She was tired from playing cat and mouse with the man Ellise sent to tail her. And seeing the disgusting attitude of Alice and her friend does not bring her joy — slamming the door on their faces and pissing them off does.

"Hey, be careful with the door."

She was reprimanded by a familiar voice as soon as she noisily closed the door behind her.

"Oliver," she greeted him cheerfully. "How was your break?"

"I went home and spent my time camping and fishing with my lil sister," he said, returning her bright smile. "Lovely tan, you've got there," he gave her a playful glance over.

She giggled and gave him a twirl and a mocking curtsy in the end. Her knees were slightly bent bowing with Oliver when Alice and her minion entered the lab.

"Are you really going to have all the men to yourself?" Tauntingly, Alice asked. Her disgruntled gaze slowly swept from the top of her head all the way down to her feet.

"Well, I wasn't informed that I have to share my share of men with you," she mockingly smirked at her, as she gave her a quick look over and returned her gaze back to Oliver.

Seeing the way Jess quickly averted her eyes as though she didn't find anything worth seeing with her, Alice lost her temper.

"Listen here, Jessica. You know that's not what I meant!" she said, pouting with her arms folded across her chest.

A frustrated sigh escapes Jess's lips. Slowly, she turned around to face the sullen Alice.

"You listen well," she said in a way that clearly expressed her frustration. "I am not your mother to listen to your tantrums every time you don't get what you want."

She took another deep sigh showing her boredom, and said, "Besides, truly it's not my problem that men —" she pulled Oliver's collar and coquettishly grazed her index finger on his chin, "...adores me."

Putting her chin in the air, she squinted her eyes, daring her to say anything else.

Alice gaped in surprise when Jess responded to her taunt for the first time. In the past, Jess would smirk mockingly, arch her brow, and walk away. But not today, she put her in her proper place in front of everyone!

One of their labmates who doesn't usually show any interest in her usual badmouthing of Jess, shook his head in disgust towards her while he chuckled amusingly at what Jess said.

Alice's face turned red in embarrassment. She noticed her friend stepped back a few steps away from her and for the first time said nothing.

She wants everyone's attention. Ever since she joined the team with Jess, boys would always talk about Jess and notice everything she does even when she wasn't doing anything at all! While she on the other hand did everything, yet, no one takes notice or even cares!

She found it so unfair! Being pretty should not be equated to being popular. What's wrong with her wanting to get noticed too? She is pretty as Jess too, but why does everyone only see her.

She curled her lips in disgust as she looked at Jess, but her heart sank when she saw her indifferent face. She looks so bored like she was not worth any attention, and Oliver and the other men were all looking at her.

She caught their attention this time! However, they were all looking at her with disappointment. She threw Jess a murderous look before she huffed and walked out of the laboratory.

"What a bunch of losers!" she muttered under her breath as she hurriedly left the lab.

She felt shame burn across her face when she heard the clicking of tongues behind her.

"Aren't you going to follow your friend?" Jess asked Alice's minion.

"I-I'm sorry," she stammered with her apology and couldn't meet Jess and Oliver's eyes.

She turned around and ran after Alice before they had a chance to reply.

Jess and Oliver just shrugged their shoulders, confused about what the hell happened.

Jess felt a tad bit sorry for Alice. She never liked the girl but she felt sorry for her way of thinking. They were almost done with university and the real world has always been a cruel battleground.

Alice will be disappointed if she thinks the world will hand her what she wants on a silver platter. If her way of obtaining what she wants is to bring down others, she will not go far in life.

"Are you ready for your internship?"

Oliver's question pulled her thoughts away from Alice. She glanced at her working station across the room and slowly walked to her table.

Oliver followed behind her.

"I have finished writing my research. I already submitted my papers, and I'm just waiting for the schedule for my defense," she said, opening up her table drawer to gather all the random things she had in it.

She needs to clear out her drawer for the other student that will use her working station.

Oliver leaned his hips against her table, his arms crossed over his chest as he watched her pick up things that are still useful from her drawers and throw away the trash that has been accumulated at the far end of the drawer.

She put the useful items in a box. She put a label on it for the next student. She planned to leave all those things for the next student to use. Other things that have sentimental value for her, she would take home to put in her mini-laboratory that she is planning to have at home.

She carefully wrapped her mini-microscope on her desk. It was a gift from her aunt Joy when she started showing interest in science. The mini-microscope, the magnifying glass, and a test tube tray were all her gifts.

"What is your plan after clearing out your table?" he asked.

"Luke and I were planning to drop by at ANAT Pharma and Co. — to check the place. Would you like to join us?"