Joen''s message was clear: it was just in bad luck. Summer hadn''t even bothered with the first paper. She was already seething and feeling wronged after leaving her assistant, so focusing on reading was out of the question. Joen''s exnation only added to the heaviness in her chest, like she was carrying an invisible burden.


    What special article? They seemed like nothing more than excuses to sideline her. Noticing Summer''s frustration, Joen put the journal down and asked, "You haven''t checked out the first paper yet, have you?"


    Summer wanted to snap back, "What''s there to read?" But she held her tongue, not wanting to be impertinent in front of Joen. Instead, she muttered, "I skimmed it, didn''t really dive in."


    "Well, give it a proper look. Once you do, you''ll see why it''s at the top," Joen suggested, tapping his fingers on the table.


    Summer shot Joen a look before finally picking up the journal. But before she could even get to the main text, the author''s name below the title stopped her cold.


    Mirabe?


    Could it just be someone with the same name, or was it the Mirabe she knew? Summer wanted to dismiss the idea that it was her old rival, but remembering how Mirabe had always been in the spotlight since high school only fueled her frustration.


    She had zero interest in reading the paper. Instead, she turned to Joen and asked, "Professor, could I ask for a favor?"


    "Hmm?" Joen leaned back slightly in his chair.


    "Could you help me find out where this paper came from, through the SCI database?" Summer was anxious to get to the bottom of it.


    Joen gave her a curious look.


    Summer''s eyes darted as she exined, "I''ve seen something like this before and need to confirm if someone I know wrote it."


    Joen''s brow furrowed slightly, but he took out his phone to call a friend at SCI. The call connected quickly.


    "Yes, could you check the author of this paper for me?" Joen hung up and waited for his friend to dig up the details.


    Within minutes, his phone buzzed with a message.


    It was from his friend. Joen opened it and handed it to Summer. "The author''s from your country, a student in the biology department at Prestige College."


    Summer''s eyes flickered with a whirlwind of emotions. It really was that Mirabe! Back in high school she always seemed to overshadow her. Now, even though they were at different universities, their papers ended up in the same journal issue. Even the most over-the-top TV dramas couldn''te up with something this annoying.


    Right then, Summer''s resentment hit a boiling point.


    Joen''s voice broke through her thoughts, "Is this someone you know?"


    Summer bit her lip and nodded, "Yes."


    "That''s quite a coincidence," Joenmented.


    Summer lowered hershes to hide.


    ?


    the envy and resentment in her eyes, and with a tense voice, she said, "Professor, she''s that ''special someone'' I''ve told you about before."


    Joen''s expression shifted slightly, "You mean she..."


    "Yes, you might discover something unusual if you look into her background," Summer stated bluntly.


    If Mirabe was going to keep getting in her way, she could go to hell. Summer smirked to herself.


    Joen knew Summer wouldn''t lie to


    him, so he nced at the folder


    beside him. Their current research


    had stalled; maybe a fresh


    perspective could lead to a


    breakthrough.