Chapter 4

The Assistant informed me Alec was waiting in his office, requesting a private meeting.

Captain Stone looked at me with concern. I shook my head with a bitter smile. Come on, I'm a special forces soldier - how could I possibly be at a disadvantage?

I took a deep breath and knocked on the office door.

"Come in," Alec's voice was calm, betraying no emotion.

I clenched my fists and pushed the door open.

Alec had just finished an experiment and was still wearing his white lab coat, looking at data on the computer.

My breath caught. In that moment, he overlapped with the memory of that studious youth who used to forget to eat and sleep while doing research.

Back then, to help him, I had pored over every security document, trying to design the perfect protection plan.

"Sit," he gestured to the chair beside him.

I glanced at it, choosing instead to sit across from him, maintaining distance.

Alec let out a cold laugh, his eyes full of contempt.

My heart ached. Was this person looking at me like I was trash really the Alec I loved so deeply?

He clicked open a file, and a familiar security diagram appeared on the screen.

"Look familiar, Group Leader Grey?"

The color drained from my face. This wasn't just similar - it was practically my original initial version.

How did Jade get this? "Jade said she started conceptualizing this four years ago, documenting the entire process of following me, but you stole it."

I furrowed my brow. This was clearly my blood, sweat, and tears—my emotions. How had I become a thief?

"Impossible," I gestured with difficulty.

"Impossible? Her files show it's from four years ago. When did you write your proposal?"

Four years ago? I fell into confusion. How could this be?

Alec paced in front of me, looking down at me with a sharp tone.

"Dashiell, you've fallen so low that you'd even resort to plagiarism."

My hands trembled uncontrollably as I desperately tried to explain.

"The proposal is mine," I pointed at myself repeatedly with stiff fingers. "Written four years ago."

"The feelings are also mine."

"I didn't steal anything."

Alec stared at me for a long time, then suddenly laughed.

"You think I'm still that fool you could manipulate at will back then?

You were the one who abandoned me, saying a poor scholar wasn't good enough for you.

You said I'd always be a nobody and marrying me would hold back your career!

Now you say the feelings are yours? Dashiell, are you even qualified to talk about feelings?" He stared at me with hatred so intense it felt like a knife twisting in my chest, the pain almost suffocating.

Alec seemed to relish my anguish, his tone suddenly softening.

"However, for old times' sake, I'll cut you some slack."

He slowly leaned down, glaring at me.

"Go apologize to Jade. Admit that the plagiarism was your fault, and don't stop until she forgives you."

I looked at this stranger before me, feeling utterly absurd.

Once, I'd risked my life for him. Now, he wanted me to grovel at the feet of someone who'd hurt me.

"Alec," my fingers trembled with rage, "No way!"

He avoided my gaze.

As I was trying to figure out how to explain the truth, he spoke again.

"I'll give you three days to think it over.

I have all the evidence. If I want to, I can make sure you never work in security again.

This isn't a negotiation, it's a notification."

He grinned more gleefully at my pained expression.

"Dashiell, it sucks being forced to give up your military career, doesn't it?

Do you remember? I felt that same despair back then.

At that time, which big shot were you playing bodyguard for?"

I gritted my teeth, spitting out each word, "A-L-E-C!"

He laughed, a crazed glint in his eyes.

"Angry? Do you hate me now?"

"You should hate me! Taste the pain I've endured all these years! Dashiell, this is what you deserve!"

The assistant's knock on the door interrupted our confrontation.

I rubbed my aching right hand and straightened my uniform.

"Think about it carefully," Alec said as he left the office.

I dragged my exhausted body back to my quarters and dug out all my work files.

It wasn't until I had checked every folder that I realized a USB drive was missing.

After a moment's reflection, the truth gradually surfaced.

That day when I hastily left the lab, I had left my USB drive on the workstation.

I had been using backup files ever since, completely forgetting about it.

Jade had stolen the USB drive, claimed my original proposal as her own, and accused me of plagiarism.

The worst part was that it was indeed the earliest version, and the current files couldn't prove its originality.

I felt as if a hand was squeezing my heart tightly.

For a soldier, each proposal embodies responsibility and loyalty.

Could I just stand by and watch my hard work being stolen, used as her tool to curry favor with Alec, while being falsely accused?

Suddenly, the pain in my injured right hand became unbearable.

Having not eaten all day, I felt the world spinning around me.The shrill sound of alarms pierced the air, punctuated by the staccato of explosions and panicked screams...

Damn it, where's the backup? Alec's still in the lab!