Fabian continued, "I still remember that day fourteen years ago when I was still working under you as an intern and you as my mentor. You were very excited to research something in the Uchen continent after hearing some myth of supernatural beings walking in those lands during the ancient past. Of course, the sudden appearance of that strange totem appearing in the country Ustal sixteen years ago was what attracted you the most."
He leaned back as he went on, "You discovered it first, and it took two years because the locals were worshipping it and didn't let anybody else know about it. Hmm, what did they say? Yeah...they said it was something that appeared out of the sky just like that or that it fell from the stars. Anyways, that's why you named the crystals in the totem as Star Crystals and how other interested parties also arrived on the scene only to find out the hard way that they can't touch the crystals. The moment anyone touched it, they completely disintegrated into thin air. How terrifying yet powerful those crystals are...we couldn't even scratch them with our sharpest machinery or tools."
"What are you trying to say, Fabian, by saying all this?" Taya asked with crossed arms.
Fabian smiled and said, "There were ten Star Crystals embedded on the totem. Since you found it first and also came up with the idea of using robotic arms to extract the crystals without killing ourselves, everyone agreed to let you carry one home. And right now, you have one of those Star Crystals safely stored, didn't you? I bet you still didn't use it out of apprehension, right?"
"I don't know what you are talking about, Fabian. I may have helped find and extract those crystals, but I definitely don't have one with me now. I discarded it in a place nobody can find due to the potential dangers it carried. After all, I don't want anyone misusing it to create another tragedy like the pandemic," Taya said with a straight posture.
Fabian waved his hands slightly with a smile as he looked at her eyes, "Really? I bet countries might even go to war against each other if they know how many potential uses that crystal has, and you just simply discarded it? I don't think an intelligent scientist like you would do such a foolish thing. At least not based on what I know about you from working with you."
Taya continued to maintain her cold and calm expression, "You are free to believe anything you like. Or don't tell me you approached me in hopes of getting that crystal, did you? Did you already lose your own Star Crystal or got it stolen?"
Fabian cupped his hands together as he chuckled, "This is no joke, Taya. The readings we are getting from the Star Crystals are off the charts, and we have a theory that probably having all the crystals together might produce some results. But we are sure that it is emitting some kind of mysterious energy we are unable to discern or harness."
He then looked at her and earnestly asked, "Look, if you still have your Star Crystal with you, we would pay you anything or do any favor for you as long as you give it to us. And if for some reason you don't have it or you don't want to give it, all I ask, and this is a personal request as well, that you come to work with me and help us finish our project. All we are missing is one piece of the puzzle, and I could really use your help. Just like I promised before, I won't do anything you don't like. So how about we work together just like all those years ago?"
Taya stared into his eyes and coldly said, "No. You can forget about me ever working with you. You have changed, Fabian. When I first decided to make you my intern only because I saw how bright and hardworking you were when I visited that medical college. I thought you were very talented and someone who followed all ethics in medical practice. I even planned to give you a senior position in my hospital once you had built up experience. But you just got corrupted on the way by money and power even after coming from a wealthy family."
All those years ago, Taya was on the lookout for potential talents to help her in her research, and Fabian was one such person. However, now she was completely disappointed in who he has become now.
Fabian clenched his fists, sensing the amount of disappointment she had for him in her words.
He couldn't help but feel his chest tightening as his body tensed up and said in a slightly upset tone, "You shouldn't say that, especially when you know how my father died. You know how much my project and research mean to me. I still regret that I couldn't get some closure from my father when he was alive. So if there is a slight chance I could come up with a miracle to prevent any other people from suffering like me, then I would definitely go all the way, even if I had to sacrifice some things."
Taya got up and looked at him as she said in a tranquil tone, "I am sorry if I hurt your feelings, and I know you started your research of helping people live longer because of this. But are you sure you still have your father in mind while carrying out your research? Because all I see in your eyes is a thirst for something else. That's why I can't work with you anymore. Goodbye, Fabian. I already sat here for more than ten minutes. I hope you don't waste any more time by coming here."
Taya didn't look at him anymore and was walking past him. Fabian gritted his teeth as his expression became wild for a moment and tried to grab her hand.
Taya, who was still being mindful of him, saw him trying to grab her hand through her peripheral vision.
She quickly reacted as she easily dodged his hand and glared at him, "Did you just try to grab my hand?"
Hearing her frigid tone, Fabian became even more irked as he asked with flattened lips, his expression no longer calm, "Why can't I? You know my feelings for you, and you still ignore me like I am nothing after everything I did for you. I ran like a dog to that godforsaken country named Ustal just to make sure you get your hands on one of those crystals."
"And that's not all, ever since the day I became your intern, I had been fulfilling everything you told me to and even helped with your research. Of course, I have never seen a man beside you for all these years, and I really wonder whether Tiana is even your own daughter, especially when I tried to dig up some information using my contacts. So why can't you hold my hand when I can give you anything you want?"
Taya patiently heard everything he had to say and said without any change in expression, "Are you done? Just listen to yourself. You are making yourself look pathetic and desperate by saying all these things. Everything I made you did was for your own good, especially when you gained a lot of knowledge and experience from it."
"Otherwise, would you have become the director of a multinational specialty biopharmaceutical company? What else did you expect when you joined as my intern? And I never told you to run to Ustal and do those things. You did those of your own volition, and I am in no way obligated to reciprocate your feelings just because of that."
Fabian's expression turned sour and stony after hearing her words.
Her eyes then stared coldly at him as she continued, "Besides, it's none of your business to snoop on mine or my daughter's business. But just to make things clear, I already have a man holding my hand, always has and always will. And I will hold on to him till the day I die. Nothing is going to change that."
These words stabbed right at his heart, making him clench his fists so tight, his nails began to dig into his skin.
Just from her words, he could understand that she had totally fallen in love with some man and still loves him with every inch of her soul, which only further puzzled him since he never saw her dating anyone.
But thinking about a man holding Taya in his arms and doing all sorts of things with her made his heart feel like it was shrinking as a sense of heaviness flooded his body.
She then raised her finger and said sternly, "Next time you try to grab my hand or try to touch me in any way, I won't be polite. And never talk to me about such topics again. You are just a boy who lost his way, and it's high time you grow up."
Taya didn't say anything more and immediately left. Just as she left and the doors closed, Fabian angrily grabbed a glass on the table and was about to smash it on the ground before he stopped himself.
He slowly kept the glass back on the table and clawed over his face as he muttered in a grim tone, "Taya Snow...one day you will be my woman, and as for your lover, I will make sure he sees the deepest depths of hell for going after my woman."
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