Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed

Chapter 203

Chapter 203

The first thing you notice is a pair of long legs in boots, topped with a camel coat over a white knit sweater, her hand clutching a large, elephant-grey Hermes tote. From head to toe, everything about her screamed sophistication and attention to detail.

The moment Liz laid eyes on Owen, her pupils dilated with excitement, "Mr. Reynolds, good morning!"

"Morning." Owen nodded slightly.

"Liz, let me introduce you to the newest member of our team, Roseanne. She's even younger than you by two years," Sammy was quick to share the news with her.

It was then Liz noticed an unfamiliar presence in the lab, pausing her smile for a moment.

Before Roseanne, Liz was the youngest in the research group, often doted on and held in high regard by everyone.

And she had every reason to be treated so.

A Masters from Columbia followed by a Ph.D. underway at Kingswell University, her academic credentials were indeed impressive.

Moreover, being part of Owen's research team itself was a testament to her research capabilities and academic excellence.

Roseanne stuck to protocol and greeted everyone, but Liz responded with a lukewarm handshake before quickly pulling away. Her disdain was subtle but palpable to Roseanne.

Jen's eyes darted between the two girls, though she chose to remain silent.

Owen clarified, "Just to set the record straight, strictly speaking, Roseanne isn't exactly joining our team."

"What?"

"She's here to conduct her own research project and is merely using our space."

Borrowing space?

surprise. Owen never lent

Others shared this confusion.

Stoddard exchanged

Liz frowned deeply.

...

the blackboard. We have staff coming in daily to restock supplies." Roseanne nodded, noticing a blackboard to her left with a grid for tracking and notes. A slot was already filled with

this, Liz asked with a touch of curiosity, "Which postdoc

year of Ph.D. this September," Roseanne

graduate school?" Liz

undergrad managed to land a

even got Owen to make an exception

What's her story?

Surname Cole...

through the prominent families of

or academic elites, the surname Cole was nowhere to be

could probe further, a hand gently grasped her arm, shaking

unused, and it was within

was Owen's personal domain; they

cues, glanced forward. Even in a lab coat, Owen's stender physique was apparent, the soft

a stillness,

she knew better; that gentleness was an

but research ever really

spoke up, it was doubtful Owen

the workstation was lent out by him; what ground

...

Unaware of these undercurrents,

dived into