Chapter 4

　　Kay froze where she stood, stunned by his shout. Then she lifted her head, stubborn, and looked him dead in the eye.

　　"She doesn't deserve one!"

　　Silas hadn't expected her to dig in like this today, defying him over and over.

　　She'd always been the gentlest woman he knew. No matter how unreasonable his demands, she'd agree in that soft voice of hers.

　　Why not this time?

　　Seeing it, Rose gave a wounded little tug at Silas's sleeve.

　　"Silas, just let it go. Don't let me come between you and Kay."

　　"She's never liked me anyway. I'm used to it. It's only a couple of harsh words. I really don't mind."

　　Rose's tenderness moved Silas beyond words, and it deepened his contempt for the stubborn woman in front of him.

　　He shot Kay a scathing glare.

　　"Kay, look at how considerate and kind Rose is. Why can't you learn something from her?"

　　"Ashford City isn't your backwater. The future mistress of the Delgado house cannot be this ignorant of how things are done!"

　　"Have you ever seen a lady of any standing cradling a pot of dead weeds like it's some treasure? You're not embarrassed, but I sure as hell am!"

　　The pain in Kay's chest had gone numb.

　　She almost doubted whether the man in front of her was the same husband who had shared her bed night after night.

　　She stroked the leaves of the seven-leaf flower, again and again. Only that could quiet the blood roaring through her.

　　After a long silence, she said softly,

　　"Dead weeds?"

　　"This 'dead weed' is what saved your father's life."

　　"The anti-cancer drug launched this morning has it as an ingredient. Didn't Rose claim to be the drug's researcher? How is it she can't even recognize the raw material?"

　　Rose faltered for a heartbeat, then looked to Silas as if begging for rescue.

　　"Silas..."

　　Silas clenched both fists, glaring hard at Kay.

　　"Enough!"

　　"Kay, quit throwing out nonsense. I'll ask you one last time. Are you going to apologize or not!"

　　Kay met his fury with a steady gaze and said, low and firm,

　　"I will not apologize to a thief!"

　　The next instant, the seven-leaf flower she'd been cradling so carefully was snatched out of her hands.

　　Before she could react, Silas hurled it to the floor and brought his leather shoe down on it, hard.

　　Grinding it under his heel, his face dark, he said,

　　"Kay, a scrap of dead weed, and you dare use it to bring up my father. Haven't you had enough of guilt-tripping us all these years?"

　　"Rose is a thief? Then what about you and your father?"

　　"You gratitude-mongering shrew, thinking that because you saved my father's life you can do whatever you please. This is the Delgado house, not your backwater. You don't get to run wild here!"

　　Kay stared at the foot bearing down, a roar filling her skull.

　　She couldn't even make out his words anymore. On instinct she dropped to her knees beside him and shoved at his shoe.

　　"No!"

　　"Silas, let go, this is the medicine my father left me, you can't just destroy it!"

　　"Let go!"

　　The corner of Rose's mouth curved up. She stepped slowly to Silas's side and drove her stiletto heel down onto Kay's hand.

　　Kay screamed at the pain, but still she wouldn't let go of the trouser leg she was clutching.

　　Silas, though, seemed to have lost his mind, and refused to stop.

　　Kay watched, wide-eyed and helpless, as the only thing her father had left her turned to a smear of green pulp beneath his shoe.

　　Her strength gave out and she crumpled to the floor, sinking into a grief with no bottom.

　　Silas finally clawed back a sliver of reason. He looked at the sorrow on her face and let out a faint scoff.

　　"Drop the act. It was just a weed. Behave yourself from now on and I'll buy you ten thousand of them."

　　Kay said nothing, only staring in anguish at the ruined seven-leaf flower.

　　Her father had been a master at cultivating the seven-leaf flower, and this was the last one he'd raised before he died. A lifetime of his devotion lived in it.

　　She'd meant to bring it to his grave when she returned to Rosedale, to show him the work he couldn't stop worrying about even at the end.

　　Now all of it was gone.

　　It was her fault. She'd misjudged a man, and in doing so ruined herself, and failed even to protect the last trace of her father's life's work.

　　Her silence enraged Silas again. If there was one thing the man couldn't stand, it was being ignored.

　　He crouched down, gripping her chin hard, and said in a cold voice,

　　"Kay, don't tell me you think a little security footage makes you untouchable."

　　Under her shocked gaze, Silas tossed his phone down in front of her.

　　The video playing on it was the original footage she had handed over to Director Finch.

　　Silas's lips curled in a sneer, and he said, one word at a time,

　　"You thought this would give you a hold over me? Keep dreaming. The researcher behind this drug can only ever be Rose."

　　The words had barely left his mouth when a message from the institute arrived on Kay's phone.

　　"Researcher Kay: Owing to the plagiarism of Ms. Rose Pruitt's drug research materials, you are hereby dismissed. The laboratory previously assigned to you has been reclaimed per regulation."

　　"Effective today, Kay's access to the Ashford City Research Institute is revoked."

　　The last thread of attachment Kay had to Ashford City snapped clean through.