Virginia stood still after speaking, her gaze fixed on Addison. There was something almost uncomfortable about her expression. Addison looked up, giving a sharp, dismissive snort. Virginia certainly knew how to adjust her approach when needed. Now, acknowledging her position, she apologized without hesitation. No wonder Lance was so infatuated with her. "Addison, why are you so quiet? Don't you accept my apology?" Virginia blinked at her, clearly trying to get a reaction. "Of course not," Addison answered coldly, her tone frosty. Her eyes were piercing. She wasn't about to let the matter drop that easily. Unlike Lance, who might swallow his pride, Addison wasn't fooled by such insincere gestures. "Keep your apology to yourself." "Addison!" Virginia snapped, her face reddening with anger. She clenched her fists and practically shouted Addison's name. She had tried to suppress her disgust for the sake of the apology, but now Addison had rejected it outright. So what if she had money? The Johntstons ruled this city, not her! Without power, money meant nothing. Virginia's temper flared. She fought the urge to strike Addison, but in the end, she just turned away, seething. "Wait." Addison called after her, her voice calm. "I want to say something." Virginia stopped, turning back with her phone still in hand, impatience clear on her face. "What do you want?" She had received a string of messages from her senior. With a casual swipe, she opened them. Addison, though every fiber of her being wanted to leave, knew she couldn't let Virginia think she was the one buying herbs. She hesitated for a moment before speaking. "I'm not—" Before she could finish, Virginia suddenly held the phone up closer, her expression changing. Addison's words died in her throat as Virginia's usual haughty demeanor returned. "My senior told me," Virginia interjected, "that while this notebook discusses pharmaceuticals, it's riddled with amateur ideas. The page you sent him was full of mistakes!" "No wonder I couldn't understand it," Virginia added, a smug smile creeping up her face. "With that many errors, how could anyone?" "You really think you know anything about pharmaceuticals with that little knowledge? Do you honestly believe you're qualified?" Virginia sneered, her face contorting in mockery, her anger barely contained. She had always suspected that someone like Addison—an orphan—could never truly understand the complexities of pharmaceuticals. Fortunately, she had sent the notebook's contents to her senior. Without that, Addison might have been fooled. ... Addison said nothing, her face remaining expressionless. She wasn't about to defend herself. Amateurish ideas, huh? she mused, unwilling to waste her breath correcting Virginia. Very few people could truly understand her methods, and even fewer could appreciate them. With no change in her demeanor, Addison calmly repeated, "I wasn't the one who bought the herbs yesterday." Virginia raised an eyebrow, intrigued by her calmness. "As for the notebook, it's true," Addison added, "the content isn't exactly top-tier." Virginia's smirk grew wider, her disdain now matched with pride. "Is that so?" "This notebook is just for jotting down ideas as I learn about pharmaceuticals," Addison continued. "I'm still a beginner, so there are bound to be mistakes." Virginia's smile only grew, as if she were thoroughly enjoying Addison's explanation. "But why are you even studying pharmaceuticals?" Virginia suddenly frowned, her curiosity piqued. "Could it be for Lance? You think that because you study this, he's going to notice you? You must be delusional." "With me around, you can forget that," Virginia added smugly, her tone full of superiority. "Remember your place—you're just a substitute." Addison couldn't help but smile slightly. "You're reading too much into this." "I'm divorced from Lance," she said coolly. "We have no connection anymore. Why would I care about making him notice me?" "I signed the divorce papers and gave them to him. Didn't he tell you?" Addison's smile widened just a little. "Of course ... he did!" Virginia stammered, trying to mask her surprise. She was clearly thrown off by the news. Lance had never told her about this. She had assumed it was Addison who had been dragging her feet ... but it seemed that Lance had been the one delaying things. Addison had already signed the papers, so what was Lance waiting for? Didn't he want to be rid of her? Addison noticed Virginia's discomfort but chose not to address it. "It's good that he told you. Just don't think for a second that I'm still hanging onto him." "So, what's your reason for studying pharmaceuticals?" Virginia asked, narrowing her eyes, clearly still curious. Addison met her gaze evenly. "I'm studying pharmaceuticals because ... " She paused before saying, "I'm aiming to apply for a PhD under Dr. Nancy. "This bag of herbs is for my pharmaceutical studies," Addison explained. "I'm here because I heard about the exhibition in town. I just wanted to check out the herbs," she added quickly, wanting to avoid Virginia overanalyzing the situation or making trouble. Her mention of applying for Dr. Nancy's PhD program was also a way to explain why she'd been seen at Dr. Nancy's lab. After all, Lance had caught her there twice. If Virginia believed that explanation, it would clear her name without much fuss. Virginia paused, looking surprised for a moment. Dr. Nancy's PhD program?"You?" she scoffed after a pause, a mocking laugh escaping her lips. Her eyes were filled with disdain. "You think you can get into Dr. Nancy's program so easily? People like you—coming from nothing—never understand your place. You don't even know your own limits. "Oh, that's right. You're an orphan. Guess that explains why you don't know your worth," Virginia sneered, laughing at her own words, clearly finding the situation amusing. Her laugh had an edge to it, unsettling anyone who could hear it. A bodyguard standing nearby shuddered involuntarily, a chill running through his spine. Addison's face remained neutral, though a faint smile lingered. "Whether I get in or not isn't your concern." "Oh, but it is," Virginia retorted, her tone thick with sarcasm. "You're not applying to Dr. Nancy's program for your studies, are you? We both know you're doing it to get closer to Lance. Johnston Enterprises is practically falling apart trying to track down Dr. Nancy. Lance looks worn out from it all. You've got your sights set on something else, don't you?" Addison was left momentarily speechless. So, despite everything, Virginia still thought this was all about Lance? "I'm applying for Dr. Nancy's PhD program to get into Raven Company. It has nothing to do with Lance," Addison said, keeping her voice steady despite the frustration building inside her. Virginia paused, her eyes narrowing as she studied Addison carefully. "Raven?" "Yes," Addison confirmed. "I didn't expect you to aim so high," Virginia remarked, a smirk forming on her lips as her gaze shifted to disdain. Addison didn't react. Instead, she reached for the leather notebook, clearly uninterested in continuing the conversation. "Anything else? If not, you should leave," Addison said flatly. Virginia's emotions were always so easy to read, which made her predictable—and, frankly, a bit childish. Addison had already said all she needed to, and now, she wasn't going to waste another second on Virginia."Hold on." Virginia's tone was smug as she spoke. Addison raised an eyebrow, waiting. "You want to get into Raven, right? Do you have any idea how many people are desperate to get in? Someone like you doesn't stand a chance," Virginia said, her voice thick with arrogance. "Oh, really? So what?" Addison said, her impatience evident. "I know the president of Raven Company, Keith. If you beg me, I'll call him and get you in," Virginia said, a proud grin stretching across her face. As soon as the words left her lips, Virginia felt a surge of satisfaction. She had just knocked Addison down a peg with ease. Addison had been fighting for something she could get with a single phone call. Addison and Virginia were clearly worlds apart. "Oh? You know Keith?" Addison asked, her tone cool as she examined the satisfaction on Virginia's face.