When fate plays its hand

Fiona sighed. “What’s Mimi been up to lately? I’ve asked her to come home for dinner

twice, but she keeps saying she’s too busy. It’s been more than a month since I’ve seen her.

11

Aren put down his newspaper and glanced at her. “You’re a grown woman. Why do you need

your granddaughter around to keep you company?

“What could Miranda be up to? She’s either working in the lab or writing research papers. She’s swamped, which is why she hasn’t stopped by.”

“I know… It’s just been so long. I really miss her,” she said.

Aren paused for a moment. He missed Miranda, too.

After Christmas, the couple bought a villa in the same neighborhood in Lumberville and moved in as soon as they signed the contract. When Mindy returned from Echo Bay and found her parents living next door, she was initially surprised but ultimately thrilled.

For Fiona and Aren, the arrangement was perfect. They could spend time with their daughter and son–in–law daily while still having their own space.

They had been living there for two months. He had just returned to Elgerson to chair a board meeting, and since then, neither of them had had much time to relax.

Aren stayed busy with work while Fiona tended the garden and tidied up the vegetable patch. She also kept calling Miranda to invite her over for dinner.

Another Saturday rolled around, and Miranda stayed at the lab overnight. After all, she had everything she needed—a bed, blankets, toiletries, and a change of clothes.

She slept until 8:00 am, had breakfast, and put on her lab coat. By 8:30 am, the second set of model data had finished running, and she was ready to pick up where she left off the night before.

“Good morning, Miranda.”

At 9:00 am, Madison and Sebastian showed up.

“Morning.” Miranda briefly glanced up from her screen.

Sebastian immediately noticed something. “Miranda, did you pull an all–nighter?”

“An all–nighter?” Madison’s eyes widened in shock.

Miranda shook her head. “No. I slept at 3:00 am

Sebastian and Madison stared at her, speechless. They couldn’t help but wonder if staying

up until 3:00 am was the same as pulling an all–nighter.

Madison couldn’t help but let out an exasperated sigh. “Miranda, you’re so capable and dedicated. Honestly, it kind of makes me feel guilty.”

There were two standout students–Miranda and Joli.

Joli had returned to campus half a month ago after settling all his family affairs. Finally, he didn’t have those burdens weighing him down anymore. So, he decided to apply for a Doctorate program.

Madison was stunned at first, but she felt it made perfect sense after thinking it over.

Joli had carried the weight of family responsibilities and the pressure of dealing with Sophie while covering for Yasmine while excelling academically and maintaining consistent research output. With those burdens behind him, it only made sense that he would now pursue a doctorate.

With Miranda already pushing herself to the limit and Joli joining the mix, Madison felt there was no way she could slack off anymore. Even a little bit of idleness made her feel guilty. She had to stay fully committed to the project–no compromises. Falling behind would put the entire team at risk.

Even though Miranda often encouraged her with words like “Take your time,” “No rush,” and “I’ll handle the rest,” Madison knew she couldn’t truly depend on that. Content rights belong to NôvelDrama.Org.

She couldn’t keep passing her responsibilities off to someone else. Once or twice, it was manageable, but if it became a habit, it would eventually be Miranda who would have to carry the burden of her work.

Madison wasn’t naive. She knew she might never catch up if the gap between her and Miranda got too wide. And if she couldn’t keep up, there would be no point in staying on the same team. Ultimately, that would just mean they would have to part ways.

Sebastian quickly noticed that Madison had become more focused and serious in her work. The lab, once filled with her lighthearted chatter, had grown quieter.

Now, she would slip into her lab coat when she arrived, dive into experiments, and stay at the lab benches for hours without a break. Even lunch was a quick and rushed affair for her.