After chatting for more than twenty minutes, the two women finally left the


    balcony. By the time the clock struck eleven, Gwenda was stifling yawns, her eyes heavy with exhaustion.


    "Faye, let''s call it a night. It''s already eleven," Gwenda said, stretching. "For all we know, they''ve both gone to bed by now."


    But Faye couldn''t shake the image in her mind: Eleanor and Joel together, sharing affectionate whispers and softughter. Jealousy gnawed at her, so fierce she thought she might shatter her own teeth.


    Atst, she started her car and drove away.


    Ten minutester, Eleanor walked Joel to the gate. "I''m sorry," she said, apologetic. "I don''t know what''s gotten into Evelyn tonight. She wouldn''t let you leave until now."


    Joel just smiled, lips quirking with genuine fondness. "Don''t worry about it. Evelyn''s adorable-I like spending time with her."


    "She''s gotten even more rambunctious since she stopped school," Eleanor sighed, shaking her head.


    "Go back inside and keep herpany. I''lle by again soon," Joel said, waving as he headed down the path.


    As Joel disappeared into the night, Eleanor turned to go back inside. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a ck sedan parked across the street, lurking beneath the yellow glow of the streetmp like a silent predator. The hazard lights were off, but Eleanor didn''t need to see the license te to know whose car it was.n.


    She could make out the faint silhouette of someone watching from inside. She shot the car a cold, dismissive nce before shutting the gate firmly behind her.


    Ten minutester,n''s car finally pulled away.


    In the early hours before dawn, a new message appeared in theboratory group chat: the keynote presentation that Simone was supposed to give tomorrow would now be delivered by Eleanor instead.


    Simone had messaged Eleanor privately first, confirming she was avable to cover for her. Only after Eleanor agreed did Simone announce it to the rest of the group.


    Faye had just returned to her apartment when she saw the news. Instantly, her mood plummeted.


    She was Simone''s most promising protégé how could this opportunity have gone to someone else?<fnc710> N?w ?ovel chapt?rs are published on Find★Novel</fnc710>


    A message from Gwenda popped up: "Faye, shouldn''t you be the one giving Professor Langley''s presentation? How did Eleanor end up with it?"


    Faye scrolled through her chats to double-check. Simone hadn''t messaged her privately. Her expression soured.


    Then it clicked. Simone''s first choice must have been Joel, and Joel must have passed the opportunity to Eleanor.


    Frustrated, Faye sank onto the couch, pulling out her phone to review the videos she''d secretly recorded earlier that evening. On the balcony, under the hazy light, Eleanor''s hand gently smoothed Joel''s hair as he closed his eyes in contentment. Their gestures were unmistakably intimate.


    Faye bit her lip, jealousy burning in her chest. Outwardly, Eleanor had crafted the image of a brilliant, untouchable star in medicine. But Faye knew the truth-she was nothing but a shameless, immoral woman, hiding her true nature behind a perfect fa?ade. Faye was determined to expose her, to show the world what kind of person Eleanor really was.


    One day, she promised herself, everyone who admired Eleanor would see just how she seduced her colleagues.


    The next morning, just before eleven, Eleanor gave Joslyn instructions to watch her daughter and let her know she''d be home by five. Evelyn, perhaps sensing the importance of the day, seemed unusually well-behaved, content to stay home with Princess, her fluffy white dog.


    Eleanor arrived at Ashford Medical University, where a high-profile conference on cellr medicine was drawing doctors and researchers from across the country. Simone had lost her voice overnight and was now resting in the hospital. The talk had been on the schedule for weeks; there was no way to cancel. In the end, Simone had chosen Eleanor to take her ce-Eleanor''s reputation was strong enough to carry the event.


    After a brief meeting with the university leadership to go over the details, Eleanor settled into a quiet lounge beside the auditorium, gathering her notes and her thoughts, preparing for the spotlight.