Page 212 - The Love Hypothesis

“You don’t think I accepted you into my lab because you are good, do

you?”
Slack-jawed, she took one more step back. One of her heels almost
caught in the carpet, and she had to hold on to the table to avoid falling.

“A girl like you. Who figured out so early in her academic career that
fucking well-known, successful scholars is how to get ahead.” He was still

smiling. The same smile Olive had once thought kind. Reassuring. “You
fucked Adam, didn’t you? We both know you’re going to fuck me for the

same reason.”
She was going to vomit. She was going to vomit in this room, after all,

and it had nothing to do with her talk. “You are disgusting.”
“Am I?” He shrugged, unperturbed. “That makes two of us. You used
Adam to get to me and to my lab. To this conference, too.”

“I didn’t. I didn’t even know Adam when I submitted—”
“Oh, please. You’re telling me you thought your pitiful abstract was

selected for a talk because of its quality and scientific importance?” He
made a disbelieving face. “Someone here has a very high opinion of herself,

considering that her research is useless and derivative and that she can
barely put together two words without stuttering like an idiot.”

She froze. Her stomach sank and twisted, her feet cemented to the
ground. “It’s not true,” she whispered.
“No? You think it’s not true that scientists in the field want to impress

the great Adam Carlsen enough to kiss the ass of whoever he’s fucking at
the moment? I certainly did when I told his very mediocre girlfriend that

she could come work for me. But maybe you’re right,” he said, all mocking
affability. “Maybe you know STEM academia better than I do.”

“I’m going to tell Adam about this. I’m going to—”
“By all means.” Tom widened his arms. “Go ahead. Be my guest. Do

you need to borrow my phone?”
“No.” Her nostrils flared. A wave of icy anger swept over her. “No.” She
turned around and marched to the entrance, fighting the nausea and bile

climbing up her throat. She was going to find Adam. She was going to find