Chapter 9 She Still Wants to File a Petition
Theron couldn’t find Lizzie at the hospital, so he went back to the dorm of the Equinox Research Laboratory.
He figured that as an orphan, she would have nowhere else to go after being discharged and would surely return there.
But when he reached her dorm door, it was locked tight.
Two people were standing there, fiddling with the lock.
Theron’s eyebrows furrowed. Lle wondered, “She hasn’t come back yet? Where could she have gone?”
“Go get a hammer. Just because she’s hiding doesn’t mean she can keep occupying the dorm,” said Norberto Palmer, the logistics director.
The other person turned to look for tools.
When Norberto looked up, he saw Theron. “Mr. Howland,” he greeted.
Norberto heard the noise and turned back, putting on an overly ingratiating smile. “Mr. Howland, what brings you here?”
Theron’s sharp gaze swept over them, his voice low and oppressive. “What are you doing?”
Norberto felt a chill under his stare and carefully explained, “Lizzie has been expelled from Equinox Research Labo- ratory. She’s not in the lab anymore, so this dorm can’t be occupied by her all the time. Mr. Howland, you know, the dorms here are always in short supply. Johanna and Adrienne are squeezing into one dorm.”
When Johanna was mentioned, Theron’s cold face softened a bit. “Then you can just break the lock without permis-
sion?”
Norberto looked embarrassed. “This…”
He thought, “I’ve heard that Mr. Howland favored Johanna over Lizzie. I wanted to quickly make space for Johanna. What does Mr. Howland mean now?”
Just then, a gentle voice came from not far away. “Mr. Palmer, what’s going on?”
. Johanna came out of the adjacent dorm, a concerned smile on her face.
As soon as Norberto saw Johanna, he felt like he had found a lifesaver. He quickly said, “Johanna, you’re here just in time. Lizzie’s gone missing, and we need to clear out her dorm. Otherwise, we can’t fix your dorm situation.”
Johanna walked up and stood beside Theron. Then she turned to look at Norberto and said gently, “Mr. Palmer, how about this? Adrienne and I can still fit in the dorm. Why don’t we leave Lizzie’s dorm empty for now and keep it for her? Whenever she wants to move, she can do so then. What do you think?”
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Chapter 9 She Still Wants to File a Petition
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Norberto was stunned for a moment, not expecting Johanna to be so generous. Immediately, he forced a smile and po- litely said, “This… isn’t good, right? Johanna, you’re the backbone of the lab. How can we let you be wronged?”
Johanna smiled gently, “It’s okay, Mr. Palmer. We’re all friends, and helping each other is what we should do. Be- sides, it’s just for a few days. It’s no big deal.”
As she spoke, she looked at Theron again and said earnestly, “Mr. Howland, don’t worry about it. Let’s keep the dorm for Lizzie for now. She’s been through a lot. I won’t make things difficult for you.”
Theron looked at Johanna, his eyes complicated. If only Lizzie was as reasonable as Johanna.
“Thank you, Johanna. Keep this dorm for her for half a month.” Theron thought that within half a month, he would marry Lizzie, and she could smoothly move into his dorm, having a place to stay.
Johanna gently shook her head, indicating it was nothing.
Norberto saw that both Theron and Johanna had said so, and quickly agreed, “Since Johanna has said so, then… let’s do it this way first.”
He muttered unhappily under his breath, “If it weren’t for Johanna and Mr. Howland sticking up for her, someone like Lizzie, a thief who plagiarized research and has bad conduct, wouldn’t still be living in the lab dorm.”
Theron’s face instantly darkened. He thought, “In others‘ eyes, is Lizzie’s “plagiarism” really that serious?”
He thought of Lizzie’s thin figure and the stubborn expression on her face. A trace of guilt welled up in his heart. Maybe he had thought too simply about this matter.
Johanna noticed the change in his expression and quickly changed the subject. “Mr. Palmer, please don’t say that. Lizzie doesn’t want this either. She has her difficulties.”
Norberto disapprovingly curled his lips, thinking to himself, “What difficulties can a thief who plagiarizes others have? Did others hold her hand and let her steal their achievements?”
He saw Theron’s thin lips pressed together and his eyebrows furrowed. Not daring to push it further, Norberto said cheerfully, “Alright, I won’t say that anymore. You guys chat. I’m leaving.”
He “sensibly” gave them space.
Before Norberto left, he couldn’t help but look back, thinking, “They are really a perfect match!”
He left with his people. Johanna pursed her lips. “It’s my fault. I didn’t expect my research would overlap with Lizzie’s. Mr. Hatfield is so stubborn, insisting someone plagiarized. Otherwise, I’ll go explain to him that I’m the one who plagiarized…”
Theron waved his hand, refusing. “No need. Johanna, your situation is more difficult than Lizzie’s. When she marries me, she won’t need to be in the lab anymore, and the rumors here won’t affect her.”
Johanna was in a quandary. She was also concerned about Theron. She forced a nod. “If Lizzie doesn’t want to, I
can…”
“Johanna, you need this job more than Lizzie.” Theron was worried about Lizzie and directly made a judgment.
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Chapter 9 She Still Wants to File a Petition
“That’s it. I’ll go find Lizzie first.”
With that, he turned and left.
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Johanna pursed her lips, thinking, “Lizzie has already broken up with him. Why does he still only want to marry Lizzie?”
Theron left in a hurry. He was worried about Lizzie. “As an orphan, where can she go after leaving the hospital and not returning to the dorm?” he wondered.
Suddenly, he remembered that she seemed to have an uncle living in a nearby town. That town wasn’t far from the Equinox Research Institute, just a half–hour walk.
He checked the time. It was too late to go to the town now. He decided to go to the office area first and look for her
tomorrow.
Meanwhile, at the Trevino’s place, Lizzie was busy writing a petition. She remembered that a big leader should be coming soon.
She couldn’t pin all her hopes on finding that file. She knew Theron too well. For Johanna, he would do anything.
Even if she found evidence, he would, just like in her previous life, definitely find a way to destroy the evidence and protect Johanna.
Then she had to find a way to not let Theron have the chance to destroy it!
With a frown, Colton was bent over his desk, the tip of his pen scratching on the paper. He hadn’t done well in school this semester and was struggling to understand the material.
Lizzie glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, put down her pen, and went over to help him.
“Lizzie, you don’t have to help me. I can do it. Your matter is more important…”
“Mine can wait,” Lizzie said, her pen already on Colton’s workbook as she began explaining the problems.
Colton knew better than to argue with Lizzie, so he quickly focused on his studies.
Glenna emerged from the kitchen with a freshly cooked dish. Under the lamp, Lizzie and Colton sat together. One was studying while the other was writing. It was such a cozy scene.
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