Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed novel Chapter 613

"So, who exactly called you yesterday morning? Sent you all the way to the hospital in a huff."

"Hmph!"

Roseanne wasn't in a rush. "Let me guess... The Dean? Nah, he wouldn't bother with such trivial matters. So, it was... Babur? But I heard he got a slap on the wrist recently because of some complaints from the sponsors. He's probably laying low for a while..."

As she spoke, she paused, her eyes twinkling with a sudden thought, "Both of them ruled out. Then, looking at the entire Department of Life Sciences, the only person who could've ruffled your feathers is — Edna Moore?"

Sure enough, at the mention of that name, Madeleine's eyes widened in anger, "Don't even mention her!"

Roseanne nodded, "Only she would pull off such a petty stunt."

"Petty? If she hadn't said anything, I'd still be in the dark! A fire safety overhaul in the lab is no small matter, and you kept it from me?!"

"Not keeping it from you would mean having you fly all the way back from the States, battling it out with the faculty or even the university authorities, only to find out our lab really is not up to fire code and must undergo renovation. And how long could that take? A few months at best, or even up to a year and a half?"

"And in the meantime, the punishment remains, and you, absent from the conference without leave, would be held accountable by the university?"

"Guess who would be laughing at the end of all this?"

"It's Edna, isn't it?"

Madeleine couldn't help but laugh bitterly, "So, you're saying I'm utterly useless as a mentor?"

Madeleine's expression went through several changes, from initial anger to suspicion, followed by deep thought, and finally settling into calm.

Seeing her effect, Roseanne gently took her hand, "Professor, please trust me, I'll handle this."

"What do you plan to do? Wait for the renovation results?" At this, Madeleine couldn't help shaking her head, "Impossible. Knowing Edna as I do over the years, even if the renovations pass, she'll find other ways to make our lives miserable."

"As long as you guys are still in the university lab, she'll always have a reason..."

Roseanne's lips curled into a smile, "What if we're not?"

Madeleine was visibly shaken.