A Replacement Bride

Chapter 19

Theodore and Katherine came out of the hospital room shortly after and headed into the office.

He handed her the scientific data he had compiled recently and said, "Right now, we've only got one patient in the clinical trial, so there won't be enough statistics to determine if this medication can help regenerate brain cells in patients who are in a vegetative state. I'm still working on getting more next-of-kins to agree to let their loved ones participate in our research."

Katherine nodded as she flipped through the documents. "Take your time. The world will be shocked once this medication is launched, but a large-scale promotion is unsuitable for now. Make sure you look into everyone who agrees to the clinical trial. A single blabbermouth can put you in grave danger."

They had run the test on white mice previously and gotten satisfactory results.

Alex Rosenburg, who had been in a vegetative state for three years, had woken up after they had used the medication on him, which meant it had to be effective to some extent.

"I'll be in Hovington for a while, so give me a call if you need anything," Katherine said as she handed the papers back to Theodore.

Seeing that she was leaving, he grumbled, "Are you actually going to marry into the Levisays? Why bother with the Cornells when you can do more good for mankind instead?"

He could not understand why Katherine insisted on personally taking out the trash that was the rest of her family when she could easily have someone else do the dirty work for her.

"You don't get it," she said with a dry smile. There was no describing the anger that came over her each time she remembered her mother's agonizing death. Everything Jorge had stolen from her mother and the Olsens, she would make him pay for it in kind.

"I'll get going now," Katherine said. She glanced at her watch and figured Rosemary would be home by now. She smirked and waved goodbye to Theodore, then headed out of the research institute.

An hour later, the ride she had booked through an app pulled up outside the Cornell Residence, and she disembarked.

at the brightly-lit architecture in front of her,

Lisa's features. Abandoning her image as the ever-loving and demure housewife, she

in with her hands in her pockets,

his breath as he appraised her anxiously and could not help fearing for her

can't believe you have the nerve to come back here!" Lisa snarled the moment she saw Katherine walk through the door. Her nostrils flared as she marched up

might want to reconsider slapping me, Lisa. I'm the young lady of this family, and I'll be the lady of the Levisays household soon." Katherine did not dodge as she said this breezily. She even turned her cheek as though to

She wished she could quarter the girl, but Katherine

you thank her? How could you be so evil, Katherine?!" Lisa snapped, trembling with anger. Now that hitting Katherine was out of the question, she resorted

even imagine how terrified Rosemary had been when she

a young lady of nobility. The girl was going to marry into an elite family one day

been some sort of misunderstanding, Lisa?" Katherine feigned innocence, though she was secretly cheering when she saw how outraged Lisa

enjoyed more than watching Lisa

even though you knew it was laced—" As though

shouldn't have abandoned your sister in a den

you say?" Katherine blinked. An innocent expression etched itself upon her pretty face as she pointed out unassumingly, "Lisa, it was Rosemary who brought me there in the first place. I couldn't possibly have forced her into bringing me there, could I? Also, she was the one who insisted on downing that wine. Did she tell you I

words dying on

the former had initially rejected the invitation at first. Now that the latter had gotten herself into trouble,

anyone could be so infuriating. Katherine was neither passive-aggressive nor hostile, but the effortless way in which she shot down the accusations

Katherine. She had to swallow her pride