Not long after, Isaac walked into the room, speaking as he approached. "Mr. Johnston, I just got off the phone with Raven. They told me their CEO is out of the country, and they don't know where he's gone." "Out of the country?" Lance frowned, his expression turning serious. "Are you certain they're not lying? Could Keith be trying to avoid meeting with us?" Lance asked, his eyes narrowing as he looked up at Isaac. Isaac scratched his head. "I'm pretty sure Raven isn't lying. They haven't seen Keith in days. I even reached out to other companies, and they haven't heard from him either." Lance's frown deepened as he idly twisted his silver cufflinks, their reflective surface catching the light. He waved Isaac off. "You can leave now." ... That morning, Addison received a call from Ryan informing her that the lab was ready. Eager to see the results, she quickly made her way over. When she arrived, she found Ryan already waiting outside the building. Though he had been Addison's assistant, it had been three years since their last meeting. During that time, Ryan had worked on projects independently. Fresh from a prestigious PhD program, Ryan had defied his parents' wishes to join the family business. Instead, he entered the pharmaceutical field, determined to carve out his own path. He had left behind everything his parents offered to pursue a career in this competitive industry, eventually securing a position at Raven—the company every aspiring pharmaceutical student dreamed of joining. Ryan's career had taken off when Keith announced that one of the new interns would be selected to become the company's top researcher's assistant, a role that came with an abundance of projects, connections, resources, and—most importantly—a chance to work with some of the best minds in the field. Ryan pushed himself to outperform his peers and earn that assistant position. What he hadn't expected was that the expert he would assist would turn out to be none other than Raven's chief researcher. At first, Ryan thought he was simply lucky to be working with the chief researcher. But over time, he realized that Addison was not just a renowned figure at Raven—she was also highly respected in the international scientific community, though she kept a low profile. Her groundbreaking research had gained global acclaim, and though no one had ever seen her in person, her reputation spoke for itself. Ryan had admired her for years, never imagining that he'd be working alongside her. Now, everything made sense—Raven's success wasn't a fluke. Ryan stood at the entrance of the lab, his face calm, though a familiar knot tightened in his chest. He had been promoted from intern to assistant, but the thought of meeting Addison again left him anxious. His outward composure was nothing but a mask. As Addison's car approached, Ryan quickly opened the garage door. He watched as her car slowly rolled in, and he followed closely behind. When the car came to a stop, Addison stepped out, and Ryan couldn't help but notice that she still looked as stunning as ever. There was something about her that had changed, though—something in her aura, though he couldn't quite place it. "It's been a while," Addison said with a warm smile. Ryan looked up, meeting her eyes. Her smile was soft and calming, like a gentle breeze. She seems the same ... He thought, a little taken aback by the familiar kindness in her expression. "Let's head inside," Addison said, noticing his distracted state. "I'm eager to see the lab." She was aware of how much Ryan worshipped her, and she had been trying her best to not put pressure on him when they were together. After all, she hoped Ryan would see her as a friend. Ryan snapped out of his thoughts, nodding quickly. "Right, let's go." "Oh, and could you grab me a lab coat?" Addison asked as she put on her mask and started walking toward the elevator. "I've already got one ready for you," Ryan replied, following her with a nervous energy still lingering. He handed her the lab coat, his unease still evident. Addison accepted the coat and then said, "I left the herbs in the trunk to save you some trouble. You can bring them in too." Ryan nodded and went to fetch the herbs. As Addison changed into her lab coat, she took a quick look around the lab. It was impressive—almost luxurious—and fully equipped with the latest in pharmaceutical technology, some of which she had only seen in research journals.When Ryan returned with the herbs, he asked, "Dr. Daves, where should I put these?" Addison pointed to a specific area, and after Ryan placed the herbs down, he hesitated before asking, "Dr. Daves, what do you think of the lab?" Addison took her time inspecting the equipment. "It's impressive. This lab shows Keith put a lot of thought into it." Some of the equipment couldn't be easily bought, like the small device in her hand, which was only available through Kreshill's specialized equipment company. Ryan nodded, soaking in her words. While Addison continued her inspection, Ryan hesitated again before speaking. "Do you think I could still work as your assistant? Could we ... work together again?" His voice trembled slightly, betraying his anxiety. Addison noticed his nervousness and couldn't help but smile, but she kept her expression calm, not wanting to make him even more anxious. "Of course. Why else would I have asked you to bring me here today?" Ryan blushed, embarrassed by his own hesitation. "Right ... of course." ... Later, as they prepared to leave the lab, Addison waved at Ryan. "You go ahead. I need to take care of a few things here. I'll call you when I need you." Ryan, thrilled at the chance to continue working with Addison, nodded eagerly. "Take care, Dr. Daves." As he walked away, his steps were lighter, almost giddy, as he thought about being able to work with Addison in the future. Addison watched him go before pulling out her phone to call Lance. She had been to the Johnstons earlier and had been so focused on retrieving the divorce agreement Virginia had prepared that she had forgotten about the one from Lance. She had brought it today, thinking she could either have someone from Lance's office pick it up or deliver it herself—it wasn't a big deal. She was eager to finalize the divorce so it wouldn't drag on any longer. Right then, a phone rang.Lance sat at his desk, reviewing some papers. He had just called Mike, asking him to track down Keith's private contact information. Unlike Lance, Mike was more social and had a wide network. There wasn't much he couldn't find out in Halton. When Lance saw Addison's name appear on the screen, he couldn't hide his irritation. So, she has given up on pretending, huh? Is she calling to beg me to reconsider the divorce? Her constant pleas will only push me further away. Virginia nodded, as if amused. "You're such a great help." She then glanced at Addison, her gaze filled with an unreadable expression. He had no interest in hearing Addison beg him to change his mind.