They Wanted Her Gone, Now They Kneel by Evelyn Marlowe novel Chapter 8

Chapter 8 Scarlett Quits – No Regrets

The lab dropped into a silence so heavy it felt suffocating.

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No one spoke. No one moved. Every pair of eyes was locked on the cage, as if staring long enough might change what they were seeing.

That was when the truth finally sank in.

Scarlett was the first person in the lab to successfully develop chip implantation for lab mice— a breakthrough that enabled real–time cellular monitoring at nearly 10 times the speed of any competing lab. Her work had once been published as a case study.

So the presence of a location chip wasn’t shocking.

What was shocking was where that mouse had been found.

Rebecca’s cage.

Whispers rippled through the room, sharp and uneasy.

Did Scarlett set this up?

But today’s confrontation had been completely unplanned. No one had warned her. There was no way she could have predicted it.

Then Scarlett spoke.

Her voice sliced through the silence, cold and precise, like ice cracking across a frozen lake.

“Yesterday, I was the first person to leave the lab. Today, I arrived late due to personal reasons.” She paused, letting each word settle. “And this is what I walk into.”

She turned slowly to Calvin Miller.

“Professor Miller,” she said evenly, “based on what we’re seeing here–do you still believe I slandered my labmate?”

No one answered.

For weeks now, Scarlett’s experimental mice had failed again and again–while Rebecca’s trials succeeded flawlessly every single time. The discrepancy had been impossible to ignore. Scarlett had suspected foul play, but suspicion without evidence was meaningless.

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Chapter 8 Scarlett Quits

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No Regrets

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This cancer treatment trial was too critical to gamble with.

That was why she had quietly embedded trackers into every one of her mice.

She just hadn’t expected the truth to surface this fast.

Scarlett shifted her gaze to Rebecca.

Her eyes were dark, deep, unreadable–the kind of look that made Rebecca’s pulse stutter.

“Rebecca,” she said softly, “would you like to explain why my mouse was in your cage?”

Rebecca’s face drained o. color.

In the past, she had always been careful–switching specimens cleanly, leaving no trace, and then turning the narrative around to make Scarlett look like a bitter sore loser.

But this time, there were trackers.

Cold panic seized her chest.

If she couldn’t explain this away, every award she’d ever won could be reevaluated. Every recommendation reconsidered.

It would destroy her.

“Professor Miller!”

Her voice cracked as tears welled up instantly–her oldest, most reliable weapon.

She broke down sobbing, shoulders shaking, words barely coherent, even as her mind raced frantically.

“I–I took yesterday off for my birthday,” she cried. “I only got back this morning, and I stayed with everyone the whole time! How could I possibly have tampered with anything?”

She sniffed hard, then subtly shifted the target.

“Scarlett would never frame me. She had no time, and no reason. So… I think someone else is trying to drive a wedge between us. Someone who wants to ruin the unity of our lab.”

Micah was the first to react.

“That makes sense,” he said quickly. “We’re the most decorated lab in the department. Of course other people would be jealous.”

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Chapter 8 Scarlett Quits – No Regrets

Others chimed in, eager to agree.

“Only Scarlett and Rebecca ever win major awards. That alone makes them targets.”

“Yeah, this has to be a misunderstanding.”

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Relief swept through the room. People relaxed, ready to close the book on it–as if this were nothing more than an inconvenient hiccup.

Scarlett, who had been standing near the door, watched Calvin’s visibly awkward expression.

Then she spoke again.

“If this is a misunderstanding,” she said calmly, “and all of you misunderstood me… shouldn’t someone apologize?”

The lab went quiet once more.

Guilt crept across faces. One by one, heads lowered.

Then Rebecca began crying again.

“Scarlett,” she said through tears, “I’ll apologize. But none of this is our classmates‘ fault–or the professor’s. They were only trying to find the truth.”

Micah, who had looked ashamed just seconds earlier, snapped instantly.

“We were helping you,” he shot back. “We cleared your name! And this is how you repay us? I even spoke to Professor Miller about letting you return to the main lab. Honestly, Scarlett, you’ve really disappointed me.”

Scarlett’s lashes trembled.

Her hands clenched at her sides.

“Is that so?” she asked quietly. “Professor Miller… is that how you see it too?”

Calvin avoided her gaze, rubbing his temples before letting out a long sigh.

“When you first joined my lab,” he said slowly, “I believed you were pure–hearted. That’s why I accepted you.”

His tone hardened.

“But now, ambition has clouded your judgment. You’ve grown arrogant. You even dared to talk

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Chapter 8 Scarlett Quits – No Regrets

back to me.” He shook his head. “I am deeply disappointed. Even with your classmates speaking for you today, I cannot excuse this.”

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He paused, then added, “You should spend one month cleaning the school library. It might help you reflect.”

Then his expression softened instantly as he turned to Rebecca.

“Rebecca, stop crying. This all stems from someone being jealous of you. I’ll make sure you’re treated fairly.” He smiled. “Come. Let’s go review your paper.”

Rebecca wiped her tears and smiled at once. “Thank you, Professor Miller.”

She walked a few steps with him, then stopped and turned back, her voice gentle.

“Professor Miller… Scarlett’s experiment is at a critical stage. Maybe the library punishment could be canceled?”

Calvin chuckled lightly and tapped her forehead.

“You’re too kindhearted.” He sighed. “Fine. Scarlett–one week. Just one week.”

Scarlett’s face went so pale it was nearly gray.

A dull, bitter ache spread through her chest.

So this was it.

The professor who once said a teacher was like a lifelong father… had never truly believed in her at all.

Drip.

The first tear–one she had held back for far too long–slid down her cheek.

Then, she smiled.

“And what if I refuse this unfair punishment?”

Calvin spun around, fury flashing in his eyes.

“What did you say?”

He had just returned from an exhausting overseas trip, hoping for a peaceful review of student work–only to be dragged into this chaos.

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Chapter 8 Scarlett Quits No Regrets

:

It was obvious to him: sabotage from another lab.

Yet Scarlett insisted on accusing Rebecca?

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