Chapter 2

I reached out and stopped the elevator door as it began to close.

"Sage, what are you replacing tomorrow night at nine?"

She blinked, then flipped her phone face-down in her palm.

"Just a system task. Do you really need to look up competition terminology, Lena?"

Evan stood at the end of the hallway. His tone cooled several degrees.

"Tomorrow is the results conference. We have to swap out the pitch files. Lena, stop reading personal grievances into everything."

I released the elevator door.

"Fine."

The next afternoon, my supervisor called me into the conference hall.

"Your urban rainfall prediction model was added to the demonstration lineup at the last minute. The original author's seat is in the front row. Go grab your credentials."

I froze for two seconds.

That model had taken me two years of overnight work to complete. Evan had borrowed it once to optimize a competition algorithm.

He had promised to display only the joint module, never to touch my byline.

But when the screen lit up, the cover page displayed two names in bold: Evan Chen and Sage Wang.

The moderator smiled into the microphone.

"Our two young researchers have integrated a meteorological model into a traffic scheduling system. I hear even a shared calendar served as inspiration?"

Sage lifted the mic and answered with polished modesty.

"It was mainly Evan's idea. I just helped him organize his day-to-day data. The scattered records weren't technically sophisticated, but they did offer a small spark."

Someone nearby murmured:

"I hear his girlfriend studies meteorology too. Probably just logs weather for him."

"Three years long-distance—how could she possibly keep up with his project? Personal assistant, at best."

My supervisor's head snapped toward me.

"Isn't the original model documentation yours?"

I didn't answer.

Evan had already seen me. His eyes lingered for a moment, then slid away, and he went on explaining a set of unique sun-coded parameters in the model.

During the Q&A, I raised my hand.

"Why is the fifth code group missing?"

Evan tapped the presenter's remote in his hand, his expression steady.

"The early sample data had limited value. We ran a cleaning pass."

"And who authorized you to clean it?"

The hall went quiet.

Sage was the first to laugh.

"Perhaps you're not familiar with collaboration protocols. Evan is the project lead—he certainly has the authority to remove low-value data. No need to hold everyone up over an old record."

Evan looked at me, his voice lowered.

"Lena. Sit down. We'll talk after this is over."

"What about the original model's byline?"

He tapped the remote lightly.

"Your model didn't pass independent review. Adding your name prematurely would compromise the judging. Once the project stabilizes, I'll append a supplementary statement. Don't make a scene in front of everyone."

My supervisor rose to his feet.

"She submitted a complete validation report. I signed off on it myself!"

Sage's face flickered, but she recovered with a smile.

"Professor, there were too many file versions. I may have missed one in the sorting. Evan's been working himself to the bone lately. Since Lena's already come all this way, why force him to handle domestic matters onstage?"

Evan didn't so much as glance at the report. He simply gestured to the staff.

"Continue."

The screen switched to the acknowledgments page.

Advisors. Teammates. Partner laboratories.

Name after name lit up.

Every one but mine.

When the applause broke out, I unpinned the "Original Author" badge from my chest and set it on the empty seat.

Evan caught up with me backstage and closed his fingers around my wrist.

"Have you made enough of a mess today? The byline is only postponed—we're not cutting you out."

"That 'replacement' scheduled for nine tomorrow night. Is that when you cut me out of the project?"

He was silent for a moment, then reached out to straighten my crooked collar.

"It's a temporary measure to avoid impropriety. You're my girlfriend. If your name goes on the paper, the review board will suspect a conflict of interest. Sage is just a collaborator—she fits better."

I looked at him.

"So a girlfriend is less above suspicion than a colleague."

"Don't be difficult." He released my hand. "Once I secure the graduate school recommendation, what you gain from this won't be any less than a byline. I promise."

Sage poked her head through the door.

"Evan, the school wants promotional photos. Only core members are permitted. Lena, since you're not on the team, please step aside for a bit."