I am a top-tier Ph.D. researcher at an Ivy League institution, and also the "white moonlight"—the unattainable obsession—of Sebastian Thorne, the billionaire heir to the Thorne empire. Six years ago, when Sebastian was depressed and destitute, estranged from his family, I used my psychology background to guide him out of the darkness. Since then, he fell in love with me uncontrollably. After reclaiming his status as the Prince of New York’s elite circle, he pursued me relentlessly. But my heart was only filled with academia. Frustrated by my rejections, Sebastian bought out my entire research project and signed our team to his conglomerate. He visited my lab daily, proposing marriage every other week. I never responded. Enraged, Sebastian began collecting women who looked like me. The latest substitute was an influencer who bore a passing resemblance to me. Thinking she was the future Mrs. Thorne, she defied Sebastian’s ban and broke into the private lab, where she found me alone. Her assistant fanned the flames: "I heard there’s a ‘science-bait’ girl pestering our Prince, trying to sleep her way to the top. We have to tear her apart!" The substitute used a riding crop to smash the lab and used fine needles to destroy my hands, peeling my fingernails off one by one in a bloody mess. She then presented them to Sebastian like a treasure. "Babe, there was a fake ‘science girl’ trying to copy me. I taught her a lesson for you!" Chapter 1 I had been held hostage by Sebastian Thorne for three years using my research project as leverage. He treated me like a fragile piece of porcelain. As long as I agreed to be his, he was willing to lay the entire wealth of the city at my feet. That included the most advanced academic resources in the world. I admit, I was tempted. But in the end, I refused. I simply didn't love him. Six years ago, Sebastian suffered from severe depression due to family trauma. He was standing on the bridge, ready to jump, when I, busy with my master’s thesis and experiments, ran into him. I saved him. I used my knowledge to talk him down and guide him out of the shadows step by step. But after he recovered, his gratitude morphed into a terrifying obsession. The Thorne family lined up heiresses for him, but he wouldn't even look at them. He tanked multi-million dollar deals just to make me smile. But I was distressed. On the 23rd time I rejected him, I reiterated my stance. "Sebastian, stop wasting your time on me. I don't plan to marry. I want to dedicate my life to science." A week later, Sebastian acquired the entire research institute my mentor and I worked for. He threatened me with the results of years of our hard work. "Elena, if you dare to leave the project or run away from me, I will make sure your mentor’s life work turns to dust." I couldn't gamble with my mentor’s legacy. We were on the verge of a breakthrough. I had to submit and sign a five-year contract with Thorne Industries. Today, the whole team was on vacation. I was the only one there, running some tests, when a commotion broke out in the hallway. "Tiffany, didn't Mr. Thorne give a strict order? No one is allowed near this wing. Maybe there are state secrets... maybe we should go back..." "What are you afraid of? I'm Sebastian's girlfriend! I saw him secretly ordering a diamond ring two days ago. Soon, I'll be the mistress of the Thorne family. It's just a tiny lab, why can't I enter?" "Besides, don't forget my influencer persona. I'm the 'Science Beauty.' How can I not tour the new lab Sebastian bought?" The arrogant female voice drowned out the timid advice of her companion. I frowned. The lab required absolute silence. This entitled woman barging in must be the new substitute Sebastian found, the influencer Tiffany Miller. I sighed. I once told Sebastian that I needed quiet and no interruptions. That one sentence twisted into his extreme possessiveness. Last month, a bird flew in by mistake. Sebastian saw it on the surveillance feed and had it... let's just say, removed, in a very gruesome way. Thinking of that scene still made me shudder. I was just about to take off my lab coat and go out to kindly warn her, but the lab door was kicked open. Chapter 2 The woman, dressed to the nines in designer gear, looked shocked when she saw me, then flew into a rage. "Where did this plastic surgery monster come from? Why do you look so much like me?" The assistant behind her added fuel to the fire: "Tiffany, I heard there’s a wannabe ‘science girl’ pestering Mr. Thorne, trying to seduce him. The lab is empty today except for this schemer. She must be trying to copy your 'Science Beauty' persona. We have to destroy her!" Before I could react, a stinging slap landed on my face. Tiffany’s face was twisted with anger. "You slut! You could hook up anywhere, but you chose my husband's lab! You really are calculating!" I realized then—she had misunderstood. I covered my cheek and looked at her calmly. I wanted to fight back, but I instinctively glanced at the surveillance camera overhead. "Forget it. I won't hold this against you. This isn't where you should be. Leave now." Two weeks ago, a girl deliberately bumped into me. I thought it was nothing, but Sebastian saw it on the monitors. That same day, the girl lost the use of her hands. That was when I knew Sebastian's methods were not just cruel; they were psychotic. This girl seemed ignorant. I didn't want to cause a scene, so I advised her to leave. But Tiffany sneered at my words and became even more aggressive. "We're both playing the game, stop pretending! I know you want to take advantage of the empty lab, dress up in a lab coat, and seduce Sebastian!" "Any woman with a brain knows the Prince of New York doesn't like flashy girls; he likes cold, intellectual women in lab coats." "I worked so hard to build my academic livestream persona to get where I am today. In a few days, I'll be Mrs. Thorne. I won't let you mess things up right under my nose!" Tiffany grabbed my hair and threw me heavily onto the floor. Then, she pulled a riding crop from her back—a prop for her photos—and whipped it viciously across my face. The crop had microscopic barbs. Every strike not only caused intense pain but left thin, bleeding scratches. "Don't think that just because you got plastic surgery to look like me, you can catch Sebastian's eye. Today, I'm going to ruin this face and tear these clothes off you. Let's see if you dare pretend to be a scholar then!" Chapter 3 I couldn't help but cry out in pain. Before the next lash could fall, I gritted my teeth and caught the barbed whip with my bare hand. My eyes were dark. "Before you hit me, did you check who I am?" The barbs dug into my palm. Tiffany yanked it back deliberately. A searing pain shot through my nerves as the skin on my right palm was shredded into a bloody mess. Tiffany looked arrogant, sneering with disdain. "I don't care who you are. You're just a poser, a 'pick-me' girl acting smart in a lab. You know Sebastian likes this type, so you rushed here to throw yourself at him!" My voice dropped. "I am a Ph.D., not whatever 'science bait' you're talking about." As soon as I spoke, Tiffany stepped on my face. The sharp point of her stiletto dug into my nasal bone. "You? A Ph.D.? With that face?" "Don't think I don't know. You read those online guides, crawled in through the maintenance hatch, and wanted to roleplay, didn't you?" "Speaking of which, I should learn from you. My livestream style is outdated. Maybe I should do a 'lab play' session next time. Sebastian will be obsessed!" Dust from her sole fell into my eyes. I squeezed them shut. Since I saved Sebastian, he did develop a fetish. He liked watching me do experiments, expressionless, in my lab coat. I thought he would stop there, but he escalated, searching the city for substitutes who looked like me. Not just in looks, but in the way they carried themselves while holding a test tube. Tiffany had studied me for a long time to become the top influencer in the "academic beauty" niche, finally catching Sebastian's eye. Now she mistook me for a competitor. Of course, she wouldn't let me go. "Sebastian has been pursuing me..." I pointed weakly to the camera above. "If you don't believe me... look up. Sebastian watches me through the monitor constantly. If you don't leave now, you might never get the chance to..." Chapter 4 Tiffany laughed wildly, not believing a word. "You think I grew up scared?" "Forget this lab; this entire research center will be mine in the future!" Her assistant, Becky, chimed in. "Exactly! You schemer, look who's standing in front of you! This is the future Mrs. Thorne!" "Out of all the influencers, the Prince chose our Tiffany. What does that prove? True love!" I wanted to roll my eyes, but my face hurt too much. Seeing Tiffany order her assistant to smash the lab to punish me, I panicked and struggled to get up. "No! Stop!" This lab held my mentor's life work. I couldn't watch this woman destroy it! I lunged forward like a madwoman, but Tiffany whipped me to the ground again. "See? Shameless! If Sebastian really knew you, what's a smashed lab to him? You're scared because you can't pay for the damages!" "I'm going to teach you a lesson today! Becky, smash it!" Becky grabbed a heavy wrench and started destroying the equipment. I desperately protected my mentor's research data behind me, refusing to let go no matter how they pulled. Tiffany got interested. She threw down the whip. "Becky, tie this poser up!" "I want to see what she's protecting. Maybe it's a secret guide to seducing men!" I was battered and outnumbered. I couldn't fight them. Becky wrapped the barbed whip around me, tying me up and shoving me into the corner. Tiffany casually flipped through the file. "I thought it was treasure. Just boring numbers and words. Definitely a prop for your act." Saying that, she tore the manuscript in half!
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