Chapter 35
“The Eternal Project you’re talking about… Wasn’t that the incident where the entire team was wiped out three years ago?” Valerie asked.
Owen’s eyes lit up. “Exactly. There were 18 participants in the experimental group for the Eternal Project. The experiment was nearing its final stages when a sudden explosion occurred.
“All the participants died on site, the experimental data was destroyed, and the project was forced to shut down.”
Valerie had a vague understanding of the incident Owen was talking about. Having conducted thousands of experiments in the field of genetics and cell biology, she was well aware of the shockwaves the Eternal Project had sent through the industry when it was first announced.
The group of 18 had tried to achieve human immortality through genetic modification. It was a goal that had countless corporate leaders eagerly awaiting the results.
Immortality would mean they could live until the end of the world with their empires— trillions in assets-intact. Anyone would be tempted.
“Owen, why are you suddenly bringing this up?”
He lowered his voice and explained, “Though the lab was destroyed, a prototype survived.
“There’s a private auction this weekend aboard a luxury cruise ship. The holder plans to put it up for bidding, and it’ll go to the highest offer.”
Valerie felt a stir of interest. “Are you sure the item up for auction is a prototype from that experiment?”
“I don’t spread half-baked rumors,” he said flatly.
The Foster family had a significant standing in Windmere, and as the second son, Owen had
access to reliable insider information.
Alone in the restroom, Valerie mulled over Owen’s news in her mind. If a prototype from the Eternal Project did exist, its appearance at the auction would undoubtedly cause a stir.
Owen had also mentioned that only those with invitations would be allowed to board the cruise ship.
Just then, voices drifted in from outside the restroom.
“Is Valerie Collins from the Department of Biological Science really some man’s kept mistress?
Someone replied, “People spotted her around Azure Bay. No one knows who the sugar daddy
Chapter 35
is, but the fact that she’s a kept mistress is basically confirmed.”
“If I were a man, I’d also be obsessed with that vixen face, too.” A third person snickered.
2/2
“Pretty or not, she’s still just mistress material,” the first woman said. “She skipped an entire semester of classes and was probably holed up in some private townhouse having a baby.”
Laughter rippled through them.
Listening to their filthy remarks, Valerie kicked the restroom door. The loud bang sent them shrieking in surprise.
Marching toward them, she demanded, “Repeat what you just said to my face.”
The intimidating weight of her presence pressed down until they struggled to breathe.
Feigning calmness, the first woman raised her chin and snapped, “I might even repeat it ten times if you want. Rumors that you’re a kept mistress are going viral all over the campus. Otherwise, explain why you were absent all year.
“The school told us that you had health issues. That makes sense, too, because pregnancy to recovery takes about a year.”
The other two nodded along. “The dean gave you special treatment, so maybe your sugar daddy cut a deal with him.”
As their accusations grew wilder, Valerie grabbed one of them by the collar. “Who started
these rumors?”
“Let go! I can’t breathe!” The woman gasped.
Tightening her grip around the collar, Valerie pressed, “Who spread it?”
On the verge of tears, the woman cried out, “We saw a post about you on the campus forum!”
