When fate plays its hand

Chapter 0791

“Aunt Sophie?” Yasmine looked confused.

“You had him do the work, then scratched his name off the list. Do you think Theodore would take that lying down?” Sophie scolded.

“Why should I care if he’s upset? Am I supposed to be afraid of him?” Yasmine tilted her chin defiantly.

“You don’t need to fear him–he’s just a poor boy from the countryside. But have you thought about what happens if he feels wronged, watches everyone else win awards while he gets nothing, and then figures out there’s something fishy going on? What if he decides to blow everything up in retaliation?”

“He won’t figure it out. That idiot couldn’t even see through a scam, let alone something like this. He’s too stupid for that.”

Sophie didn’t share her confidence. “Don’t forget, Theodore has Joli backing him up.

Yasmine snorted. “Don’t get me started on Joli. Aunt Sophie, do you know he’s out there brazenly working a side job off–campus? I heard he’s out from dawn to dusk. It’s like he’s not even a proper student anymore.

“Last week, I asked him to work on a couple of papers, and do you know what he did? He hung up on me! He’s getting bolder by the day, and it’s clear he doesn’t respect you as his mentor at all.”

Sophie’s expression darkened.

Sensing her moment, Yasmine added more fuel to the fire. “Oh, and guess what? Joli seems to be on good terms with Miranda and her group.”

“Who told you that?” Sophie demanded.

“I didn’t need anyone to tell me. It’s obvious! If they weren’t close, why would Miranda personally send him an invitation to the opening of her lab?”

“What did you just say? Joli received an invitation?” Sophie’s voice rose sharply.

“Aunt Sophie, you didn’t know?” Yasmine feigned shock. “That news has been all over campus! Everyone’s been saying how impressive Joli is and how much respect Miranda has for him.”

“This guy!” Sophie’s tone dripped with anger.

Yasmine hid a satisfied smirk.

“You said Theodore’s name was taken off the list. Has he caused any trouble?”

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“No, not a peep from him. He’s probably crying in some corner right now.”

“Good. Just make sure you don’t leave any loose ends,” Sophie warned.

“Don’t worry, Aunt Sophie. He wouldn’t dare.”

“And one more thing,” Sophie added, narrowing her eyes. “I can’t protect you forever. You need to establish yourself quickly.

“What you should focus on now is producing academic results. The more papers, the better. You have the talent, and the more you achieve, the easier it will be for me to secure resources for you.”

Yasmine nodded obediently, even though she felt unsure deep down. “I understand, Aunt Sophie.”

“You’re the student I went out on a limb to bring in. There are so many eyes on you, waiting for you to slip up. You can’t afford a single mistake.”

Sophie paused before continuing. “As for Joli, he’s an outsider. No matter how ambitious a dog is, it can never truly be loyal.”

Her focus had always been on grooming her niece, Yasmine. As for Joli, he was nothing more than a placeholder–a convenient tool to hold the position until Yasmine was ready. From the start, Sophie had never considered Joli as a real successor. Once Yasmine was firmly established, Joli’s role would be obsolete.

Yasmine nodded eagerly. “Don’t worry, Aunt Sophie. With everything you’ve done for me, won’t let you down.”

Sophie smiled. “Good. I’m looking forward to it.”

Outside the office, Joli stood quietly, listening to the laughter within. Without a word, he pocketed his phone, his face impassive as he turned and walked away.

Three days later, a post titled “Exposing Dr. Sophie Xander of Bedford College’s Faculty of Bioinformatics: Five Major Allegations!” began circulating widely on the campus forum.

Chapter 0792