Good Offer (III)

The weight of Grace's words hung heavy in the air, and for the first time, Professor Neil seemed to falter completely. His shoulders slumped slightly, and he looked back at his team, most of whom were staring at him with fear and uncertainty.

Taking in a deep breath, Grace softened her tone as she spoke again. "Professor, I'm not here to harm you or your team. I saved you because I see value in your work, and I want you to help me with my research. But I'm not going to waste my time and resource on someone who doesn't want to work with me. The choice is yours, but I hope you will choose wisely."

Professor Neil swallowed hard, and his gaze dropped to the floor as he seemed to weigh his options. The silence lasted for a long while, but no one spoke at all. Finally, he looked up and fixed his gaze at his team.