Chapter 1450

"Hey, didn't you say you'd leave him here? Why are you changing your mind?" Dominic chased after the mother and son, shoeless, his complaint trailing behind him. "I'm not leaving yet. I'll bring Galen over later," Lily replied helplessly.

"Didn't you tell me to take him elsewhere?"

Galen's eyes widened. Hurt etched his face as he dropped his toy car in shock. Dominic was instantly distressed.

"No, no. How could I hate you? I'll always adore you!" He pursed his lips and leaned toward Galen's cheek. Galen turned away. "What do you mean?"

"I like you! You're my favorite person in the world!" Only with Galen did Dominic express his affection so openly. Lily sighed, turning away. She didn't blame her son for pulling Dominic's beard or destroying his things. Now, Galen had buried his face in Dominic's beard.

Austin, after a sleepless night in the laboratory, finally achieved his desired results. 'Success!' This success felt different. It was entirely his own achievement. This new variety possessed a medicinal property infused in its fragrance; inhaling it calmed people and relieved aggression. He tested it by injecting hyperactive mice, then fumigating the chamber. The results were overwhelmingly positive, demonstrating high potency. He knew he could do it. After all, Lily had toiled for so long, achieving success only twice. He'd been there for a shorter time, yet he'd also succeeded. He eagerly sought Thompson, the successful sample in hand. He remembered seeing Thompson go upstairs late last night. 'Professor Thompson must have stayed up here all night.'

Thompson looked haggard lately, having lost weight and with sunken eyes. The other lab workers weren't faring well either; the workload and pressure were immense. However, Austin believed this wouldn't last. Successive successes were imminent. Their research would shock the world, and his contribution would be outstanding.

He reached Thompson's office, thrilled. The door was unlocked. He pushed it open to find emptiness. "Professor Thompson?" He checked the smaller room, finding a neatly made bed, untouched. His elated mood plummeted. He'd wanted to share his good news.

After Lily left, the lab's morale had declined. People worked less, no one did overtime. Sometimes, Austin felt like the only one committed to the project. He didn't know the other teams' responsibilities, and Rhea's team worked harder, understandably, given Lily's previous leadership. The pressure, coupled with discouragement, had caused a natural slowdown.

But Austin's success was a game-changer. He clenched the vial, turned to leave, and heard the crisp sound of high heels. 'High heels?!'