Chapter 104 Subtle Hostility
First thing that hit Camilla was those killer legs in boots, a camel coat over a white knit sweater, and a gray Hermès bag swinging in her hand.
From head to toe, she exuded class and style—the last group member, Doris Perry.
Doris's eyes lit up when she spotted Sebastian. "Sebastian, morning!" she greeted.
"Morning," Sebastian gave a slight nod.
"Doris, meet the newest member of our crew, Camilla Learmond." Darren spilled the beans eagerly.
It was only then that Doris noticed the new face in the lab. Her smile froze for a sec.
Before Camilla showed up, Doris was the baby of the group, and everyone treated her like a princess.
But Doris had the chops to back it up.
A master's grad from a top-tier university and now a Ph.D. candidate at Harmony College, her academic creds were impressive.
Plus, getting into Sebastian's research group meant her research skills and smarts were top-notch.
Camilla did the usual greetings, and Doris raised an eyebrow, giving a half-hearted handshake before pulling back.
Though she played it cool, Camilla could feel Doris's low-key hostility.
Betty's eyes bounced between the two girls, but she kept her mouth shut.
Sebastian said, "Let me clear something up. Technically, Camilla isn't joining our research group."
"Huh?"
Sebastian explained, "She's got her own research project and is just borrowing our space."
Borrowing space? Darren couldn't hide his shock.
Sebastian never lent out the lab, so why now?
Everyone else was just as curious.
Betty and Hector exchanged looks.
Doris's brows knitted together.
Sebastian led Camilla to a separate lab bench. "This is yours now. If you need anything, hit me up directly or jot it on the blackboard. Staff will come in daily to restock supplies."
Camilla nodded slightly and noticed a blackboard in the upper left corner with a chart for clocking in and taking notes. One of the six rows already had her name on it.
Seeing this, Doris's eyes flickered. "Camilla, which postdoc research station are you at?"
Camilla answered honestly, "I just started grad school in September."
"Just started grad school?" Doris was genuinely surprised.
She thought, 'So, she's basically an undergrad and already has a research project? And Sebastian's bending the rules to lend her the lab? What's her deal?'
Doris quickly racked her brain for any big-shot families in the Imperial City with the last name Learmond.
'None of the big-shot families have that last name. So, what's her deal?' She sneered silently.
Doris wanted to say more, but a hand suddenly gripped her arm, signaling her to zip it.
After all, the lab bench wasn't being used, and it was Sebastian's call to give it to whoever he wanted. Plus, the lab was Sebastian's personal space, and they had no right to butt in.
Doris wasn't clueless about social cues. She glanced at Sebastian, who, even in a lab coat, looked tall and lean. The light cast a soft glow on his profile, highlighting the fine hairs on his skin, giving an illusion of gentleness.
But Doris knew that gentleness was just a front. Sebastian's mindwas almost entirely consumed by research, leaving little room for anything else.
So, lending the lab to someone was no biggie to him.
Even if Doris spoke up, Sebastian might not give a damn.
Not to mention, Camilla was brought in by him, and the lab bench was lent out by him. What grounds did anyone else have to object?
Camilla was clueless about everyone's thoughts. She got on the lab bench and dove straight into work.
Based on some early experimental data, Camilla re-planned the experimental process and picked control variables.
She was so zoned in that she didn't even hear the footsteps beside her.
The lab was super quiet, with everyone deep in their work. Occasionally, there were a few whispers, but they quickly died down.
Until the afternoon, Sebastian broke the silence.
"It's been a while since we had a meal together. Today, I'll treat everyone to dinner," he offered.
Betty and Darren exchanged glances, both seeing the shock in each other's eyes!
Sebastian, the workaholic, always about that efficiency. And now, he was setting up a dinner?
Their eyes subtly shifted to Camilla. If there was anything different today, it was definitely the new girl.
Betty's husband was back from a business trip, and their kid was taken care of, so she was down. "It's been a while since we chilled. Since Camilla joined our lab today, let's make it a welcome party for her."
Hector, still grinning, said, "Betty's right. Plus, the treat is on you, so I gotta show up, right?"
Darren nodded excitedly. "Exactly, it's rare for Sebastian to treat us. It'd be a waste not to go."
Doris closed her laptop with a blank expression, her voice icy. "I still have a set of experimental data to finish. I'll stay."
Camilla looked up to see Doris's beautiful face clouded with gloom.
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