The Fake Heiress and Her Purrfect Partner novel Chapter 243

Chapter 243

Vera blocked the doorway to Nina’s lab, demanding answers without a hint of courtesy.

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Nina looked up from her stack of research papers, her gaze steady. “I’m willing to put my reputation and everything I’ve invested on the line.

“The development of my new vaccine, Annine, isn’t going to fail. We’ve got more than enough funding to see this through, all the way to success.”

Nina named the new vaccine Annine, building it from the complete manuscript her mother had left behind. It was even more refined than PawGuard, the one she’d worked on back at the Summer family’s lab.

Not only did it trigger a higher antibody response, but the immunity it gave lasted much longer.

But then Nina’s tone shifted. “None of this will work unless the whole team is on the same page.”

“What’s the point of all this empty talk?” Vera snapped, her voice sharp as a blade.

“A failed project like this will haunt me for the rest of my life,” Vera shot back, her words cutting deep. “My stellar resume can’t be tainted by this kind of mess.”

Nina’s lips curled into a cold, mocking smile. “Empty talk? Vera, just two months ago, the partner tried to snatch your first-author spot on your big paper.

“Who was the one pulling every string, burning the midnight oil to reach out to the journal editor and international societies, digging up every shred of proof, and fighting to put your name back on top as first author?”

Nina scanned the room, her voice cutting through the silence of the lab. “I told you before that everyone’s efforts in my team get the respect they deserve. That goes for all of you, too.

“Be honest with yourselves. Has there ever been a promise I made that I didn’t deliver on?”

The lab went dead quiet.

Everyone glanced at each other, mentally ticking off the facts.

Nina never missed a paycheck, and the benefits she promised were way better than anywhere else, always paid on time, no exceptions.

She said she wouldn’t play the seniority game, and she meant it. A couple of young team members got fast- tracked just because they crushed it, handed real responsibility, and a chance to lead.

If the project needed top-notch gear or the newest reagents, Nina always made it happen, no matter what.

The fair vibe she built was obvious; everyone’s hard work got the respect it deserved, and nobody ever got robbed of credit.

Everything Nina did was the total opposite of Vera’s talk about a doomed project that would wreck our

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Chapter 243

careers.

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In the silence, people’s hearts were already starting to tip Nina’s way.

Vera looked around, and when no one spoke up, she shot a meaningful glance at the crowd.

Right away, a guy and a girl got the hint and stepped forward, backing her up in perfect sync.

“The past is the past, but this project’s clearly in trouble now. Who can say there won’t be more problems down the line?” the male researcher said, throwing the first punch.

The female researcher chimed in right after. “Exactly, all those benefits before were just peanuts anyway.

“Now that the project’s about to shut down, what’s the point of talking about any of that?”

Nina gave the three a frosty stare, noticing how they were quietly banding together. She couldn’t help but arch an eyebrow at that.

‘In any team, research or otherwise, the last thing you want is people ganging up and forming little factions.

“That kind of thing doesn’t just drag down efficiency; it turns the whole project into a mess,’ she wondered.

She hadn’t even started digging into who was at fault, and yet these three were already rushing to put themselves in the spotlight.

“Ms. Summer,” Vera seized the moment, “if the project’s really running low on funds, I can help attract some investment right now.

“I know a few investors who are super bullish on biotech. Getting them to back this project and keep it moving forward is no problem at all.”

Her words sent a ripple through the team. Someone blurted out, “Vera, you’ve got that kind of inside track?”

“Absolutely,” the male researcher jumped in, hyping her up. “Vera graduated from an Ivy League school overseas; she’s got connections to some serious heavy hitters.”

Nina didn’t bat an eye, her tone cool and steady. “So, when did you actually reach out to people willing to invest in our project?”

She snapped the folder shut. “Back when I was hiring, I said it loud and clear. Annine Vaccine development doesn’t accept any outside investment, and I don’t need any of you going out looking for investors.

“Just stick to the research. That’s your job.”

Vera was momentarily at a loss for words, then put on a look of hurt and indignation. “Ms. Summer, I’m just trying to do you a favor here, and this is how you respond?

“Come on, look at the mess we’re in. Why are you still being so stubborn?”

Just then, a young researcher couldn’t help speaking up. “Vera, you can’t say that.

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Chapter 243

“This project means everything to Nina. She’s always insisted on no outside investment, just to keep it independent and make sure we control our own research.”

“We’re barely surviving here, and you’re still hung up on independence?” Vera cut him off, her voice sharp and dismissive.

“My network’s huge. I can pull in investors on the spot. Just give me half a month, and I’ll bring in 4 million in cash flow for this project,” she added.

Someone blurted out, “4 million?” and the whole lab froze.

The number made everyone in the lab suck in a breath.

Everyone knew that these days, most big companies looked flashy on the outside, but their cash was all locked up in assets. Getting 4 million in liquid cash, just like that? Almost nobody could pull that off.

Nina narrowed her eyes, her slender fingers twirling a pen. “4 million?”

“Damn right,” Vera smirked, chin held high, looking totally smug. “Seriously, who else in this team could make that happen except me?”

Then Vera’s tone shifted, her eyes flashing with a calculating look. “Let’s get one thing straight; if I’m going to bring in 4 million, I’m not doing it out of the goodness of my heart.

“All this running around and hustling? I expect a solid reward for my trouble.”

Nina’s eyes narrowed, and in that instant, she saw right through Vera’s game.

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