Addicted To The Genius Lady With A Thousand Faces

Chapter 285:

Upon hearing the name “Black Mallow,” Aelfric clenched his teeth in hatred and sneered, “Black Mallow is insane! She’s a wild woman—fearless and always itching for a fight with anyone who crosses her path! She’d even trample all over Connor’s interests if it took her fancy, let alone the Peridot Consortium’s!”

Aelfric’s attempt to paint Black Mallow as arrogant and volatile only fueled Derek’s admiration and yearning. Tired of playing the underdog, Derek had become a fan of the powerful, seeking out those who could aid his ascent. He had hoped Aelfric would help him retaliate against Charles for today’s humiliation, only to be disappointed by Aelfric’s cautiousness.

Aelfric portrayed Black Mallow as an arrogant fool blind to her own best interests. Yet, she seemed untouchable—unbothered and unchallenged by anyone. Even the mere mention of her, the chief instructor at Doomsday Base, was enough to instill fear. This only confirmed that Black Mallow’s strength made her fearless. That was exactly the type of person Derek wanted to follow. Aligning with the mightiest was his ticket to the top. Resolved, he decided to earn Black Mallow’s approval and secure a position as one of her most trusted lieutenants.

Aelfric had no idea what was going on in Derek’s mind, though. Derek’s consistent respect and obedience had led Aelfric to view him as docile. Then his earlier conversation with Marissa replayed in his mind, unsettling him enough to cause an involuntary sigh.

“Why the sigh, Aelfric?” Neil inquired, concern edging his voice. “Is it because of Amiri’s death?” They had expected Amiri to eliminate Connor on the Sunrise, yet not only had Connor returned unscathed, but Amiri himself had unexpectedly died. To add to their confusion, the Sunrise publicly acknowledged their involvement in the incident. They were frustrated by the turn of events.

g Ɐ

carefully later,”

you, then?” Neil pressed,

if Tiffany is Dr. Riss

Riss!” Derek

to him, Aelfric asked, “How can you be

and confirmed that Tiffany isn’t Dr. Riss. I can’t share the details of my investigation here, but I

If Derek couldn’t confirm whether Tiffany was Riss, how could he be so confident? Yet,

who had been listening at the door, burst in. “I’m

her. “And why are you so

Melinda handed him her phone, saying,