Dumping Him for His Uncle (Natasha and Zachary)

Just as Natasha was about to retort, Zachary walked up from behind the two of them.

"I've already decided to move forward with this project. So naturally, any losses will be covered by Foster Group," Zachary assured.

The once lively crowd began to quiet down the moment Zachary appeared.

Whatever Natasha had planned to say slowly slipped away under the weight of his firm gaze.noveldrama

In Fansville, every researcher was assigned a number. Each lab coat was marked with it.

"There's a reason why I gathered everyone here today. I have an announcement to make," Zachary said.

Since it was a research facility, he knew everyone had tight schedules and a demanding workload. So, he didn't bother with any small talk.

"This is Ms. Bradley. Natasha Bradley. Starting today, she will be leading the new research project. Let's all give her a warm welcome," Zachary announced.

As soon as he finished, heat rushed to Natasha's face. She was clearly much younger than the other researchers around her. Some of them were clearly in their 40s or 50s. They were around the same age as Henry.

Natasha couldn't help but compare herself to them. Those researchers were probably in their prime, gaining recognition in their field. Meanwhile, she had spent the last few years running a struggling little company back home. She was still stuck in the same spot with no progress.

After Zachary's announcement, only a few scattered voices offered a welcome. Most of the people in the crowd broke into quiet murmurs instead. The low buzz of conversation deepened Zachary's frown.

"Is there something you'd all like to say?" Zachary asked in a sharp tone.

His expression made it clear that he wasn't pleased. Still, no one dared to speak.

"Ms. Bradley was chosen for a reason. She has her strengths, and I hope everyone can work well together," he added firmly.

Quentin quickly stepped in with a few words. The murmuring eventually faded. After the meeting, Natasha walked to the cafeteria with Zachary and Quentin.

"I still have a few things to take care of later. Are you okay with cafeteria food, Mr. Foster?" Quentin asked.

Though Quentin was clearly teasing, Zachary didn't seem offended.

"I've eaten in the cafeteria plenty of times. If I couldn't handle it, I would've starved to death by now," Zachary replied.

The cafeteria lady scooped a portion of beef stew onto Natasha's mashed potatoes. It was the first time Natasha had ever heard Zachary talk about his past.

Quentin seemed to have known

Zachary for quite some time. The two of them chatted easily while they ate Meanwhile, Natasha stayed quiet and listened, hoping to catch something interesting from their conversation.

Even though Zachary wasn't exactly a research expert, he had decent understanding about the research topics. The two men got along well. Or perhaps it was just that Zachary's insights on different topics had a way of intriguing others.

"It's getting late. Are you two done?" Zachary asked.

Zachary glanced at Natasha's plate and noticed that most of her beef stew was still untouched.

There were quite a few chunks of

beef left, and it seemed wastefulto throw them. So, he simply picked them up with his spoon and dumped

them onto his plate. Then, he

polished it off in a few quick bites.

Natasha was stunned. She had already bitten on some of those pieces. Yet, Zachary ate them without hesitation. Since he had already eaten it, it would be awkward for her to bring it up now.

"Shall we?" Zachary asked, looking a little impatient.

Natasha wasn't quite familiar with the cafeteria yet. She had planned to look around a bit more after her meal.

After all, the research materials for this new project wouldn't start arriving until tomorrow. There was nothing particularly urgent she needed to do today.