Chapter 12

“I have no idea about this,” Jaden said with a gloomy face. “Yesterday, Vincent and I visited several hospitals but couldn’t find Josie. We tried calling her, but there was no answer. We were worried something bad had happened to her, so we didn’t dare tell anyone.”

Vincent scratched his head. “Josie isn’t the impulsive type. Even though she wanted to quit the team, she wouldn’t spread it all over the internet. She’s not that devious.”

“How could this happen!” Natalie said with red eyes. “First me, now Josie. Online hate can literally destroy people. Who in God’s name keeps coming for us?”

Josie quitting the team was something she stirred up; she wanted to force Josie out completely and leave her with no way back. She definitely didn’t want Josie being coaxed back by the guys.

But she couldn’t let them suspect her; she had to keep herself clean. Just like last time, not only did they not suspect her, but they also felt sorry for her. To be honest, Natalie’s luck wasn’t too bad. As soon as she finished speaking, Gavin saw a post by Sean on the forum.

“Someone said that Josie joined Professor Wilcourt’s research team? Could these people be spreading rumors about her quitting?” he said.

“Let me see.” Aiden took Gavin’s phone and immediately recognized the poster’s account. “It’s Sean, Professor Wilcourt’s student.”

Kyle leaned in to take a look. “I heard that in the past, Professor Wilcourt never got along with Professor Lawson. They often had conflicts over recruiting students.”

“Seriously? Do they think poaching Josie’s gonna make them one-up Professor Lawson? That’s their grand plan?”

Aiden clenched his fists; anger flashed across his usually calm face. “Josie has always been with us; academically, she’s always ranked first in our department. There have been professors who tried to poach her before. It looks like Sean has ulterior motives here. But even if we don’t want her anymore, she shouldn’t join their team. I won’t let him get away with it!”

Jaden was impatient. “What are you waiting for? Let’s go find Josie. She is simple and pure; right now, when she’s sick and vulnerable, someone might coax her away.”

“It might not just be Sean’s idea.” Kyle looked coldly at them. “Yesterday in the library, I saw them–”

“Shut up.” Vincent rushed over and grabbed Kyle’s collar. “Would it kill you to stop stirring the pot? Just yesterday, you claimed Josie blew you off and refused to sort the files – and how’d that turn out? She’s sick and has been admitted to the hospital. We’ve known her for so long. Don’t you guys know what she’s like? How could she possibly have anything to do with a creep like Sean? Aiden, this clearly shows that Sean is trying to lure Josie over. We can’t upset her and push her to their side.”

Kyle pushed Vincent away. “How are we pushing her? It was she who said she wanted out of the team. We didn’t kick her out.”

“We didn’t kick her out, but we ignored her when she was sick.” Jaden steadied Vincent and glared at Kyle. “Josie is a girl, after all. We spoiled her into what she is today. At the end of the day, if she makes a mistake, it’s partly our fault. Not only did we not take responsibility, but we blamed everything on her. When she gets upset and throws a tantrum, it’s just because she wants us to comfort her. We should at least comfort her; how can we blame everything on her?”

Gavin nodded along. “Jaden’s right. We need to sit Josie down and get the real story. Call me crazy, but I refuse to buy that she’d ditch Professor Lawson’s red-hot program for Professor Wilcourt’s backwater field.”

“Gavin’s got a point.” Aiden’s expression softened. “'Cause my gut’s screaming no way she’d dive into Professor Wilcourt’s niche research. Since Professor Lawson asked me to check on this, he doesn’t want to lose Josie either. We can’t let Sean get their way; whether it’s an impulse or a real intention to leave, either way, she can’t leave now.”

He wouldn’t allow anyone else to snatch his people away from him – no matter if they were unwanted or not.

“Aiden, why don’t I go talk to Josie? Girls understand each other better anyway. Besides, since this started with me, I’ll make sure I bring her back.” Natalie hadn’t expected this outcome. It was like kicking herself in the foot. She thought cutting off Josie’s options would work but ended up with Sean getting involved. Now, Josie had become a prize both sides were fighting over.

She was fuming. It might have been better to not do anything and let them coax Josie back.

“I’ll go with you.” Kyle cursed under his breath – he had planned on making Josie look bad by stepping on her more. He even hoped it would win favor with Aiden and Natalie. But then again, that convenient illness cost him his members’ trust, and now this exit drama with professors fighting over her… She might even regain Aiden’s favor again; if she knew he didn’t help before, she wouldn’t say good things about him anymore – and might even retaliate.

“But where could she be?” Kyle was worried. “She hasn’t returned to school or answered calls; finding her won’t be easy.”

Natalie raised her hand weakly. “You think Sean knows about Josie quitting because maybe Josie accidentally mentioned it while bumping into him at the hospital?”

“Do you mean Josie is at Aloville Traditional Medicine Hospital?” Kyle reacted quickly.

Jaden looked excited. “It’s very likely. Josie is always thrifty, and Aloville Traditional Medicine Hospital has a partnership with our school. Students get discounts when they see doctors there. She must have gone there.”

“Damn, why didn’t we think of this before?” Vincent looked guilty.

Aiden glanced at everyone, saying, “What are we waiting for? Let’s go find her.”

Instantly, they rushed out of the campus, Natalie trailing behind. She watched their hurried figures and felt a bit sour inside.

They really do care about her, she murmured inwardly. When she mentioned earlier that Josie might be at Aloville Traditional Medicine Hospital, it was partly to remind them that Josie had personally told Sean about quitting the team. But they completely missed that point.

No wonder Josie could fool them for so long, becoming the top student in the grade and even getting a reputation as a medical prodigy. If Josie weren’t a walking iceberg and actually matched my looks, I’d have had no chance in hell getting into this team. Now that I’m on the team, I won’t let her take everything away from me again. The top student will be me, and so will the title of medical prodigy. Even the affection from senior students like Aiden and Professor Lawson’s attention will belong to me.

“Why should that ugly country bumpkin compete with me?!” Natalie cursed inwardly. She didn’t believe Josie achieved everything on her own; it was because she fooled those senior students and Professor Lawson into believing whatever she said. After all, these people were really easy to deceive and believed whatever she said.

Natalie took out her phone thoughtfully; the tracking red dot was over Aloville Traditional Medicine Hospital.

Is Josie really sick? Otherwise, why would she stay there so long?’ she wondered.