Bram first welcomed the investors, then summed up their recent progress. No wonder they were students of Alistair. In such a short time, the results were impressive. Unexpectedly, however, Darcy's contributions were also highlighted. Bram spoke with particular emphasis. "Here, I want to especially thank Darcy. Without her help, our project wouldn't have progressed this quickly." Others nodded in agreement. "That's right, we owe a lot to Darcy!" Facing the praise, Darcy felt her cheeks warm. "Thank you. It was a team effort." Mia, though, looked downright sour. What a show-off! What skills could she possibly have? They only hype her because she's pretty. Otherwise, she wouldn't only be applying for Prof. Reed's graduate program now, and a part-time one at that! Thinking of this, Mia curled her lip. "No need to be modest, Darcy. Even though you're still an undergrad, your skills are better than most undergrads." It sounded like praise, but it cut both ways. It stung, but Darcy said nothing. She knew her own level, and so did Alistair. As for what others thought—she didn't care. Seeing Darcy didn't refute it, Zora, thinking she had hit a nerve, decided to strike. "Most people here are Prof. Reed's students, right? It seems Ms. Gale is the only exception." Bram adjusted his glasses, rushing to Darcy's defense. "Darcy has applied for Alistair's graduate program. She placed first on the written exam. She'll be his student soon." "'Soon' means she isn't yet. And besides, I heard Ms. Gale only applied for the part-time program," Zora sneered. "What's the value in a part-time degree?""That's not accurate," Bram explained, his face flushing slightly from the tension of the argument—he wasn't good at confrontations. "Part-time and full-time are just different modes of study. Prof. Reed doesn't favor one over the other or discriminate." Zora saw right through him—Bram liked Darcy. She seethed internally. One after another, they all like her. What's so great about that woman?! Forcing down her anger, Zora smiled, "I heard Mr. Blackwood is Prof. Reed's nephew. And Ms. Gale is quite close with Mr. Blackwood. Could it be that's how she got into the lab project?" Her words sent a shockwave through the small meeting room. Among Alistair's students, aside from Bram, all stared at Darcy, whispering. "What? She and Mr. Blackwood... is it that kind of secret relationship?" "Damn. She looks proper, but behind the scenes—who knows...""Scarier still, is Prof. Reed playing favorites? Who knows if he'll give all the resources to her once she's officially his student!" "Yeah, I hate people who get in through connections!" The speculations swirled, each one sinking Darcy's heart lower. She took a deep breath and said, "Everyone, you've misunderstood. Mr. Blackwood and I are not in that kind of relationship. I'm simply his employee." No sooner had she finished than Zora pressed on, her tone dripping with skepticism, "Oh? He recommended you to Prf. Reed, got you special treatment... and it's just a normal boss-employee thing?" Right—who got that lucky? These two are clearly more than they let on. Alistair was known for his integrity. Now he made an exception for Darcy, bending the rules. Who would believe she and Jethro were just coworkers?In a blink, the looks aimed at Darcy grew murkier. This was exactly what Zora wanted. She knew Darcy and Jethro were worlds apart; Darcy could never be accepted by the Blackwood family. But with just a little suggestion, any man and woman could become the center of a rumor storm. She looked at Darcy with smug delight. Thought you were tough? Let's see you talk your way out of this one! Hugo, meanwhile, frowned deeply. He looked at Zora and muttered, "Enough. This isn't a public shaming session." Zora glanced at him, leaning closer, her voice a mocking whisper. "What? Feeling protective?" Hugo met her gaze, his expression cold. After a few seconds, he said, "You're like a different person.""You're the one who changed," Zora hissed. With that, she turned away from him and looked toward Zane. Zane's gaze was icy, his face grim. Zora feigned confusion and brushed the back of his hand. "What's wrong?" Zane had been deeply uncomfortable with Zora's aggressive targeting of Darcy. He felt she had gone too far. But when Darcy didn't fight back, his heart dropped like a stone. Could it be true? Could Darcy really be in that kind of relationship with Jethro? That would explain why she was so eager to break up with him! She wanted to climb higher. Lost in his own angry thoughts, he felt Zora's touch on his hand. He let out a deep breath. At least I still have Zora by my side. Just when the room felt like it might shatter, the conference door swung open.