Page 17 of Vermilion Desire

OCD? I wonder if he has that or his upbringing was so strict that he doesn’t leave any stains anywhere.

“Our new intern, Tanya is a very intense fan of yours. You wouldn’t happen to want to meet her?”

His lips tighten, a white line meets his smile. “Would I?”

“If I didn’t know any better, I would assume you have already met her. Since, you know, you have been given a tour around the facility.”

Yesterday night, Beth Senior and Beth Junior had called me in a three-way talk over the internet about them seeing Braxton Berkshire’s ghost floating around the facility. It took them a while to notice that he was real, and he had two legs walking on the clean floor.

Braxton works fast; I’ll give him that. Mere hours after his humiliation, and he’s already forming a plan to attack me in a place where I am the most comfortable other than being with Cal and Mr. Wolf.

“Hypothetically. Imagine this,” I say, tapping my nails on the table. “You buy your way into a privately-owned research facility, control every piece of information that flows through there, and have moving surveillance on the researchers… it’d be scandalous when the media picks up on it because you are petty?”

His teeth grind, his jaw clenches, and fingers curl into fists. “You have an active imagination, Miss Scarletta.”

“I’m a big fan of detective work.” More specially, I’m a fan of Mr. Wolf and his ability to solve crimes.

I’m doing this for Mr. Wolf, or I wouldn’t have thought about getting acquainted with a man who probably discards his toothbrush after only one use.

“I believe you are a brilliant woman, Miss. Scarletta. A bit naïve, but still a very amazing researcher.”

This man is resorting to that push-and-pull method in insulting me. It’s fine; it takes a lot to insult me because being surrounded by genius brats at the program has helped me build me a thicker skin than this man’s petty insults can’t pierce.

“Allow me to let you in on a business secret,” he whispers, leaning towards the middle of the table. “Your every move will be supervised and documented. It’d be a shame to catch any misfortunes during your stay. I have people willing to go to prison for me and more money to spend destroying you than you can imagine. You wouldn’t want your housemate to be caught up in a mess, do you?”

If he is going to frame me for a crime that I didn’t commit, at least he shouldn’t give me a warning beforehand. He is a dumb criminal but a smart businessman; he has to suck at something, and this is it.

“I still don’t understand why you have this sudden interest in rare disease research, but I could hazard a guess.”

His smile twitches, faltering for a moment before he regains his composure. “I have an ill father. I wish to help him in any way I could. Investing in the research facility for rare diseases may save him.”

He purposely lets his fans at the next table hear and coo at him, praising him for being a good son, and he would be a great husband since he is at the age where he needs to pop out a child to inherit whatever Braxton Berkshire would leave behind.

“Mr. Berkshire’s illness is not a secret, and what you are telling me is old news. It’s a bit odd that only now you are interested in this field.”

Braxton’s lips twitch. “It is never too late to begin.”

“Or,” I slowly draw out. “Is this sudden interest coming from a place closer to home? Such as self-preservation?”

His jaw ticks; his composure is failing again. I can make an educated guess from the videos that I have looked upon him and the experiences from having a live sample to engage with, Braxton Berkshire is not a well put together man.

He’s in a costume, fitting and catered to his image while the real him lurks under that porcelain skin.

I’m going to have so much fun breaking his façade one piece by one piece.

I wasn’t going to do anything, and I had nothing planned when I came into this coffee shop. I just expected a bit of a tantrum or a restraining order because that’s what rich people do when they don’t get what they want, but he had mentioned my housemate.

Either he’s talking about Cal or Mr. Wolf; I do not take kindly to my precious family being threatened.

Braxton clearly has no idea what being an international program’s gifted children means. It is tested intelligence pushed into breaking those limits that we put on ourselves and brutally crushing the competitions when an acumen analysis would be administered.

Mr. Wolf is not the only animal in the house.

“Allow me to fill you in on a secret of the facility, Mr. Berkshire.” I pick up my bag from the ground and slip on one strap.

“Every researcher’s data and findings are kept under their own locks. It is in the contract we signed; you cannot simply check our work progress. It’s illegal, and you wouldn’t want another public outrage, would you?”

He tightly folds his hands. “This is not over.”

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