Back in Vlephia, Maya sat in front of her laptop, waiting for Roxanne to send over the surveillance footage of Athena's failed surgery simulation. But the message never came. For the past few days, Maya had been posting clips of Athena's failed attempts on her social media account. Her followers loved it. They were all there to laugh at Athena's downfall. But today, no new video appeared, and her inbox was flooded with questions. [Where's the video of Athena failing today?] [Did she finally make a breakthrough and complete the surgery simulation successfully?] [Wait, don't tell me Athena actually succeeded?] Maya's face darkened. There was no way she'd let Athena turn things around so easily. Her whole plan was to stir up public pressure and make everyone turn against Athena. If people started thinking Athena had succeeded, her plan would completely fall apart. Unable to stand it any longer, Maya grabbed her phone and called Roxanne. Her tone was sharp. "Roxanne, why didn't you send me Athena's video today? Don't tell me you've switched sides! Are you on Athena's team now? Have you given up on Preston?" By the end of her rant, doubt crept into her voice. She suspected Roxanne had been bought off by Athena. Roxanne, on the other end of the call, was deeply wronged. "Maya, I swear I didn't betray you! I'm still on your side. Athena didn't show up today. I think she might have found out about us."Maya's expression sank. Athena was overseas. She shouldn't have been aware of what was happening in Vlephia. But it was possible someone had tipped her off. That would explain why Athena suddenly became so cautious. Still, Maya reminded herself that Athena had gone abroad with Zaden. That particular research institute was Athena only option; she couldn't train at any other place. Maya's voice was sharp with irritation. "Fine! If Athena shows up, send me the video right away." Roxanne nodded quickly. "Got it, I understand." After hanging up, she sighed helplessly. Athena had the nerve not to show up at the institute? Didn't she realize she could fail her simulation if she missed her training? Just as Roxanne was about to go look for Athena, the director of the research institute suddenly appeared in front of her. His expression was icy, his tone cutting like a knife. "Dr. Wood! You've violated the institute's confidentiality agreement. You sent footage of a surgical simulation to outsiders. I'm firing you immediately, and I'll be reporting you to the World Medical Board to have your medical license revoked!" Roxanne's face turned pale at this. She was wondering why Athena didn't show up and whether her secret had been exposed. She'd thought Maya wouldn't be stupid enough to post the video so soon. Could it be that Maya had already released it online? The director's fury only grew. "Pack your things and leave. Right now!" Roxanne, who had always seemed confident and composed, suddenly panicked. Losing her license meant her medical career would be over. "Dr. Windal, please—I just sent the video to a close friend! I never meant to post it publicly. Please, you have to believe me!" she pleaded, her voice trembling. But the director's face remained hard and cold. He wasn't buying her excuses.Zaden had wanted to deal with her yesterday, but he'd held back, worried about damaging the institute's reputation. This punishment was considered lenient. Otherwise, Roxanne wouldn't just be losing her job; she'd be facing prison time. "Get her out of here right now," the director ordered sharply. "And before she leaves, make sure she's not taking anything that doesn't belong to her." Two staff members immediately stepped forward and escorted Roxanne out of the building. When the situation was finally handled, Conrad let out a long breath of relief. "The spy's been dealt with," he muttered. "But I don't know if Athena will be willing to come back. If she doesn't, Mr. Storm definitely won't take this lightly." Zaden had been furious ever since his argument with Athena. His patience had completely worn out. Instead of staying calm, he went straight to action, removing anyone who dared to go against his wife. What Athena didn't know was how much Zaden was doing behind the scenes to protect her. She was still focused on her work, pushing through every simulation with determination. These simulations were all leading up to one goal—the final assessment. Every step would be graded on skill and precision. Once she passed, she'd earn her certification and qualifications. That was her ticket back to Vlephia to get ready to face Maya's challenge head-on. Athena had no doubt she could pass, but she wanted a perfect score. A flawless victory. The kind that would wipe the smug smile off Maya's face.So, she let Maya post whatever videos she wanted. Once Athena finished her training and returned home, the real reckoning would begin. Meanwhile, Maya still had no idea that Roxanne was gone. After ending her last call with Roxanne, she sat there, her face dark and cold. The irritation in her chest refused to fade.