CHAPTER 55: CHAPTER 55: SHE FEELS SORRY FOR HERSELF

Inside the upscale apartment.

As soon as she entered, Cindy Lynn immediately pulled open the drawer under the living room coffee table, where there were several phones. She picked one up and dialed Aunt Lewis’s number.

It was answered quickly from the other side.

"Cindy." Aunt Lewis’s voice came over, somewhat bashful. She still felt somewhat guilty towards Cindy Lynn.

"Aunt Lewis, why did you suddenly resign?" Cindy Lynn spoke in her usual gentle voice, concerned, "Vincent told me it was because you had an emergency back home. He also asked me to check if there’s anything we can help with, please don’t hesitate. After all..."

Cindy Lynn adjusted her hair in front of the mirror, her eyes revealing pride, but there was not a hint of it in her voice.

"You and my mother are practically family, and Vincent considers you as part of the family too."

Listening to her, Aunt Lewis felt even more ashamed.

"Cindy, both you and Mr. Hawthorne are such good people. I..." Aunt Lewis, at home, looked at her lively grandchildren and thought of Tanya Sinclair. A chill ran down her spine, and the words got caught in her throat.

"Cindy, I just have personal matters to attend to back home and need to return. Otherwise, I could refund you the two thousand dollars you always gave me extra every month!"

"..."

Cindy Lynn’s eyes revealed a bit of coldness.

Originally, she had placed Aunt Lewis in The Hawthorne Family to give detailed reports on Caden and Joy’s situation for her convenience. Even during the kids’ lonely and loveless times, she could promptly rush over.

This was why she held such a significant place in the kids’ hearts, especially Joy!

Aunt Lewis was a piece she used deftly...

"Don’t worry, that’s just my gesture of gratitude as a younger generation. If there’s indeed urgent matters back home, I won’t keep you." Cindy Lynn said considerately.

Aunt Lewis sighed, "Cindy, you’re truly beautiful and kind. I wish you and Mr. Hawthorne happiness together! You are truly meant for each other!"

Cindy Lynn smiled slightly, about to respond, when she first heard Aunt Lewis’s lowered voice advising, "Cindy, you need to be careful of Tanya Sinclair!"

She didn’t dare say more and quickly hung up, using the excuse of having to cook for her grandson.

"Tanya Sinclair..." Cindy Lynn murmured the name, amused and cold, "I underestimated you."

...

Inside the villa.

Tanya Sinclair contacted Serena Holloway after returning home, briefly telling her about her eyesight recovery and resuming work on Monday.

Serena Holloway was thrilled, shouting, "Ah, that’s amazing!!"

Tanya Sinclair had anticipated her reaction and moved the phone away from her ear beforehand.

"Boo-hoo, boss you have no idea how tough it’s been these past years without you!" Serena Holloway lamented, "Cindy Lynn knew we were recruited by you and always had us run errands like buying coffee, sorting files, doing odd jobs. We were completely excluded from the projects, so most of our peers left."

Tanya Sinclair listened quietly.

She had seen exclusion tactics many times before.

Serena Holloway sniffed, "But I always believed you’d come back!"

Tanya Sinclair was touched, she softly promised, "Serena, as long as I’m in the research department, no one will use you as a runner anymore."

"Yeah!" Serena Holloway nodded vigorously, but soon grew a bit worried, "Boss, now the entire research department consists of Cindy Lynn’s people. They might not cooperate with you."

"It doesn’t matter."

Cindy Lynn’s recruits were not even worthy of her attention.

Yet, Tanya Sinclair’s breezy attitude made Serena Holloway furrow her brows with worry on the other end of the line.

During college, she admired Tanya Sinclair, always being her little fan, but Serena Holloway could see that Tanya Sinclair’s interpersonal relationships were rather ordinary.

It wasn’t that she had any issues; quite the opposite, she was too perfect!

Gorgeous, skilled, with a gentle and impeccable demeanor.

Thus Tanya Sinclair’s dorm mates, when in need, would take advantage of her, always dumping the collaborative assignments onto her. Once completed, they shamelessly stuck their names on them for credit.

But when she wasn’t needed, they’d band together and isolate her.

Serena Holloway had often wanted to intervene, yet Tanya Sinclair would stop her, just like now, smiling and saying it was all trivial matters.

Oh well, perhaps a genius’s mind is just different from ordinary people...

"Serena, can you open the computer now? Over these past years, Cindy Lynn led the research team and completed several projects. I want to verify some details with you."

"Yes, I can!"

Tanya Sinclair seamlessly transitioned into work mode.

She opened her computer and synced with Serena Holloway on the projects Cindy Lynn completed over the past five years.

There were several vague aspects in the materials Serena Holloway had sent previously, so Tanya Sinclair clarified the details directly with her. After hearing Serena Holloway’s explanation, Tanya Sinclair knew exactly what was going on.

"Boss, aren’t these pharmaceutical projects Cindy Lynn completed basically ones you had researched halfway, just needing more time?" Serena Holloway couldn’t help but complain, "She really has a thick skin to outright steal your projects and rename them as her own! Even President Hawthorne was fooled by her, why don’t you directly tell him and reveal her true face!"

Listening to this, Tanya Sinclair chuckled silently with a mocking disdain.

These research materials, I’m afraid Vincent personally handed them to Cindy Lynn.

But these are private matters I need to deal with, so Tanya didn’t tell Serena Holloway, not wanting to dirty her ears.

"Cindy Lynn also made some innovations based on my research." She objectively assessed, "Cindy Lynn isn’t completely incompetent."

"What level is she at?" Serena asked with some dissatisfaction.

Tanya looked at the research data on the computer and said indifferently, "About the level I was at in my freshman year of high school."

"!"

Serena was thrilled!

Ms. Tanya has such an effortless and stunningly sharp demeanor, truly impressive!

This is the once-in-a-century genius of Northwood University, Tanya Sinclair!

The two chatted a bit more before ending the conversation.

Tanya closed the computer, her eyes slightly narrowed as she sat on the sofa, lost in thought.

What she didn’t mention to Serena was that although Cindy Lynn’s results were average and her experimental level was that of a regular researcher, her research data was very precise and beautiful.

Even if she were to personally do it, it wouldn’t be much better.

Tanya frowned slightly, convinced that this data wasn’t produced by Cindy Lynn, as it didn’t match her capabilities at all!

Who was helping her?

She recalled that Vincent was very skilled at handling data.

Back in college, Vincent and a few friends assisted the government with a military project. During that time, Tanya helped out for two days and noticed Vincent’s excellent data analysis skills.

Tanya twisted her mouth with bitterness.

In the past, when she was busy to the point of fainting from exhaustion, Vincent never offered to take time to help her.

Of course, she was foolish and never asked him even once.

She couldn’t bear to let Vincent suffer; she had once cherished him dearly, yet reality gave her a resounding slap in the face.

It turns out that a man as prestigious and noble as Vincent would humble himself and work tirelessly for another woman.

"Ha."

Tanya chuckled cynically, her eyes slightly dry, feeling unworthy of all these years.

At this moment, the sound of the door opening was heard from outside.

Vincent returned with the two little ones.

"You’re back?"

Tanya got up to greet them, her demeanor already back to normal.

Vincent was carrying the sleeping Joy, and Caden was yawning, looking worn-out from playing.

It seemed they had a great and joyful time with Cindy Lynn today.

Tanya hid the disappointment in her eyes.

"Caden, if you’re tired, just go to your room to sleep. Mom will prepare dinner for you. Is there anything you want to eat?" Tanya bent down to ask.

She noticed Caden wearing the jacket she prepared for him in the morning, a surge of warmth filling her heart.

"Anything is fine." Caden wasn’t picky; rubbing his eyes, he headed upstairs, taking a few steps before remembering something, turned back, "Oh, I’m allergic to peanuts."

"Alright, Mom will remember that,"

Vincent carried the sleeping Joy upstairs. As he passed by Tanya, she noticed Joy was wearing a blue cape.

It matched the princess dress she was wearing.

She hadn’t had it when they left, so Cindy Lynn must have prepared it specially for her.

No wonder Joy resisted the jacket Tanya prepared at that time.

Tanya’s eyes dimmed slightly; she turned and went into the kitchen.

From beginning to end, she didn’t look directly at Vincent.

She found it unlucky to even glance at him now!

Tanya was in the kitchen handling the ingredients she planned to use for a simple nutritious meal for the two little ones, cutting sausages when footsteps approached from behind.

It was naturally Vincent.

She couldn’t be bothered with him, quickening her pace with the knife in her hand.

But the next moment, Tanya’s body suddenly stiffened.

Vincent, who rarely initiated contact with her, came up from behind and wrapped his arms around her waist!