Chapter 19 Drive Her Out
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Lizzie smiled. “Good.”
Glenna yanked Norma to her feet as Colton Trevino rushed into the yard and pushed out a wheelchair.
Norma was reluctant. She narrowed her eyes and thought, “I won’t do as Lizzie tells me. I’ll find a chance to…”
Colton came out with the wheelchair. Lizzie sat on it slowly and said knowingly, “If you identify her, I’ll confront her. If you don’t, Equinox Research Institute officials will come for you.”
Norma shrank back, dropping the idea of running away..
Inside the Equinox Research Laboratory dorm, Johanna deliberately cluttered the shared desk with her books and lunchbox.
The door creaked open. Adrienne shuffled in, lunchbox in hand, head drooping. Evidently, she had just been scolded by the team leader.
Her poor work skills invited constant criticism, darkening her mood.
Johanna smiled faintly. Perfect. Adrienne’s bad mood made this easier.
“Adrienne, you’re back,” Johanna greeted her warmly.
Her warm voice lightened up Adrienne’s mood a bit.
“Hanna…” Adrienne murmured, going up to the desk to put down her lunchbox, but she found the desk was cluttered.
Johanna feigned an apologetic look and quickly tidied up the desk.
“Oh, I’m sorry, Adrienne. I was sorting out things. I didn’t want to get your bed dirty, so I put them on the desk. My fault! I’ll clean up now!”
She was in a hurry, seemingly afraid she would cause trouble for Adrienne.
Her flustered movements showed none of her usual composure.
Suddenly, the books Johanna had been clutching slipped from her arms and thudded to the floor, important docu- ments tucked inside scattering everywhere with the impact.
“Oops!” Johanna gasped. Arms still full, she awkwardly knelt to gather the scattered paper.
“Hanna, let me help you.” Adrienne hastily put her lunchbox on the desk and squatted to pick up the mess.
Johanna waited until Adrienne collected everything before stretching out a hand with difficulty. “Thank you, Adri- enne. I have too many books. I’ve troubled you again.”
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Chapter 19 Drive Her Out
Adrienne saw Johanna’s arms already full, clearly unable to carry more, so she looked around.
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Johanna’s belongings already choked every corner. The single dorm, crammed with two occupants, left no space to even stand comfortably.
Adrienne stacked the books on the corner of the desk and took those from Johanna’s arms, stacking them up.
Johanna said apologetically, “I’m sorry for taking up so much space here. I’ve crammed the room and made it incon- venient for you.”
Adrienne tried to sit down, but her stool was cluttered with Johanna’s things.
Johanna said awkwardly, “I’m sorry, Adrienne…”
“Hanna, don’t say that. This isn’t your fault. If it weren’t for Lizzie… Well, never mind. We’ll manage for now.“Ex- hausted, Adrienne dumped the stuff onto her bed and pulled up the stool to sit down.
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Johanna lowered her head, fingers lightly tracing the edge of a notebook. Her voice dropped to feign a deeper apolo-
- gy.
“I’ve caused you so much trouble. If it weren’t for me, you’d have this whole dorm to yourself. It wouldn’t be so crammed…”
Adrienne’s fatigue and resentment peaked. She slammed her fork onto the lunchbox.
“Hanna, how is this your fault? Lizzie is to be blamed. She has been fired, but she still hogs the dorm meant for you!”
A faint smirk flickered across Johanna’s lips, swiftly masked by false concern. “Adrienne, don’t say that. Mr. How- land’s been so kind to me, and since Lizzie’s his girlfriend, shouldn’t I repay his kindness by treating her well?”
“Hanna, you’re too kind! You treat her well, but she’s not grateful. Just because she’s Mr. Howland’s girlfriend, she can hog your dorm?”
Johanna sighed softly, painting a helpless smile on her face.
“Actually, you can’t blame Lizzie,” she said with feigned generosity, but her eyes were evasive. “Mr. Howland helped me a lot, and Lizzie got us wrong and thus threw a tantrum. I deserve it.”
Adrienne snorted. “I don’t understand why Mr. Howland tolerates her. She’s a junior–high dropout. How could she possibly deserve him? You’re the one who matches him perfectly!”
Seizing the opportunity, Johanna pressed Adrienne’s arm with false warmth, saying coaxingly, “Don’t say that. You’ll . ruin their relationship.”
Then she sighed again. “Mr. Howland’s out on a mission now. Otherwise, I might’ve found another solution.”
Adrienne’s eyes lit up, and she asked eagerly, “Hanna, do you mean he went out, not in his office?”
Johanna’s lips curved up, though her expression feigned confusion. “Yes. Why?”
Adrienne shot to her feet. “Since Mr. Howland’s away, we’ll reclaim your dorm! I’ll go see Norberto.”
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Johanna grabbed her wrist in mock panic. “Adrienne, don’t go. You’ll put Mr. Howland in a difficult position. If Lizzie thinks he takes the dorm away, they will fight again.”
“Let them fight! They’d better break up. She’ll see she’s unworthy of Mr. Howland and won’t pester him.”
Adrienne went to see Norberto and said, “Mr. Palmer, Lizzie has been fired. She shouldn’t occupy the dorm.”
Seeing that Adrienne came alone, Norberto picked up his coffee cup and took a loud sip.
“Well, I know. I’ll ask Lizzie to move out once I get in touch with her.” He had promised Theron to keep the dorm for Lizzie, so he wouldn’t force her out.
But this couldn’t be stated openly, so he had to pacify Adrienne with vague words.
Fueled by resentment over her cramped room, Adrienne blurted out, “Last time you let her have the dorm because she was hospitalized, but she has left the hospital now, so it’s not right for her to stay here.”
“Oh?” Norberto paused sipping the coffee, his mind racing.
“Yeah. And Mr. Howland didn’t pick her up from the hospital. I heard she went to stay with her aunt.”
Norberto didn’t say a word.
Adrienne gritted her teeth and said, “I’m not just speaking for myself. There’s no space for Hanna’s academic books. My room is tiny, and she has to move the books around. Imagine damaging those rare books Mr. Howland personally sourced for her.”
Norberto finally raised his head.
