ELARA POV
The next morning I was already standing in front of the Axiom Biotech company, my hands folded, a smirk on my face. Even though that smile did not go an inch deep into my heart, I could still feel my cheeks red from constant tears throughout the night.
Yes, I had actually cried my eyes out.
I couldn't believe I almost gave a man a lifetime of my years, my suffering as a scientist. Everything I did, all my struggles, all my years in school trying to get the best degree, my best performance, just throwing it out for a man because I thought having a family was all I needed.
I held my file tightly, standing upright. Now I need to fight for what belongs to me.
I was never meant to have anything called a family. Instead, I was meant to be dedicated to my work, to become a renowned scientist. A renowned veterinarian who believed in only the things she could see and could find reasonable explanations for.
I walked toward the front door; it opened for me as I stepped in, going straight to the board members' floor. I soon stood in front of the secretary, tapping my hand on her desk impatiently as she looked at me, rolling her eyes.
"I thought you were already rejected," she muttered as I laughed.
"I wasn't rejected. I was not satisfied with your company's terms. I am back to give them better terms. Get that into your head. Learn to keep respect for a renowned veterinarian, a veterinary scientist like me," I said to her as she laughed like I was just bluffing to myself.
I decided I wasn't so stupid as to stoop to her level and argue with her. Just then, the board member Raya from the other day popped her head out, looking at me. I could see that grin on her face, like she was expecting me. I looked at the secretary as she quickly stood up, arranging herself.
"Sorry, Ma. I tried to explain to her that you don't need her coming back here," she said as the lady laughed, raising her hands in the air.
"No. Don't you ever say something like that to Ms. Elara. She's our most renowned, okay? Even if she rejected our offer, we are always open to second chances," she said as I raised my brow in confusion about what was going on.
I was suddenly being given a second chance. This made no sense, but I just had to go ahead with it. I just had to prove to Marcus that he was going to lose everything he ever worked hard for. I smiled at the secretary, clearly making her realize that she should not have underestimated me.
I followed the lady straight to her office, and just as she was about to open the door, she cleared her throat, her hand on the doorknob as she looked at me.
"I can't believe you came back anyway. My name is Raya," she said and then opened the door. I couldn't even process all the things she had said, but I understood she was at least introducing herself, which meant she was leaving room for future introductions.
I was already being given the job before I could even say I accepted. I stepped in and was standing yet again just as they had been the day before, their hands folded, but now I could see eager smiles on their faces like they were happy to see me.
I decided to play a little trick on them.
"I thought you guys did not accept second chances. Why are you so happy to see me?" I said as the man laughed.
"We are not happy to see you, but we just know that you are the best and the only one who can do this job. We need you. We are not making any slow moves. We need somebody to take care of an important project, and we know that you are the only one capable of doing it," he said as Raya nodded in affirmation.
"What is so important that I have to take care of?" I questioned as they brought out the huge documents of the file. I couldn't even process it; it was so much, and on the first page, written boldly, was "Secret Experiment."
I looked at them, still confused.
"I hadn't even said I accepted the job, and they were already throwing me an assignment to deal with. What if I did not plan to accept the job? I only came here to maybe plead for someone," I said as Raya laughed.
"No, you did not come here to plead for anybody. You came here to prove to everybody that you are better, isn't it? You are better, and you need to use your talent for something important. That is what you need to do this year," they said as I drew the document closer to me.
It was already too heavy for me to even lift. I opened the first page. "A secret experiment. Exploitation of an animal." I looked at them while mouthing those words.
"Why are you guys exploiting animals?" I questioned as Raya stood up, placing her hands on the table, then leaned quietly toward my ear and muttered,
"It's not just any animal; it's one of a kind. It's very stubborn, and I know it's only you that can tame it. That is why we need you. We need you for so many things, even things you don't expect. You are needed for..." she said, and a wide smile plastered on her face like she was waiting for me to give the perfect response.
I couldn't go back yet. I still had to prove Marcus wrong. I closed the page, nodding. I was going to take this job, whether I wanted to or not.