Chapter 289 - Accusation

[This chapter is dedicated to Mercury_Drug. Your power stone votes motivate me to finish this story.]

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Jessica entered Dr. Sison's office with great apprehension in her heart. She could not sleep well last night after what Gareth told her. The cream that she put under her eyes, and the concealer she's wearing, barely do anything to hide the dark circles under her eyes. 

When she arrived at the office, earlier than her usual hour, Gareth wasn't at his office desk. She exhaled a soft sigh of relief. She knew that she had nothing to be guilty about. But with the words Gareth gave her last night about not worrying over her research because she has the future CEO of ANAT as her future sponsor, she can't help but worry.

The annoyance she felt for him being an asshole on the way home from the party disappeared the moment his words registered in her brain. However, before she could get back her bearing to give him her peace of mind, Gareth left and she was left with no one to release her rage at how unfair his accusation was. She barely got any sleep last night because she was fuming with anger.

This morning, she worried about how she would talk to Gareth but he wasn't in the office. It was a short-lived relief for she doesn't want to deal with him early in the morning. She has tons of work that she has to finish before her last day here in Mumbai. 

Also, she doesn't want to diminish the excitement she's feeling that Lucille was too ecstatic when she told her that she is inviting her and her dad to visit her. According to Noah, she already told Lucille about it but she wanted to hear the confirmation from her because she was worried that it was just a joke and Jess won't really let them visit. 

She opened her computer after making coffee, after reading another message from Lucille who has been sending her messages on how she's too excited to concentrate at school. Her innocent words were enough to put a smile on her face and focus on her job, ignoring the problem with Gareth. 

She will deal with him later but right now, she has to finish her work so her move back to the laboratory in Palo Alto won't be a problem with Dr. Sison. 

She was thinking if she should consult Markus about it since she doesn't want Noah to deal with it. She worried what his reaction would be. Also, Gareth's accusation was truly out of hand, not only because it was full of malice as though she was being in a relationship with Noah for a personal favor. 

His accusation of her not being worried if her personal research won't get a sponsor has nothing to do with the fact that Noah could sponsor him. It was because she mulled over Dr. Sison's words that she shouldn't worry about getting her research approved by the company because, in the first place, they were chosen from all of the other interns that applied to ANAT was because the company was interested in their research. The approval was just a matter of time. 

And right now, it was the research of Luke who got approved first and she was asked to work with him. And she agreed with Dr. Sison when she said it was a good learning experience for her. Those are the reasons why she wasn't worried about getting a sponsor for her studies, also, if she will get personal favor to get a sponsor, she doesn't have to use Noah. Ellise can easily fund her research. She and their aunt can even put her own laboratory for her to do her research. 

But she doesn't want to use personal favors. If she's going to get something in life, she wants to get them fair and square. If she's going to become successful it is because she works hard. Not because of anything. 

Her thoughts were full of those things while she did her task and before she knew it, her stomach was rumbling due to hunger. She just had some coffee in the morning and didn't eat breakfast because she was occupied with a lot of things that she had to finish before Thursday and Gareth added to it. 

When she glanced at the lower right side of her computer, she saw the time was already five minutes before three in the afternoon! She has been working non-stop with an empty stomach. No wonder her stomach was already grumbling in hunger. 

She double-saved her work and turned off her computer. She grabbed her phone from the lower side of her desk and checked her phone. She's falling into the habit of putting her phone inside her desk drawer and only checking on it once she's done for work. 

She was expecting to get a lot of messages from Lucille but there was none. Noah also sent just one message since their call this morning saying, she should not forget to eat and that he is too excited to see her soon. 

She chuckled lightly when she read his message. Truly they are father and daughter. Both he and Lucille say the same things and what things to be done in the same way. 

She put her hand at the small of her back and bent her body side by side to stretch her back. She grabbed her purse and went to the cafeteria to find something to eat. She was typing a message for Noah while she was walking. She didn't mind her surroundings as she walked. 

That's why, she didn't give much attention to the voices she heard from the corner hallway when she passed by and got startled when June came out running. She didn't see her because she was crying. 

Jess looked back to where June came from and saw Gareth emerged from the hallway. He was strolling casually, his hands inside his lab pockets. 

"Jessica."

"Dr. Llano," she returned his casual greetings formally.. Whatever happened between him and June, he has no right to look so smug.