?Chapter 909:


    Caught off guard, Webster blinked in confusion before snapping out of it. “Who the hell are you?”


    Without hurrying, Wesley strolled forward, his hands still resting in his pockets. He didn’t bother responding. He didn’t even look at Webster. His eyes were locked on Elena.


    Theck of acknowledgment sent heat rushing to Webster’s face. Being ignored stung worse than being insulted. His re sharpened when he noticed how naturally Wesley fell in beside Elena. There was no awkwardness between them. No hesitation.


    Annoyance bubbling over, Webster couldn’t resist poking the bear. “Am I wrong? She’s got a pretty face, sure. But where’s the substance? No skill. No depth. Just window dressing.”


    That earned him a nce. Cold. Calcted.


    Wesley’s lip curled into the faintest sneer. “You? Judging talent? You haven’t published anything worth reading in years. You’ve been coasting off the backs of people smarter than you. So tell me—who are you to judge anyone?”


    A muscle jumped in Webster’s jaw. His eyes narrowed. That hit too close to home. Panic crept in. Who was this man? And how did he know so much?


    After all, their team’s publications always credited every member. Webster had relied on that collective acknowledgment for years, using it to maintain the illusion of being a valuable part of the team. Group credit disguised the fact that he had not done actualb work in a long time.


    Wesley was not about to let Webster recover. “Keep leeching off government funding if you want,” he said, voice steady and sharp. “But if I were you, I’d pack up and leave before someone decides to pull your record and clean house.”


    At Wesley’s words, a jolt of panic hit Webster’s chest, but he quickly masked it with a burst of outrage. “What kind of nonsense are you talking about? I’ve been with the research institute for eight years! I’m the longest-serving member there. I’ve poured everything I have into strengthening our national defense, and I’m not about to let you drag my name through the mud!”


    This job meant everything to Webster. Within his circle, working at a top military facility had always brought him praise and admiration. Walking away had never once crossed his mind.


    Step into fiction with g ? ln σ ν?? ?s


    At first, Webster stayed cautious around Wesley, but now, rage clouded his judgment, and he turned the hostility toward Wesley as well. “Looks like you two are real close, huh? Miss Harper, you sure know how to climb thedder. First, Major General Garrett’s bending over backwards for you, and now this guy’s jumping in to defend you. Bncing both at once—aren’t you worried it’s all going to blow up in your face?”


    Webster didn’t have a shred of evidence—just empty usations dressed up as gossip—but that didn’t stop him from spitting them out.


    And to make it worse, a few people actually bought it. Kason held a high ce in everyone’s eyes. Soldiers across the base looked up to him and respected him. So when word spread that Elena might’ve cheated on him, their stares shifted, suddenly colder, more judgmental.


    “Seriously? She cheated on Major General Garrett?”


    “I heard Major General Garrett brought his girlfriend to the base today. Think it’s…”


    “Any woman who’d two-time a man like that doesn’t deserve Major General Garrett.”


    “She even had the guts to bring the guy here? Has she no respect for Major General Garrett?”


    As the whispers piled up, Webster’s smirk deepened. He was certain that Elena was doomed this time.


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