Chapter 4

Brianna

Genius?

That title seemed to only come from people who knew about my research achievements.

Since learning of my mother's serious illness, my academic results and the formulas I'd developed no longer belonged to me.

I'd sold all my research at high prices.

Aside from those few medical institutions that knew I was the popular Dr. L from the underground trading market, no one knew my identity.

My identity had to remain secret—otherwise I'd constantly risk assassination.

Because I'd developed that damned healing-inhibiting serum. If the price hadn't been so high, I never would have created such a thing.

Strangely, the serum's composition was very odd—basically not something humans could use.

In other words, this serum wasn't meant for human use.

It was more like something for animals, but why would an animal serum put me on an assassination list?

I didn't understand.

And now Cole was calling me a genius?

Did he know my true identity?

This man—was he friend or foe? I didn't know.

I looked up at him tentatively. I needed to confirm whether I was safe.

"Captain Cole, I don't understand what you're talking about."

Cole looked down at me, a flicker of confusion in his eyes.

Based on my psychology studies, Cole's reaction didn't seem fake.

But the next second, he looked at me with gentle yet clearly oppressive tone:

"Brianna, you don't need to hide anything from me."

"I think what we need between us is honesty."

His words made me even more nervous.

Honesty—was he testing me?

Was he telling me he knew my identity and needed me to confess myself?

I clenched my fists tightly, keeping my head down.

I couldn't admit my identity.

My identity would put my life in danger and bring disaster to my family.

I simply couldn't be honest with him, even though he was now my employer.

I bit my teeth tightly and gave Cole no response.

Seeing my reaction, mockery from those around us followed.

Perhaps they thought I'd fabricated my identity, deceived Cole, and now that I was exposed, I was about to face Cole's retaliation.

Kate looked at me with an even more pronounced upward curl of her lips—the look of someone enjoying a show.

She pointed at me with sharp, bitter tone:

"Brianna, my God!"

"I never thought you were this kind of person! Did you forge your resume?"

"That's not allowed at Ronaldo University—serious cases can even lead to expulsion, you know?"

Then Kate turned to look at Cole:

"Genius? Cole, where did you hear that? Just from the resume she wrote herself? How are you so easily fooled?"

"In this entire college, aside from me, no one deserves the title of genius."

Indeed, Kate was right.

She truly was excellent—in a way, she could also be called a genius.

Three-year medical school scholarship recipient, medical competition finalist.

At her age, earning an internship at Bright Hospital was extremely impressive.

Jess stood behind Kate, his expression still so vicious.

"Cole, I'm giving you three more minutes to consider changing team doctors."

"Otherwise, my teammates and I will all leave, and you can rebuild the team yourself!"

"I dare say you'll never find teammates more excellent than us!"

Jess's demeanor told me that if Cole weren't beside me, he would have already rushed over to tear me apart.

Cole didn't look at Jess or pay attention to Kate's chatter. He simply turned to look at me.

His fingertips lightly touched my clenched, pale knuckles—was he signaling that he was on my side?

"Brianna, the wound healing spray—I know that's your patent."

My whole body shook as I jerked my head up.

That patent was something I'd casually written while organizing old research drafts recently.

I never even thought it could be successfully developed.

This patent was something I'd secretly sold recently—how could he know?

Had my collaborators leaked my information?

Impossible. We'd signed confidentiality agreements—they were responsible for my safety.

While I was still stunned, Cole had already walked toward Jess.

From a distance, their size difference was too obvious.

I could guarantee that if Jess were Cole's opponent, he would have already been knocked to the ground by Cole's charge.

Cole looked down at Jess like he was looking at a... well... little person?

Sorry, they happened to have seven teammates here.

It made me think of a fairy tale.

Just as I was about to smile, Cole's cold voice echoed throughout the room.

"Jess, no one's stopping you."

"If you want to leave, you can go anytime."

"Of course, once you leave my team, we'll be opponents."

"Brianna is my team doctor—that will never change."

His voice was low but filled with threatening undertones.

Of the seven teammates, aside from Jess, the others were trembling and couldn't speak.

Jess pounded Cole's chest forcefully:

"Cole, think carefully!"

"I don't want to endure even one more second of you as such an irresponsible captain! You don't deserve your teammates' respect!"

"From start to finish, you only think about yourself—I'm really sick of it!"

After speaking, Jess turned to look at the members behind him.

"We're leaving."

But strangely, no one followed behind Jess.

They understood who had really brought the football team to where it was today.

The financial foundation, the charges on the field—everything depended on Cole.

They'd followed Jess in pressuring Cole simply because they were dissatisfied with me, not with Cole.

Seeing no one move, Jess and Kate clearly felt humiliated.

Jess roared:

"Think carefully! The team doctor is very important!"

"Don't treat your own lives carelessly!"

Kate screamed angrily, pointing at me:

"Brianna, I'm telling you—I'm reporting this resume forgery to the dean!"

"Just wait to be expelled!"

"Cole, don't regret this."

Cole shrugged his shoulders indifferently.

He glanced back at me, then said to Kate in a flat tone:

"My team doctor might be afraid of hurting your pitiful self-esteem, Kate, so she won't admit it."

"Honestly, you should thank her for her silence—otherwise your genius title would be too laughable."

Kate tilted her head:

"What are you saying?"

Cole pointed at me:

"Brianna is the developer of the wound healing spray."

"This spray improved the effectiveness of existing healing medications by thirty-seven percent and solved the problem of athletes developing drug dependency after use."

Cole's voice carried clearly throughout the hospital room, each word hitting my heart.

"If someone who can write such a formula isn't a genius, what is?"

Jess was stunned. Kate's smugness instantly froze, and she shouted in disbelief:

"Are you kidding?"

"She just started college!"

Cole's words had the surrounding teammates beginning to whisper among themselves, and Jess's expression changed too.

They certainly knew how severe the side effects of current healing medications were for athletes. If there really was an improved formula, it would be incredibly beneficial for the entire team.

Jess frowned at me, his face full of disbelief.

The hospital room instantly fell silent. Kate looked at the teammates' reactions, her face white as paper as she shook her head and backed away:

"Impossible... Cole, don't be deceived!"

"Resumes can be forged."

"I'm going to expose her right now! Get her expelled!"

Cole gave a cold laugh and pulled out a statement.

"I'm the serum's contractor—of course I know who the developer is."