The voice echoed in her mind. Could it be ... ? Could it be Lance? Addison's heart skipped a beat. She quickly set the herbs down and instinctively moved to leave. But as she stepped away, her elbow brushed a nearby bottle. It toppled over, sending herbs scattering across the floor. She couldn't afford to stop and pick them up. She couldn't let Lance see her. But Lance was quicker. He saw her set the herbs down and start walking. Without thinking, he reached out and grabbed her wrist before she could take another step. He held it tightly, like he feared she might disappear in the blink of an eye. Addison stopped. "Are you Dr. Nancy?" Lance's voice wasn't cold this time, but polite, still distant. His grip tightened on her wrist, and she couldn't break free. The last time Lance had thought she was following him, she'd managed to cover it up. But this time ... She was wearing a lab coat. How could she explain that? Addison steeled herself. "No," she said, her voice calm, her back still turned. Lance's gaze sharpened. His dark eyes focused on her with an unsettling certainty. "You're not?" he asked, the question still polite, but now holding a cold edge. His presence was overwhelming, his authority filling the space. He didn't blink as he stared at her. "Can you turn around?" Addison's body went rigid. If she turned around now, what could she possibly say? She was wearing a lab coat. The explanation wouldn't make sense. Could she claim to be Dr. Nancy?No, that would never work. "If you're not, then I've made an error. I apologize," Lance said slowly, his voice tinged with an unsettling calm. The woman before him looked exactly like the one in the photo. It couldn't be a mistake. Addison bit her lip, her thoughts racing. Addison knew Lance well enough to understand that if she claimed to be Dr. Nancy, he would never buy it. "Let go of me," she said, her voice even and calm, betraying no sign of unease. Lance seemed to register the shift in the moment and released her wrist. His expression didn't change, but his actions spoke of a quick realization. "Sorry, I was too hasty," he said, the words carrying an unfamiliar politeness. "If I've offended you, I hope you'll forgive me." Addison didn't respond. She stood still, her thoughts running quickly. She knew if she didn't turn around now, Lance would keep pushing for it. His persistence was unyielding, and his patience would wear thin in moments. Even if she didn't want to face him, she would eventually have to. But, even if she turned around, Lance would probably not connect her to Dr. Nancy. It seemed that facing him was the only option. Her lashes fluttered once, and she slowly turned to face him. Lance's gaze met hers, taking in her features—eyes, nose, mouth. It was Addison. Surprise flashed across his face for a brief second before anger took its place. His voice was sharp, edged with disbelief. "You?" Addison met his stare, unfazed. For a brief moment, Lance seemed stunned, but that quickly turned into cold fury. "Addison, how careless can you be?" He had made himself clear two days ago, yet here she was, following him again. Was she so careless as to ignore his warning? Before he could stop himself, the words came out. He took in her appearance, his confusion growing. "Why are you wearing a lab coat?" Why was she in a lab, and why was she in a lab coat? Lance's eyes narrowed, suspicion creeping into his mind. Could Addison be working here? A researcher, perhaps? But no. The silhouette, the profile—it matched the one in the photos. Could Addison somehow be Dr. Nancy? That thought barely formed before he dismissed it. Addison was an orphan. She couldn't possibly be a researcher, let alone Dr. Nancy. Addison pressed her lips together, forcing her voice to stay calm. "I'm doing an experiment." He ran into her when she was doing her experiment. If she tried to lie her way out of it, his suspicion would just grow. Honesty was the only card she could play here. The herbs were still scattered all over the ground. Lance didn't believe her. "An experiment?" he asked, his voice dripping with doubt. A mocking smile crossed his face as he shook his head. "Just tell me the truth." It was clear. This time, there would be no forgiveness. Addison didn't respond. She knelt down to gather the herbs from the floor, careful to pick up the rare and valuable ingredients. It was a shame to let them go to waste. She placed each herb back where it belonged, her movements measured. Lance stood by, his expression grim, lips tight. Once she had finished, she spoke, her tone steady but cold. "As you can see, I'm conducting an experiment. If you don't believe me, that's your problem." Her calmness only seemed to fuel Lance's irritation. "I thought I told you to stop stalking me." His voice was sharp, laced with frustration. "Stalking me won't change anything. My heart belongs to Virginia. All you're doing is making me like you less." Lance had hoped to avoid this confrontation, but her words left him with little choice. If she didn't want him to hold back, he wouldn't. "I'm stalking you? How could I be stalking you when I'm already in the lab, dressed in a lab coat, already ahead of you?" asked Addison. Lance paused, realizing his anger had clouded his judgment. He hadn't fully processed what had just happened. Addison was doing an experiment? "You're working on drug development for Johnston Enterprise?" Lance's voice dropped, cold and calculating. It seemed like the only explanation. Addison hesitated, her mind working quickly. She needed to protect her secret, so she reluctantly agreed with his assumption. "Yeah," she muttered, admitting it. Lance scoffed, his eyes narrowing in mockery. "Don't cause me any trouble." He didn't believe for a second that Addison knew what she was doing. Did she really think drug development was that simple? Did she think helping Johnston Enterprise would earn her his respect? She didn't have the qualifications or knowledge. It was no surprise she didn't understand the complexity. "What kind of drug are you researching?" Lance's tone was colder now. "Have you studied biopharmaceuticals?" he pressed. "Do you even know how to conduct an experiment?" His questions came quickly, each one sharper than the last. Addison's staying here was only making things worse for Dr. Nancy. She was only creating problems, and if things went wrong, she might get on Dr. Nancy's bad side, Lance thought. People who didn't know what they were doing often made things worse, and Lance understood that all too well. Addison stayed silent, knowing she couldn't answer without revealing the truth. Addison knew speaking the truth would only expose her and accomplish nothing. Lance gave her a cold, assessing look. He furrowed his brow and reached for her wrist, pulling her out of the lab. He couldn't afford for Dr. Nancy to see Addison there. If word got out, it could jeopardize Johnston Enterprise's chances of obtaining the authorization.Addison didn't resist this time. "Don't fool yourself," Lance said, his voice devoid of the earlier anger. "You're not doing Johnston Enterprise any favors. If anything, you're only making things more complicated." Though Addison's intentions were clear—she was trying to help Johnston Enterprise—Lance made it clear that wouldn't earn her any favor. "Even if you did help the company," he added, his tone steady, "it wouldn't change anything between us. Do you understand that?"