He Framed Me To Protect His Apprentice

Violet Morris was the organization's youngest genius scientist—and they'd entrusted her with a critical mission. It had taken her three years to lock down every last piece of data needed for the experiment. On the day of the experiment, all eyes were on it. She turned to leave the lab for final prep—then an explosion ripped through the space behind her. Flames erupted. More explosions followed.

She whipped around. Her apprentice, Ella Young, stumbled out—pale, bloodstained, muttering under her breath, "I didn't mean to... I didn't mean to..."

Violet grabbed her by the collar, eyes blazing with fury. "What have you done this time? Where are the records? Did you bring them out?"

Ella trembled violently and dropped to her knees. "I—I..." she stammered.

Feeling the ground fall out from under her, Violet slapped Ella across the face. "Get out of my project team. I never want to see you again," she said, ignoring Ella's tearful pleas and turning to run toward the lab. The data was three years of her and her team's blood, sweat, and tears. Losing it meant losing everything.

As she spun around, she collided with a solid figure. Her wrist was caught in a firm grip. "Violet! What have you done to Ella now?"

Violet's voice shook. "Duncan, she wrecked the entire lab! Are you seriously taking her side again? Let go of me—I have to salvage the data."

Duncan, her husband, frowned and cut a suspicious glance at Ella. Ella scrambled over and clung to his pants, pleading, "Duncan, I was only trying to help Violet get the experiment started sooner. I never thought it would end like this. Let me try to save the data. If I can't save it, let me die in the explosion."

She rushed to stand, but her shaky legs sent her stumbling into Duncan's arms. He steadied her, then looked at Violet with disappointment. "She's already hurt. What more do you want? Is a lab more important than a life?"

Violet recoiled like she'd been slapped. A hollow ache opened up inside her. This wasn't the first time Duncan had blindly taken Ella's side—but Violet was his wife, the one he'd sworn to protect forever. Another explosion jolted her back to reality, and she turned to run into the lab again, only for Ella to stop her.

"Violet, it's dangerous. Don't go," Ella pleaded.

Violet roughly shook her off. "Move aside!" But as she pushed forward, Ella latched onto her leg, sobbing, "Violet, you're a star in the scientific community, the woman Duncan loves, and my most respected mentor. If anything happened to you, I'd carry that guilt for the rest of my life. But it's different for me—no one would miss me. If someone has to sacrifice their life for this data, let it be me."

Violet stared coldly at Ella's dramatic display and pushed her aside. "Stop getting in my way." But as she moved forward again, Duncan stepped into her path, his voice harsh.

"Didn't you hear her? If you die, she'll carry that guilt forever..."

Violet's chest tightened. He wasn't stopping her because he was afraid she'd die—he was stopping her so Ella wouldn't have to live with the guilt.

Violet let out a dry laugh, ready to fire back—then she heard it. A faint cry for help from inside the lab. The voice sounded so much like her brother's. She turned sharply to Ella. "Is my brother in there?"

Ella shook her head, fast and frantic. "That area's off-limits. No one could just wander in."

But Violet caught the guilty flicker in Ella's eyes. Her brother... Her brother... Violet turned sharply, determined to rush inside, but Duncan's arms clamped around her like steel, holding her back.

Something inside Violet finally snapped. Tears flooded her eyes. "Duncan, my brother's in there. Please, let me go. Let me in."

Duncan frowned, irritation etched across his face. "Ella's right. How would your brother even get into a lab? Violet, if the data's lost, I'll explain it to the higher-ups. I'll make sure they don't hold you responsible. But I won't let you go in there to die."

Through a blur of tears, Violet stared toward the lab. She could hear her brother's weak voice calling for her, and it felt like her heart was being ripped in two. She was done pleading. She bit down hard on Duncan's arm. Blood flooded her mouth, and he let go with a pained grunt.

Violet bolted for the lab. She was almost through the doorway when a heavy blow landed on the back of her neck. As darkness swallowed her, she heard Duncan sigh softly, "Ella is sensitive. If something happens to you, what will become of her?"