After All the Hurt, She Chose Herself novel Chapter 78

Aria was unfazed, her voice cold. “You plagiarized my research, and now you’re here twisting the truth?”

Plagiarism?

Gideon’s gaze was assessing.

Since the drug had already been recalled, he might as well hear what Aria’s reasons were.

“What nonsense are you spouting?” Hazel pointed a finger at Aria’s nose and yelled, “You say I plagiarized you? What proof do you have? I worked my fingers to the bone in the lab for my research!”

“I’ve found the history records for my research paper. Your research proposal, including the medication and dosage, is identical to mine.”

“Most importantly, my paper is five years older than yours.”

“If that’s not plagiarism, what is?”

Hazel gritted her teeth. “Your history is on your phone and computer. How could I have possibly seen it?”

Aria was waiting for Hazel to ask just that.

She waved her phone. “You probably don’t know this, but I have a habit of saving my login locations. And while I was looking through my history, I happened to see that my account was logged into at the institute a few months ago.”

“And by an even greater coincidence, the very next day, you submitted your initial research draft to the professor.”

“All we need to do is find the security footage from that day, and the truth will come out, won’t it?”

The one thing the research institute didn’t lack was security cameras.

At those words, Hazel’s face went white as a sheet.

“You—you can’t do that! I found a document on the computer, but this is the institute. What’s wrong with me using a document from the institute? On what grounds do you accuse me of plagiarism?”

Still trying to argue.

Aria turned to Alden Reaves and showed him the login location on her phone.

Alden Reaves was completely caught off guard by Charles’s statement.

“Charles, you can’t be unaware of the seriousness of plagiarism, can you?”

“I don’t believe Hazel plagiarized.” Charles looked at Aria. “Why didn’t you log out of your account when you left the institute?”

“Besides, you used the institute’s equipment for your experiment, which makes the project property of the lab. What’s wrong with Hazel using an institute project?”

“Charles…” Hazel, who never expected Charles to defend her, was moved to tears. “You have to help me. My drug development is in its final stage! Once it’s successful, it will completely repair nerves!”

“If I quit now, does Aria get to take all the credit? What about all my hard work these past few months?”

“Charles, I honestly didn’t know it was Aria’s research direction. She’s been gone from the institute for so long, I thought it was just some abandoned project…”

Gideon also spoke up. “Since there’s a problem with the research, Aria can join the project. You two can work together. It’s a win-win.”

Aria scoffed. “I will not join the project. What’s mine is mine. If you want me to improve it, Hazel has to leave!”