Chapter 196\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cEarlier, for saying you were my girlfriend without asking you\u00a0<\/p>\n
first.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Hearing this, Rebecca gave an awkward laugh. \u201cI understand.\u00a0<\/p>\n
You were trying to help me out of a jam, Professor Shaw.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He nodded, \u201cGirls get objectified easily at these kinds of events.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I didn\u2019t want them looking at you like that, so I took matters into\u00a0<\/p>\n
my own hands.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s really fine. You don\u2019t need to apologize.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rebecca\u2019s grip on the steering wheel tightened slightly, her\u00a0<\/p>\n
fingertips growing warm.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The car fell silent, the only sound being the occasional\u00a0<\/p>\n
mechanical voice of the GPS.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Adrian leaned back in his seat with his eyes closed, resting. The\u00a0<\/p>\n
alcohol made his breathing a little heavier than usual.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The light and shadows from the streetlights flickered across his\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 196\u00a0<\/p>\n
chiseled profile through the window.\u00a0<\/p>\n
While waiting at a red light, Rebecca couldn\u2019t resist stealing a\u00a0<\/p>\n
glance at him from the corner of her eye.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He had long eyelashes, a high\u2013bridged nose, and a sharp, clean\u00a0<\/p>\n
jawline. His shirt collar was slightly open, his Adam\u2019s apple\u00a0<\/p>\n
moving gently with his breathing.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He really was handsome.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rebecca looked away, making her silent assessment.\u00a0<\/p>\n
On the drive, Rebecca wanted to speak up several times, but\u00a0<\/p>\n
she didn\u2019t want to disturb Adrian\u2019s rest. She was torn.\u00a0<\/p>\n
They were now only a five\u2013minute drive from the destination.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cProfessor Shaw.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Adrian slowly opened his eyes, which still held a hint of\u00a0<\/p>\n
drunkenness.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat is it?\u00a0<\/p>\n
Are we there yet?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAlmost there.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 196\u00a0<\/p>\n
Adrian nodded, pressing his brow. \u201cYou should take the car\u00a0<\/p>\n
back. It\u2019s late, and hailing a cab isn\u2019t safe.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cOkay.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Four minutes left.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rebecca took a deep breath and finally spoke up: \u201cProfessor Shaw, I\u2019ve actually always wanted to ask\u2026 why did you choose\u00a0<\/p>\n
to do research at a university?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Adrian turned to her, a hint of confusion in his expression.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIs there something wrong with doing research at the\u00a0<\/p>\n
university?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s not what I meant\u2026 It\u2019s just, for a top\u2013tier talent like you, wouldn\u2019t you earn more if you chose to partner with a\u00a0<\/p>\n
company?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Adrian thought for a moment, then chuckled. \u201cMore than just higher. It\u2019d be a fortune compared to what I make now.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, I\u2019ve heard that several companies in the industry are offering you huge salaries.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Adrian turned his head with a faint smile. \u201cLike the Whitman\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 196\u00a0<\/p>\n
group, for instance?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
His sudden words startled Rebecca, and her hands slipped on\u00a0<\/p>\n
the steering wheel, causing the car to swerve.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She tried hard to calm herself down, keeping her eyes on the\u00a0<\/p>\n
road ahead.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Whitman group\u2026 is a pretty good pharmaceutical R&D\u00a0<\/p>\n
company, and it has some well\u2013resourced research labs.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rebecca praised her own company without batting an eye.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She wasn\u2019t wrong. Although the Whitman group wasn\u2019t a\u00a0<\/p>\n
market leader, it had always been generous with its R&D\u00a0<\/p>\n
investments.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, the projects the Whitman group has been working on are\u00a0<\/p>\n
quite good. I\u2019ve seen them, and they have a lot of potential in\u00a0<\/p>\n
the biopharmaceutical industry.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rebecca felt a surge of excitement, and her palms started to\u00a0<\/p>\n
sweat on the steering wheel.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, has Professor Shaw ever considered joining? A powerful\u00a0<\/p>\n
partnership could create some new sparks.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 196\u00a0<\/p>\n
Hearing this, Adrian let out a soft chuckle.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cRebecca\u2026\u201d he began slowly, \u201cI\u2019ve considered what you\u2019ve said,\u00a0<\/p>\n
of course. I just feel like I\u2019m still missing a compelling reason to\u00a0<\/p>\n
convince me.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat reason?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rebecca\u2019s heart began to race.\u00a0<\/p>\n
If she just knew the reason, she could tailor her approach and\u00a0<\/p>\n
convince Adrian.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He was silent for a moment, then opened the car window. The\u00a0<\/p>\n
night wind rushed in, cool and sobering.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cProfessor Shaw\u2026\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cRebecca, I\u2019m drunk.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Adrian closed his eyes and said no more, effectively cutting off\u00a0<\/p>\n
whatever Rebecca was about to say.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She was very disappointed, and it showed plainly in her eyes.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But looking at his increasingly flushed face, Rebecca\u2019s feelings became complicated.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 196\u00a0<\/p>\n
What was she doing?\u00a0<\/p>\n
He drank so much and felt so sick all for her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But all she could think about was the company, about profits\u2026\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rebecca, oh Rebecca, sometimes you really are heartless.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sighing softly, Rebecca turned on the hazard lights and drove\u00a0<\/p>\n
into the underground garage of Adrian\u2019s apartment building.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re here.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Adrian\u2019s eyes were faintly bloodshot. He spoke in a hoarse\u00a0<\/p>\n
voice, \u201cThanks.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rebecca hesitated for a moment, then unbuckled her seatbelt.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll walk you up.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Adrian and Rebecca looked at each other across the car.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cCan I ask you a question?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Adrian\u2019s question caught her completely off guard. All Rebecca\u00a0<\/p>\n
could do was nod.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019ve been sticking around me all this time. What\u2019s your\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 196\u00a0<\/p>\n
goal?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMy goal\u2026 I\u2026 didn\u2019t I tell you? I really admire you, Professor\u00a0<\/p>\n
Shaw. I think your research project\u2026\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cRebecca, I\u2019m not an idiot.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
11\u00a0<\/p>\n
Adrian\u2019s words threw Rebecca\u2019s mind into chaos.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In the dim light of the underground garage, she saw<\/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 `196 Chapter 196\u00a0 \u201cEarlier, for saying you were my girlfriend without asking […]<\/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-29493","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\/29493","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=29493"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29493\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29493"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=29493"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29493"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}