurant for dinner. It was an ordinary\u00a0<\/p>\n
private home\u2013style restaurant, with a pretty average location\u00a0<\/p>\n
and decor.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But the place was packed. If Adrian hadn\u2019t made a reservation\u00a0<\/p>\n
in advance, they wouldn\u2019t have gotten a table.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 116\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rebecca picked up the menu, her fingertips gently brushing\u00a0<\/p>\n
against the paper.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cProfessor Shaw, have you eaten here before? What dishes do\u00a0<\/p>\n
you recommend?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Her voice was gentle, making her seem like a completely\u00a0<\/p>\n
different person from her usual self.\u00a0<\/p>\n
As she spoke, she snuck a glance at Professor Shaw\u2019s\u00a0<\/p>\n
expression. It was gentler than ever before. Who said Professor\u00a0<\/p>\n
Shaw was cold and impartial?\u00a0<\/p>\n
Tsk, tsk, the damsel in distress persona really works.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cA few of the signature dishes are good. It\u2019s fine, just order\u00a0<\/p>\n
what you like. I\u2019m not a picky eater.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cOkay.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rebecca casually ordered a few dishes, then asked as if it were\u00a0<\/p>\n
an afterthought:\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cBy the way, Professor Shaw, about what I mentioned last time\u00a0<\/p>\n
-me being your assistant\u2013what have you decided?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Adrian picked up the water pitcher and poured a glass of water\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 116\u00a0<\/p>\n
for himself and for Rebecca.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI do need an assistant, but\u2026\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
When Rebecca heard that, her eyes dimmed, and her voice\u00a0<\/p>\n
turned pitiful.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI know, I\u2019m not qualified enough.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAhem, actually\u2026\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Adrian hesitated for a moment. \u201cI could add you to the lab, but\u00a0<\/p>\n
only as an intern. The stipend is very low, probably not enough.\u00a0<\/p>\n
to live on.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s okay!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rebecca\u2019s eyes lit up, and she said excitedly, \u201cI can manage no\u00a0<\/p>\n
matter how low the stipend is.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Adrian looked up at her, confused.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Cedella is a passionate storyteller known for her bold romantic and spicy novels that keep readers hooked from the very first chapter. With a flair for crafting emotionally intense plots and unforgettable characters, she blends love, desire, and drama into every story she writes. Cedella\u2019s storytelling style is immersive and addictive\u2014perfect for fans of heated romances and heart-pounding twists.<\/p>\n
Night Carved Paths Into Silence by Zyrel Ash 116 Madeleine chuckled, telling Roderick everything she knew about\u00a0 the \u201cold fossil.\u201d\u00a0 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[85],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-29413","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-the-heart-surgeons-last-patient-novel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29413","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=29413"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29413\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29413"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=29413"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29413"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}