Chapter 148

The moment Sloane stepped into the sterile lab, she knew something was wrong. The raw materials were there, on paper, everything required for the formulation had been provided. But up close? Inferior quality. Incorrect weights. Visible impurities. This wasn’t an accident. She didn’t touch a single instrument. “A chef can’t cook without ingredients,” she said flatly. Ethan froze. He knew medicine at a management level, not at a formulation level. Ratios, purity, sourcing, this wasn’t his battlefield. He ran a hand through his hair, a hollow laugh slipping out. “I should’ve anticipated this.” He pressed his palm to his forehead, the realization hitting him hard. “I honestly thought that no matter how bad things got, the Scott family would at least band together against outsiders.” His voice went bitter. “Now I finally understand that saying, before fighting external enemies, a house must stop tearing itself apart.” Sloane exhaled slowly. “Pointing that out won’t fix anything,” she said.