Chapter 56
“You may hold the patent now,” Victore muttered, his voice soft but filled with malice, “but without me, without my connections, you’ll never be able to get this off the ground. You think you can keep this all to yourself?”
Zain didn’t flinch. He met Victor gaze with cold indifference.
“You’re out of the lab,” he said flatly. “You have nothing to do with me or this project anymore.”
Then, without another word, Zain turned and walked away, leaving Victor standing alone on the lawn.
Victor watched him go, his face twisted with barely restrained fury. His eyes narrowed, and for a split second, I could see the cold, calculated rage bubbling beneath the surface.
The kind of rage that could turn into something much darker. Something deadly.
I stood frozen, watching the scene unfold. Suddenly, it all made sense.
In my previous life, I had heard Linda ask Ryan how he got a talent like Victor in his hands.
“What kind of talent is Victor? He doesn’t know much at all about scientific research, he’s just a half–wit. At best he’s a little smart and smooth and ruthless enough.‘ Ryan smiled broadly as he sat by the pool with her in his arms.
He said smugly, ‘And because he’s ruthless, I have a handle on him that he can’t get rid of for the rest
of his life.”
And now, I was seeing the beginning of their tangled web unfold before my eyes.
The rain had just started to drizzle when Zain and Victor parted ways.
Zain, looking tired but focused, headed towards the small café on the corner of the street.
It was a quiet place, tucked away from the bustling city, the perfect spot to gather one’s thoughts–or hide them.
Zain slipped inside, unnoticed by most of the customers, and took a seat near the window. His eyes scanned the room briefly before he pulled out a stack of papers from his bag, spreading them on the table with methodical precision.
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followed him discreetly, my heart pounding against my chest. This was my chance to get answers.
Taking a deep breath, I slid into the seat opposite him.
The café was dimly lit, but I could see the slight furrow in Zain’s brow as he read. His focus was absolute, his eyes scanning each line with an intensity that made him oblivious to my presence.
Biomedical research based on CRISPR–Cas9 gene editing technology Professor’s book,” I began, breaking the silence that clung between us. My voice was calm, but there was an edge to it. “Is this your latest research direction?”
Zain’s head snapped up at the sound of my voice, his eyes locking onto mine for the first time.
There was a brief flicker of recognition, followed by wariness.
He exhaled softly, leaning back in his chair. “Ma’am, I know why you’re here,” he said, his voice low and guarded, “but I’m not selling my stuff.”
I arched a brow, taken aback by his bluntness.
“Why not?” I asked, keeping my tone steady, even though my mind was racing. This conversation was far too important to be derailed.
Zain hesitated, his fingers tapping lightly against the edge of the table. He seemed to be weighing his words, perhaps even debating how much to reveal. Finally, he spoke.
“At the moment, that’s only a half–finished product.” His gaze shifted, almost as if he didn’t want to meet my eyes.
I raised my coffee cup to my lips, glancing over my shoulder at the few patrons scattered around the café
No one seemed to be paying us any attention, but I couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched.
“You businessmen care about the commercial value,” Zain continued, his voice regaining a touch of passion, “but I don’t care about that. All I care about is what this will bring to technology–how it will change the world. For me, it’s the results that count, not the money.”
I placed my cup down and looked at him, truly looked at him.
His face, though weary, was striking, illuminated by a sense of purpose that made him seem larger
than life.
eyes gleamed with an ambition that was almost tangible, and for a moment, I found myself
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wondering how someone so driven could be capable of creating something so deadly.
Trying to suppress the anger rising in my chest, I spoke evenly, “By ‘change,” do you mean creating a new type of wolfsbane that strips people of their wolves and their lives?”
Zain froze, his expression shifting from confusion to alarm.
“What are you talking about?” he asked, his voice tight, guarded.
I leaned forward slightly, my eyes never leaving his. “Don’t play innocent. Isn’t the CR–06 wolfsbane
the result of your research?”
His reaction was immediate. Zain’s face drained of color, his eyes widening in shock. “How do know about that model?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
