CHAPTER 225: CHAPTER 225: I’M NOT REASONABLE ENOUGH, SORRY TO DISAPPOINT YOU

After Jared Langley got back on shore, he held Juliana tightly, making her feel extremely uncomfortable.

Sylvia Sheridan’s eyes were red, and everyone thought it was because she had fallen into the water.

"Jared, you’re holding her too tightly."

Mason Sheridan pulled Jared away, seeming to help, but as he reached for Juliana, a button-sized micro sampler slipped from his sleeve into his palm.

His target was Juliana’s damp arm.

That was the easiest place to collect shedding skin cells.

However, just as he was about to touch Juliana, a coat was draped over her shoulders.

Not only did it wrap Juliana’s cold body securely, but it also perfectly ruined Mason’s plan.

Mason’s hand froze in mid-air, paused for a second, and then slowly withdrew.

He looked up at the suddenly appearing Elias Langley, a hint of malice in his eyes covered by a playful smile.

"Elias really takes good care of his niece-in-law, even better than our Jared."

The remark was simply venomous.

Jared immediately cast a wary glance at Elias.

"Mr. Sheridan is quite the gossip, those who know better see it as a joke, those who don’t might think you’re stirring trouble between the Langley uncle and nephew."

Juliana didn’t want to make things more complicated at this moment, while speaking, she was about to take off Elias’s coat.

However, Elias didn’t give her the chance to remove the coat.

The man even pressed his hand on her shoulder, looking at Mason with a straightforward gaze.

"Someone from the Langley Family should be cared for by the Langleys when they’re at the Langley Residence. Mr. Sheridan, you were overstepping just now; Juliana is not one of your company’s contracted models, you should steer clear of suspicion."

With one comment, he flung the mud back.

The Langleys all knew the ins and outs of the entertainment company Mason had; it provided high-end models to various entertainment venues in Kingsford.

Although he seemed well-dressed, everyone knows the nature of men like him.

In this regard, Elias Langley, who had never had scandals before, was more trustworthy.

When Jared looked at Mason again, his gaze had changed.

A housekeeper brought a towel, he instructed them to escort Juliana and Sylvia Sheridan back to their rooms, wrapped himself in a towel, and when he turned his gaze back to Mason, it was icy.

"Uncle, Juliana is not that kind of woman, don’t set your sights on the Langley Family."

Mason was tightly blocked by these words.

After speaking, Jared went upstairs to change clothes.

Only Elias remained with a composed demeanor by the poolside.

A trace of hostility flashed in Mason’s eyes.

"They may trust you, but I don’t. The more you protect something, the more it suggests there’s a problem."

Elias’s lips moved slightly, his tone as flat as if he were discussing the weather.

"Being too aware is not good, at least not for one’s lifespan."

Mason’s jawline suddenly tensed, his knuckles making slight cracking sounds in the dark.

Juliana changed her clothes, and a housekeeper from the Langley Family brought her a bowl of ginger tea.

She took a sip and asked, "Does Miss Sheridan have some too?"

The housekeeper nodded, "Yes, the eldest young master does too."

Juliana didn’t ask further, rubbing her forehead as she closed the door.

As she turned, Elias stood behind her, nearly making her spill the ginger tea she held.

Luckily, he caught her hand just in time.

"Are you crazy? What if Mason sees you?" Juliana asked nervously.

Elias said nothing, gently pulling her into his arms.

With one arm around her and the other still holding her wrist, he fed her a sip of ginger tea in this position.

"The Sheridan Family’s issues don’t require you to dive in personally."

"But Sylvia is pregnant, she can’t stay in the water for too long."

"If she knows she’s pregnant and still acts up, then it’s her own doing."

Elias had never been so unsympathetic before, and Juliana found it hard to accept his attitude today.

"Isn’t this to help Jared recover his memory?"

There was a hint of cold ridicule in Elias’s eyes, "Even if you owe him a favor, if he can never regain his memory, are you prepared to remain his fiancée forever?"

Juliana found this version of Elias unfamiliar, "How could he never regain his memory? It’s not like he suffered a severe injury."

"Have you remembered?" Elias asked.

Juliana was hurt by his words.

"Elias!" She broke free from him, "Be reasonable."

The man didn’t pull her back forcefully, instead, he released her and took a step back, "I’m not reasonable, I’m sorry to disappoint you."

After saying this, he turned, went to the window, and swiftly flipped out of it, disappearing into the night.

Juliana’s brow furrowed.

She originally planned that once Jared’s memory was restored and the affairs of the Sheridan Family were mostly sorted out, she would move out of the Langley Residence.

Yet Elias was acting abnormally today...

The next morning, Juliana went downstairs for breakfast.

She met Sylvia Sheridan at the staircase.

The latter only glanced coldly at her, then turned and left without looking back, clearly transferring the resentment of Jared’s indifference from yesterday onto her.

Juliana frowned and silently walked to the dining room.

Jared sat alone at the dining table, and seeing them enter one after the other, he pulled out the chair beside him, gesturing for Juliana to sit down.

Sylvia saw this and turned her eyes away in grievance.

"I have a follow-up appointment today," Jared said.

Juliana then remembered that his medical records stated the follow-up was scheduled for today.

"Sorry, the company’s new energy battery test is very important today, I really can’t leave... How about Miss Sheridan accompanies you?"

Sylvia’s eyes lit up at these words.

But Jared’s expression darkened, "No need, I can handle it myself."

So, he didn’t want Sylvia close to him at all.

Juliana felt anxious for them.

"I’m done eating, you take your time."

Sylvia stood up, barely touching her porridge, and left the dining room.

Juliana rubbed her throbbing forehead.

The morning’s misfortune cast a shadow over her, and she only hoped the high-pressure stability test of the new electrolyte sample would go smoothly today.

Bringing this apprehension, she arrived at the company and conducted a thorough inspection of the equipment and samples with the team before the test began.

Leo Wyatt stepped forward to handle the electrolyte infusion.

Juliana watched him closely, her eyes keenly following his hands.

She saw him finish the standard procedure and didn’t stop but additionally connected a power source, applying a brief pulse current to the sample.

"That step’s not in the standard procedure—what are you doing?" Juliana stepped forward to stop him.

Leo’s hand trembled slightly, then calmly adjusted his glasses.

"Director Jacobs, this is a new method mentioned in a recent paper that can significantly improve initial performance. It’s a small optimization within safety limits, no need to overreact."

"No, a paper is just a paper; without authoritative experimental data here, everything must be conducted according to the established standard procedure."

Implying, today’s test must be paused.

Leo frowned, "Really? You’re stopping the test over this? Everyone has pulled multiple all-nighters for today, putting in so much effort. It’s not just your project, it’s the whole team’s effort. It’s too arbitrary for you to call it off just like that."

The atmosphere in the laboratory instantly became tense.

Caleb Shaw stepped forward, gently patting Juliana’s shoulder with a smile.

"It’s right to be strict, safety is paramount."

But he then changed his tone, sweeping his gaze across the room, and added, "The technology committee will evaluate the final report tomorrow. This data is the cornerstone for project initiation. Missing this meeting means delaying the entire project for at least a quarter."

He looked at Juliana, sincerely, "The timing is tight. How about we enhance monitoring, do our utmost with safety precautions, and proceed as planned? After all... everyone has prepared for this for so long."

Seeing the expectant eyes around her, Juliana was silent for a moment but finally nodded gravely.

Caleb smiled at her concession, "Leo Wyatt’s son here, once you use him more, you’ll see he’s quite capable."

Juliana didn’t respond to his comment, escorted him out, and promptly began the test.

The high-pressure test started.

Leo stood closest to the test chamber, a barely noticeable smile on his face, when suddenly, the curve on the monitoring screen began to tremble violently.

Boom!

With a deafening explosion, a tongue of flame instantly engulfed the entire laboratory space.