My Fiancé Stole My Research for His Mistress—Now I Judge Their Daughter

Chapter 3

The Coles arrived at the Foundation the following morning.

They had no appointment and refused to check in at reception.

My assistant came into my office. "Mrs. Cole insists on seeing you immediately."

I glanced at the meeting schedule on my desk. "They can wait."

40 minutes later, my meeting ended.

When I stepped into the hallway, Vivian sat at the far end while Ethan stood beside her.

He saw me through the glass door, and recognition wiped the impatience from his face.

Once, I had stood outside a locked door just like that one. I had knocked until my knuckles ached, and no one had let me in.

Now it was their turn to wait.

I went back into my office. "Send them in."

Vivian was already furious when she walked through the door. Ethan followed and addressed me with easy familiarity.

"Marianne."

Even now, he said my name as if he had the right.

I raised my head. "In this office, it's Dr. Bennett."

His jaw tightened.

Vivian dropped Lily's certificates and recommendation letters onto my desk. "She graduated at the top of her class, became the youngest chief resident in her trauma surgery program, and won three national research awards. Tell me exactly why she isn't qualified."

"She signed a false certification and therefore failed to meet the eligibility requirements."

"That again."

"The facts haven't changed. Any problems?"

Vivian stared at me, then smiled. "$5 million isn't enough. Not even $10 million. It seems your appetite has grown over the years."

"Are you attempting to bribe the chair of the fellowship committee?"

"Don't flatter yourself."

She leaned across my desk, looking pointedly at my clothes and then at the nameplate in front of me.

Ethan finally spoke, "Whatever you want, we can talk it through. Don't let this get out of hand."

I faced him. "What could you possibly offer me to make up for what you did?"

He didn't answer.

Vivian did. "Ethan gave you a chance, but you failed to keep him. You don't honestly believe that writing a few pages entitled you to demand justice from the Hale family, do you?"

She picked up Lily's paper and flipped through it. "If I hadn't taken an interest in your research, your pages would have rotted in your apartment. The Hale name gave your work a future. A smarter woman would have thanked me for getting it published. If anything, you should be grateful."

I leaned back in my chair.

She had taken everything from me, yet she felt no guilt. She genuinely believed I owed her thanks.

Ethan's voice turned cold. "That desk doesn't make you untouchable. One phone call from me, and every hospital in the country will close its doors to you again."

I looked him in the eye. "No, they won't."

His hand curled into a fist. "Don't back yourself into a corner."

"You may leave now."

"Marianne—"

"Dr. Bennett," I corrected.

At last, he fell silent.

Vivian gathered the documents. "We'll take this to the Board of Trustees, the Ethics Committee, and the press. By tomorrow, everyone will know that a bitter woman who failed to marry into money is abusing her authority to punish her ex-fiancé's daughter."

"Then we'll see what happens."