Chapter 312
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
Sophia Sullivan said softly, "It's nothing."
"I just suddenly think you're really great, Professor."
He truly was.
So great it made her heart feel warm.
"Don't just stand there. Aren't you cold?" He smiled slightly.
Sophia rubbed her hands together. "A little cold."
...
Saturday morning.
Sophia got up early.
She made herself a sandwich.
And heated up some soy milk.
She timed it perfectly for Alexander Laurent's usual departure.
She handed him a paper bag with breakfast.
Alexander raised an eyebrow. "Breakfast?"
"Yes."
"Perfect timing. I haven't eaten yet. Thank you."
Alexander was heading to the lab.
Sophia was going too.
But she had to clean the apartment first.
She hadn't finished mopping the floor.
Her phone suddenly rang.
"Hello?"
"Sophia! It's Jade! You need to come to the hospital to see Professor Watson..."
The hospital room door was pushed open.
Sophia hurried in. "Professor?!"
Eleanor Watson lay in the hospital bed.
An IV drip was attached to the back of her hand.
Jade was pacing anxiously nearby.
Seeing Sophia, Jade let out a long sigh of relief. "Sophia, you're finally here!"
"Jade, what happened? Weren't you supposed to be at the retreat in the mountains?"
Every year, the university offered staff retreat spots.
Eleanor was certainly senior enough.
But she had always declined in previous years.
This year, Sophia had persuaded her to go.
Saying everything at the university was fine.
That she could handle Hannah Morse and Marcus Lawrence.
Only then did Eleanor agree.
Jade sighed. "We were supposed to leave yesterday. The Professor got a call in the morning. I don't know who it was from. Right after, this happened. I rushed her to the hospital."
Sophia frowned. "What did the doctors say?"
"Severe emotional distress. She needs to be observed in the hospital. But she was demanding to be discharged first thing this morning. The IV wasn't even finished. Her complexion was terrible, like she was ready to go fight someone."
Sophia was taken aback.
She walked to the bedside.
Eleanor happened to wake up.
Seeing her, Eleanor immediately became agitated. "Do you all think I'm dead?!"
Jade was startled. "Professor! What are you saying! This is Sophia!"
Sophia lowered her head silently.
So she had found out after all.
"Jade, could you go get some hot water? I'll help the Professor clean up later."
"Okay, you two talk." Jade picked up the thermos and lowered her voice. "The doctor said she mustn't be agitated again."
Sophia nodded.
Jade left the room.
The door closed.
Sophia looked at her fuming teacher.
She gently sat on the edge of the bed.
Eleanor glared. "Who said you could sit?! Stand up!"
"Professor, I ran all the way from the hospital entrance. I'm sweating in the middle of winter. Can't I sit for a moment?"
Eleanor saw the beads of sweat on her forehead.
Sophia took off her scarf and coat.
She felt a little more comfortable.
Eleanor patted the edge of the bed. "Sit then. But don't think this means I've forgiven you."
"Yes, yes. You're still angry. Of course it's not that easy to earn your forgiveness."
Eleanor snorted.
"So, who called yesterday morning? The one that made you so angry you ended up here?"
"Hmph!"
Sophia remained calm. "Let me guess... The Dean? No, he wouldn't bother with such trivial matters. Vice Dean Cunningham? I heard he's been getting complaints from sponsors lately, keeping his head down..."
She paused.
Her eyes shifted.
"Neither of them. Then the only person in the entire School of Life Sciences who could anger you like this must be—Victoria Lowell?"
Hearing that name, Eleanor's eyes immediately widened.
"Don't mention her to me!"
Sophia nodded. "Yes, she's the only one who would do something like this."
"Boring? If she hadn't said anything, I'd still be in the dark! A major fire safety overhaul in the lab, and you kept it from me?!"
"If I hadn't, you would have flown back from the conference, confronted the administration, only to find out we were indeed non-compliant and had to undergo the overhaul anyway. How long would that take? At best, two or three months. At worst, a year or more?"
"We'd still face the penalties. And you'd be absent from the conference, leaving without authorization, facing disciplinary action from the university."
"Who do you think would be happiest about that?"
"Wouldn't it still be Victoria Lowell?"
Eleanor let out an angry laugh. "So according to you, I'm a useless advisor?"
Sophia sighed softly.
Her voice softened.
"Professor, this was an inspection organized by the district, not an internal university one. If it were internal, I would have asked for your help immediately. But this was different. The district fire marshal's office was in charge. The university was just cooperating."
Eleanor snorted coldly. "You think my connections are only within the university?"
"Of course not! The name Eleanor Watson commands respect everywhere. But—"
Sophia's tone shifted.
"Our lab genuinely failed the inspection. If you used your connections, what if someone with ill intentions reported it?"
"Or, thinking even worse, what if this was a trap designed to lure you into action, just to slap a 'favoritism' charge on you—"
Eleanor had lived a life of integrity and honor.
Would her spotless reputation be ruined over something like this?
"Even if it was eventually cleared up, the facts remain: we were non-compliant, and you showed favoritism. There would be no defense."
Eleanor's expression changed.
From anger to shock.
Then to contemplation.
Finally, to complete calm.
Sophia took her hand.
She said softly, "Professor, trust me. I will handle this."
"How? By waiting for the overhaul?" Eleanor shook her head. "Impossible. Knowing Victoria Lowell, even if we pass the overhaul, she'll find another way to cause trouble."
"As long as you're still in the university lab, she will always find a reason..."
A slight smile touched Sophia's lips. "What if we're not?"
Eleanor jolted.