Chapter 85 – Tonight, I’ll Figure Out the Formula
The contact with Nash this time had been a lesson, and Caroline promised herself it would not be repeated.
I will not contact or meet with Nash again.
Not only did Julia Woods mind and feel jealous about it, but David had also exploded in anger when he found out that Caroline had met with Nash in secret.
If Nash had not purchased her first sexual experience, there never would have been any reason for Caroline to have any interaction with him.
Caroline sighed. Why does it have to be Nash that night?
He had thought he was protecting her, worrying she might fall for another wealthy man. Yet, rather than letting her go, offering her freedom, he had entered the room silently and forcibly had sexual relations with her.
She touched her flat pregnant belly and a surge of strength filled her as she thought about her two babies.
She did not return to the Ellison residence but instead went to the Ellison Group to continue working overtime. There was a minor task she had left unfinished, and she didn’t want to delay the work, causing the schedule to fall behind.
When Caroline reached the Ellison Group, she headed straight for the laboratory.
Inside, she tirelessly changed formulas and innovated, but no matter what she did, the final product’s cost couldn’t be reduced to the target set by Boris.
Her frustration grew as she removed her sterilized gloves and leaned back in her chair, closing her eyes.
What can I do? Are there any cheap and high-quality raw materials I could use?
After relaxing her eyes for a moment, Caroline sat upright again. She was alone in the spacious lab, and the quiet tick of the clock was the only sound in the room.
She scanned the space and noticed a burst of green—an aloe vera plant in the corner.
Wait… green!
Caroline looked carefully and saw that it was a flourishing aloe vera plant. She had no idea who had placed it there, but it looked healthy, plump, and glossy.
Got it.
Aloe vera was a natural, easy-to-grow plant and reasonably priced. The extract could be used in skincare products. This might be exactly what she needed.
Without thinking twice, Caroline moved the aloe vera pot.
How could I forget you, my little cutie pie? You’re my savior!
She completely forgot about leaving work. She cut the entire aloe vera plant for her experiment.
“I have a feeling I can finally crack this formula tonight,” she mumbled, beaming with delight. “Whoever owns this aloe vera, I must thank them tomorrow. I’ll treat them to a feast and even give them a bigger pot of aloe vera in return!”
Before she could finish, a loud scream echoed through the doorway.
“Ah! What are you doing? Why are you touching my plant?!”
Caroline froze in shock. The building had been eerily quiet, and the sudden yell startled her. Before she could react, the person rushed over, shoved her aside, and grabbed the pot of aloe vera from her hands.
Caroline fell hard from the chair with a loud thud. Panic surged through her, especially since she was pregnant.
How could I fall like this? What if I miscarry… What should I do?
She instinctively clutched her stomach, her elbow scraping the ground as she fell. Fortunately, her belly seemed fine.
Looking up, she saw the person was the female section chief of the Research and Development Department. This woman was responsible for managing all laboratory equipment and shared resources. Any expensive or hazardous materials required her permission.
“Caroline, where is my aloe vera? Why is there only an empty pot here?” the section chief demanded.
“I… I used it for…” Caroline began to explain.
But the section chief cut her off with a sharp glare. “This plant was very expensive. How could someone like you afford that price? You’re just a low-level staff member with a lower pay.”
