Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed novel Chapter 760

"I might not have published any papers or made any groundbreaking contributions, but you know very well how Sybil's so-called accomplishments came about, don't you?"

Edna's eyes flickered slightly.

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Perhaps you've forgotten that as the heiress of the Sherwood family, the last thing I lack is money and connections. Dropping a bit of cash to have someone look into Sybil was a piece of cake. And guess what I found out?"

Edna's expression turned from surprise to alarm.

Hertha continued, "Isn't it curious? You, Professor, have the last name Johnson, and surprise, surprise, so does Sybil. Could there be a family connection there?"

"So what if there is?!" Edna shot back, her voice trying to sound tough but clearly shaken.

Hertha smirked, "So what? Sybil's grades were abysmal in middle school, then suddenly in high school, she's winning every competition and publishing academic papers in prestigious journals during her spare time. Do I need to spell it out for you?"

"You—" Edna was trembling with anger.

In that moment, she regretted ever letting Hertha into her circle.

She had assumed Hertha was just a naive, easily manipulated rich girl, never imagining she was actually a sharp, vindictive, and cunning force to be reckoned with.

Hertha leaned in, "Make me the co-leader of the competition project, or else—I'll make sure you and your niece crash and burn. Believe me?"

With that, she turned and walked away, leaving Edna no chance to launch into a tirade.

And just like that, Hertha's name appeared in the "Project Leader" slot on the registration form.

Arkle stared in disbelief, turning to Carlson with a puzzled expression. "Why did that happen?"

"There’s no reason. The world just isn’t fair," Carlson replied, unfazed, as if this was something he'd come to expect.

Arkle, on the other hand, was left even more bewildered.

...

The competition's rules allowed participants to choose their own research topics, submit them by a deadline, and then a panel would select several grand prize winners, along with first, second, and third place awards.

Roseanne and her team quickly settled on a research question and direction.