After All the Hurt, She Chose Herself novel Chapter 253

"That's enough, Bradley."

As the atmosphere grew increasingly hostile, Ivy quickly stepped in to smooth things over.

"Since Dr. Reaves is busy and can't meet today, we can just reschedule. It's perfectly fine."

Bradley wanted to argue back, but after a moment of thought, he clamped his mouth shut.

His primary goal today wasn't to pick a fight with Aria, but to track down Dawn.

But frustratingly, Dawn only ever communicated through Aria, and he desperately wanted to avoid dealing with her. A woman like this would cause nothing but chaos if she returned to the Holt family.

Right now, his only viable option was to get Ivy onto the project. Then Ivy could connect with Dawn, who could eventually introduce Dawn to him.

"Raphael, if you have some free time... it's been so many years. Could we grab dinner together?"

Ivy offered Raphael another gentle, flawless smile.

Given their shared history as classmates, Raphael didn't refuse her as harshly this time.

"I'll be quite busy lately, but if I find the time, sure."

Raphael gripped the handles of Aria's wheelchair and said, "We're meeting someone now. Goodbye."

Ivy smiled and nodded. Watching them walk away, she murmured to herself.

"Raphael has really changed. I remember the last time I saw him, he was never this considerate."

Bradley narrowed his eyes, pulling out his phone to snap a photo of their retreating backs.

"Aria is tangled up with two different men. What kind of decent woman is she? I have no idea what Dr. Reaves sees in her."

"Bradley, you seem to care a lot about Aria."

Ivy tilted her head in curiosity.

"I think she's quite impressive. Having that many patents at her age is no small feat."

Bradley scoffed.

"If you hadn't gone abroad to study, you would have become Dr. Reaves's student long ago. Aria wouldn't have even stood a chance."

"The way I see it, she just picked up your scraps."

Ivy smiled faintly. "That was a long time ago. Let's not talk about it anymore."

—

She could sense a complicated history between the four of them, but this wasn't the time to pry.

As the three of them were talking, two imposing, middle-aged men walked into the room.

"Alden, is this Aria? She's so young! Truly worthy of being your final protégé."

The man beamed at Aria, his eyes crinkling so deeply they practically vanished.

He knew Aria was Dawn. The thought that she had discovered a new pathway to curing the genetic disease made him instantly adore her.

"This is General Felix," Alden introduced her. "And this is General Nathaniel Kersey."

Aria's eyelids twitched. The two men looked barely sixty, yet they were generals. It was unbelievable.

"It's an honor to meet you both!"

Aria tried to stand up from her wheelchair.

"Please, sit down, sit down!"

Nathaniel quickly waved her back into her seat.

"You are an incredible young woman. Do you have any idea how critical your neurological medications are to the military?"