<b>Chapter </b><b>103 </b>


    <i>ra’s </i><b><i>POV</i></b><b><i>: </i></b>


    We arrived at the summit at 5pm. All eyes were on us as we made our way to the tinum table. I could hear whispers among the guests.


    “Oh my gosh<i>, </i>so <i>it’s </i><i>true</i><i>! </i><i>ra </i><i>is </i><i>in </i><i>a </i><i>rtionship </i><i>with Ethan </i><i>Taylor</i><i>!</i><i>” </i>


    “Well, <i>no </i><i>wonder </i><i>he </i><i>defended </i><i>her </i><i>to </i><i>fiercely</i><i>!</i>”


    <i>“</i><i>Is </i><i>that </i><i>why </i><i>she </i><i>went </i>to <i>Osha</i><i>?</i><i>” </i>


    “<i>Wait</i><i>, </i><i>were </i><i>they </i><i>together </i><i>then</i><i>?</i><i>” </i>


    Questions and gossip circted through the ballroom, but Ethan and ra didn’t care. ra’s eyes widen, when she looked at the two tinum tables, she could see it was filled with his family along with Gloria, her parents and siblings, Casey, and his family.


    <i>“</i><i>Why </i><i>are </i><i>all </i>of <i>them </i><i>here</i><i>?</i>‘


    <b>85 </b>


    ra was confused but reserved her questions forter. Earlier that day, Ethan was already acting weird. He’d ordered her this special gown that Casey had to deliver for the summit, and he kept looking at her as if something was missing. She figured she’d wait until after the g to grill him. As they made their way to the table, Gloria, along with


    his mom and sisters stood up.


    “re–bear! <i>O.M.G</i><i>! You </i><i>look </i><i>beautiful</i>!!! Good <i>taste </i><i>Ethan</i>!<i>” </i>


    Ethan blushed as he hugged Gloria. After everyone hugged and shared handshakes, the host of the summit took the stage.


    <i>“</i><i>Good </i><i>evening </idies and <i>gentlemen</i>, <i>I </i>want to <i>thank </i><i>you </i><i>all </i><i>for </iing to <i>this </i><i>year’s </i>annual Bio<i>–</i><i>Summit </i><i>G</i><i>! </i>I’m <i>your </i>host, <i>Lawrence </i><i>Mitchell</i>, and <i>I </i><i>just </i>want to say, <i>everyone </i><i>looks </i>so <i>beautiful </i><i>tonight</i><i>” </i>


    The crowd erupted in handps and cheers as the host took a bow,


    85


    <i>“</i><i>Alright</i><i>! </i>So, <i>we’re </i><i>going </i><i>to </i><i>get </i>started. <i>As </i><i>you </i><i>all </i><i>know</i><i>, </i><i>every </i><i>year</i><i>, </i><i>we </i><i>host </i><i>this </i><i>g </i><i>to </i><i>bring </i><i>honor </i><i>and </i><i>praise </i><i>to </i><i>the </i><i>medical </i><i>and </i><i>medicinal </i><i>pioneers </i><i>of </i><i>the </i><i>world</i><i>! </i><i>Without </i><i>all </i>of <i>their </i><i>hard </i><i>work </i><i>and </i><i>breakthroughs</i><i>, </i><i>who </i><i>knows </i><i>where </i><i>we </i><i>would be </i><i>in </i><i>the </i><i>world </i>of <i>medicine</i><i>!</i><i>” </i>


    As the night went on, various people won awards, Gloria’s father won neurologist of the year for his hard work and training during his tenure at LexU. Terra’s father won the neurosurgeon of the year award. He’s recently performed a sessful tumor removal of a patients brain. The night was going one beautifully, but ra couldn’t help but notice her biological family along with Jason staring daggers at her throughout the evening. Though not surprised it still made her feel uneased.


    <i>“</i><i>I </i><i>can’t </i><i>believe </i><i>that </i><i>little bitch </i><i>showed </i><i>up</i><i>!</i><i>” </i>


    Jameson seethed as he watched ra smile and chat at the tinum table. He couldn’t afford for her to ruin his ns by revealing the research was hers. Jason assured him it wouldn’t matter, even if she did say the research was hers, they had the original journal and would just deny it.


    <i>“</i><i>And she’s </i><i>sitting </i><i>at </i><i>the </i><i>tinum </i><i>table </i><i>with </i><i>Ethan </i><i>Fucking </i><i>Taylor</i><i>! </i><i>This </i><i>will </i><i>be </i><i>the </i><ist </i><i>night </i><i>she </i><i>ever </i><i>embarrasses </i><i>me</i><i>!</i><i>” </i>


    “<i>Ugh</i><i>! </i><i>She </i><i>gets </i><i>on </i><i>my </i><i>nerves</i>! <i>Daddy</i><i>, </i><i>can’t </i><i>you </i><i>ask </i><i>them </i>to <i>throw </i><i>her </i><i>out</i><i>!</i><i>” </i>


    Jameson looked at his daughter annoyed, what irritated him the most was the fact that his big moment would still be due to ra’s hard work. Looking at Sophie, he realized she held no real value to him. He would still need her in order toplete the vine.


    Jason sat silently. He seethed inwardly as he watched the interaction between ra and


    Ethan.


    The smiles, the kisses on the cheek and forehead. The way she looked at him. She’d never looked at him that way before.


    <i>‘</i><i>How </i><i>could </i><i>she </i><i>fall </i><i>in </i><i>love </i><i>with </i><i>someone </i><i>she </i><i>barley </i><i>knew</i><i>! </i><i>She’s </i><i>known </i><i>me </i><i>all </i><i>her </i><i>life </i>and <i>never </i>once looked <i>at </i><i>me </i><i>like </i><i>that</i><i>!</i><i>‘ </i>


    Soon, the big moment had arrived, the award for the Biochemist of the year. A week before the summit, biochemists from all over submitted their entries to possible win.


    <b>85 </b>


    Jameson submitted ra’s form regarding themon cold cure, and Ethan submitted their cancer breakthrough. As the host took the stage, the room grew quiet. ra couldn’t help but notice, the host seemed to nce over at Ethan before he began <fn02a0> For more chapters visit </fn02a0>


    to speak.


    <i>“</i>And finally<i>, </i>we have <i>our </i>final <i>award</i><i>. </i><i>The </i><i>most </i><i>prestigious </i><i>award </i>of <i>the </i><i>evening</i>. <i>Biochemist </i>of <i>the </i><i>year</i>.”


    “This year, I’m proud to say we had some amazing entries, and although we can only have one winner, the medical and medicinal world has been expanding beyond anything


    we could have ever imagined.”


    “So, <i>without </i><i>further </i><i>ado</i><i>, </i><i>allow </i><i>me </i><i>to </i><i>announce </i><i>this </i><i>year’s </i><i>winner</i><i>.</i><i>” </i>


    <i>‘</i>He did <i>it </i><i>again</i><i>!</i><i>‘ </i><i>ra </i><i>noticed </i><i>the </i><i>host </i><i>look </i><i>over </i><i>at </i><i>Ethan</i>. <i>Something </i><i>was </i><i>going </i><i>on</i><i>. </i><i>ra </i><i>was </i><i>just </i><i>about </i><i>to </i>ask <i>Ethan </i><i>when </i><i>the </i><i>host </i><i>announced </i><i>the </i><i>winner</i><i>. </i>


    The crowd was shocked!


    <i>“</i>Did <i>he </i><i>just </i><i>say </i><i>Jameson </i><i>Granger</i><i>?</i><i>” </i>


    <i>“</i><i>Jameson</i>, <i>what </i><i>the </i><i>hell breakthrough </i><i>did </i><i>he </i><i>have</i><i>?</i><i>” </i>


    “Everybody <i>knows </i><i>Caroline </i><i>was </i><i>the </i><i>real </i><i>genius</i><i>! </i><i>JGP </i><i>hasn’t </i><i>won </i><i>since </i><i>her</i><i>!</i><i>” </i>


    As the crowd whispered on, Jameson sat smugly. Finally, the host announced what his medical breakthrough was, the cure for themon cold!


    The entire crowd grew silent. ra’s eyes nearly bulged through her head,


    ‘<i>What </i><i>did </i><i>he </i>just say<i>?</i>‘


    The projection screen then showed the equations as well as the research. ra could hardly believe her eyes; it was her journal. She didn’t lose it! Jameson stole it!! ra began to fume; she could feel the tears in her eyes welding up! How could her father do this to her! Without thinking, ra began to stand. Suddenly, Ethan grabbed her hand. She looked down at him, shock and pain in her eyes, he whispered for her to wait. Whispering he reassured her.


    :


    “<i>Trust </i>me <i>ra</i>, <i>the </i>truth <i>will </i><i>be </i><i>revealed </i>soon.


    ra looked confused, however, there was something about the way he said that made


    her feel he’d already had a n in motion. Following his lead, she sat down.


    Jameson, Anna, Sophie, and Jason all smiled smugly.


    <b>85 </b>


    “<i>That’s </i><i>right </i><i>you </i><i>little </i><i>runt</i><i>! </i><i>You </i><i>can </i><i>scream </i><i>and </i><i>cry </i><i>all </i><i>you </i><i>want</i><i>! </i><i>No one </i><i>will </i><i>believe </i><i>you</i><i>!</i><i>” </i>


    Jameson thought to himself as he could see the hatred in ra’s eyes.


    Sophie and Anna relished in the moment of ra’s embarrassment.


    “So <i>much </i><i>for </i><i>being </i><i>the </i><i>smartest</i><i>. </i><i>Let’s </i><i>see </i><i>how </i><i>much </i><i>Ethan </i><i>Taylor </i><i>wants you </i><i>now</i>.<i>” </i>


    Sophie couldn’t help butugh.


    Jason, however, all he could think about was how he’d n to use this ammunition to get ra toe back to him.


    <i>“</i><i>If </i><i>you </i><i>want </i><i>your </i><i>precious </i><i>research</i><i>, </i><i>you’re </i><i>going </i><i>to </i><i>have </i>to <i>beg </i>for <i>it</i><i>.</i>”


    Suddenly, Ethan looked down at his phone, it was a message from Owen.


    <b>[</b>It’s <i>time</i><b><i>.</i></b><b><i>] </i></b>


    A delish smiled went across Ethan’s lips.


    As the crowd pped in confusion, Jameson made his way up to the stage to ept his award. Gradually, the ps and cheers grew louder. Sophie and Anna cheered loudly, congratting Jameson for his stolen work. As he stepped to the podium to give his speech<b>, </b>someone emerged from the crowd.


    “<i>Over </i>20 <i>years </i><iter </i><i>and </i><i>you’re </i>still stealing from the Rouleaus<i>. </i>Shame on <i>you </i>Granger<i>.</i><i>” </i>