After All the Hurt, She Chose Herself novel Chapter 280

"That's enough—"

"Because I broke into the institute and found it myself!"

The moment the words left her mouth, Flora saw the triumphant smirk on Aria's face. She realized instantly that she had walked right into the trap.

She clamped her hands over her mouth in horror.

Aria feigned a look of sudden realization.

"Oh—so you conducted your own little investigation at the institute. Now I have to ask, Ms. Keene, since you don't work there, how exactly did you get inside? My project is a classified government operation. How did you gain access to that information? Are you stealing state secrets?"

A cold sweat broke out across Flora's back.

She couldn't comprehend how Aria had been completely cornered just moments ago, only to effortlessly flip the entire situation.

Ivy interjected, stepping in smoothly.

"Ms. Rowan, Ms. Keene acted impulsively out of grief for her friend, but that doesn't change the fact that 5 milligrams of the drug are missing. Since this involves a state-controlled substance, its disappearance requires a thorough investigation, wouldn't you agree?"

With a few well-placed words, Ivy shoved the blame right back onto Aria.

Whether she lost it or not, as the project lead, she was responsible for gross negligence. If this blew up, it would destroy Aria's career.

Ivy's ultimate goal was to secure a meeting with Dr. Reaves. Once Aria was out of the picture, his primary project would be left hanging.

Her eyes flicked toward Charles's slightly trembling right hand.

Right now, Dr. Reaves only had Charles and Aria as his core protégés.

Charles's hand injury meant that, no matter how much Dr. Reaves wanted to mentor him, he would never be able to handle the delicate demands of the core project.

And if Aria was officially deemed incompetent at handling classified materials, even if Dr. Reaves wanted to keep her on, would the higher-ups allow it?

Dr. Reaves would be left with no one. He would have no choice but to bring Ivy back to the Flourish Research Institute.

And maybe... she'd finally get a chance to meet Dawn.

Raphael nodded in understanding.

Sitting in his wheelchair, Aldous watched the two of them whispering to each other, a complex mix of emotions brewing in his chest.

Aria was a remarkable young woman. If she had never married Gideon, Aldous would have absolutely no objections to her seeing Raphael.

But she had been married to his grandson. If she turned around and married Raphael...

What a monumental scandal that would be.

But if he barred Raphael from interacting with her, the Evernight family's only link to Dawn would be severed forever.

For a moment, Aldous didn't know what to do.

"Let's see who dares to slander Aria! We dedicate our lives to research and contributing to this country, only for people like you to smear us with baseless accusations?!"

Dr. Reaves hadn't even stepped into the room yet, but his booming, authoritative voice echoed down the hallway with explosive force!