Chapter 5

The next few days were calm enough.

However, Anna was just packing up and leaving for the day when the lab door swung open, and Mrs. Swan came running in, "Anna! Come, quick! Your mother and brother are freaking out at the front gates, and security can't stop them!"

Anna's heart sank.

She'd cut off financial support to her family after leaving the other day, but they were already here, knocking on her door.

From afar, she could hear her brother cursing and ranting out loud while her mother wailed.

The doorway was packed, with Gina sitting on the floor, smacking herself as she bawled, "It's an outrage! My rotten daughter doesn't even care about us just because she succeeded in life!"

Nearby, Yannick was poking the security guard and snapping, "Get out of my way! I have every right to get my sister's money!"

Anna was fuming even as she pushed through the crowd and snapped at them, "That's enough! What do you think you're doing here?!"

"What are we doing!?" Yannick shoved the security guard aside and rushed at her, bellowing. "You really toughen up, huh?! I now owe 20 grand, you have to give it to me today!"

"The monthly allowance I give is enough for the family's expenses, and you won't get more from me," Anna retorted coolly.

"Bullshit!" Yannick suddenly shoved her hard. "You sure were generous when you were hooking up with Neil Irons! Now you've been dumped, you're trying to act all high and mighty, huh? You sure need a lesson on manners!"

Caught off guard, Anna fell painfully, her elbows and knees slammed against the cold, hard marble floor.

A deathly silence fell over the room; everyone was simply stunned.

Anna tried to get up, but couldn't when she felt the sharp jolt of pain in her knees.

A burning pain shot through the bleeding cuts, and it left her looking all the more pathetic being left on the floor in public by her own brother.

Even so, she looked up at the family that she had made decade-long sacrifices for.

Her voice was cold and defiant, "I told you, I have no money."

"You shrew! Let's see how stubborn you really are!"

Yannick completely snapped right then, and grabbed a metal statuette nearby and swung it at Anna.

The crowd screamed, just as a figure dashed in front of Anna at the very last moment…

Thud!

The statuette struck the figure squarely on the back with a dull thump.

It was Neil, showing up out of nowhere and firmly shielding Anna in his arms, catching the brunt of the blow.

He only let out a grunt and frowned, but he was still shielding Anaa without budging.

While Anna was stunned, Yannick's knees buckled and he almost fell prone to the floor.

All color had drained out of Gina's cheeks too, and she was trembling like a leaf in the wind.

Her son… had physically assaulted Neil!

Forget getting money—her entire family was doomed!

"Call the cops."

That was when everyone heard Neil's voice, ringing loudly, "Report a physical assault on a crew member in a vital research facility and a threat to public safety. Make sure to make copies of security camera footage for required evidence."

Soon, as sirens of patrol cars blared from outside, both Yannick and Gina were left ashen-faced.

Anna simply watched coolly as her mother and brother were dragged to the police car, all while Gina was still crying, "Please, Anna! I'm your mother! You can't do this!"

The crowd dispersed too, but their scornful looks still felt like daggers on her back.

Anna struggled to her feet, but stumbled.

Neil helped her up, noticing that she was hurt and said, "Let’s go to the infirmary."

Anna looked up and found his downcast gaze, which suddenly reminded her of their high school days.

Back then, he was a genius in every sense of the word, constantly winning interschool competitions and always staying on top of the honor roll.

Despite his aloofness, he had countless fangirls.

On the other hand, Anna's grades were mediocre and her parents didn't care about her at all, while her class treated her like she didn't exist.

Their paths should never have crossed, if not for that one time when her period caught her off guard.

The crimson mess left her nailed to her seat in embarrassment, even after everyone was gone.

But amidst her despair, she heard footsteps returning—it was Neil, gently putting a pack of pads and a clean blazer on her desk.

"They're all gone," he said flatly, politely averting his eyes from the mess. "And it's raining heavily. No one would notice."

When she saw his soaked hair and shoulders and knew he had come back just for her, she could hear her own heart pounding despite the downpour.