CEO loves me with all his soul.-Chapter 84. Project Cale

Isaac scrolled through the gallery on Savas Faust’s phone, his brows furrowing deeper with each swipe. The images on the screen made him stop mid-motion, his hand hovering over the device as if it had suddenly turned radioactive.

"What the hell..." he muttered under his breath, unable to suppress the mix of shock and irritation bubbling inside him.

Luri, who was typing furiously on her laptop, glanced up when she noticed Isaac’s silence. "What now?" she asked, tilting her head. "Did you find something?"

Isaac’s face turned crimson as he quickly tilted the phone away from her line of sight. "No," he said hastily. "Nothing useful. Just... irrelevant junk."

Luri raised an eyebrow, immediately intrigued. She leaned over, trying to peer at the screen. "Irrelevant junk? Let me see."

Isaac turned his chair slightly, putting the phone even further out of reach. "No. Trust me, you don’t want to see this."

Luri smirked, undeterred by his defensiveness. "Oh, come on. You’re acting like a teenager who just got caught looking at something naughty."

Isaac shot her a glare. "It’s not that, okay? This is just—ugh, just stay out of it."

Luri leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms. "Let me guess. It’s those infamous pictures of Savas’s escapades, isn’t it?"

Isaac’s face betrayed him, his silence confirming her suspicion. Luri burst out laughing, the sound echoing through the small room.

"I knew it!" she said, grinning from ear to ear. "Everyone knows Savas Faust has been with half the city. You really thought you’d stumble onto something shocking?"

Isaac sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "That doesn’t mean it’s okay to gawk at his... private stuff."

Luri raised an eyebrow, a mischievous glint in her eye. "Private? Seriously, Isaac? You’re talking about privacy when we hacked into his phone without a second thought? The concept of ’private’ flew out the window the moment we cracked his encryption."

Isaac opened his mouth to retort but realized she wasn’t entirely wrong. Still, he wasn’t about to let her win this argument. "Look," he said, his tone sharp, "just because we’re in his phone doesn’t mean we have to stoop to gawking at his personal life. We’re here to find information about a researcher named Cale, not play Peeping Tom."

Luri’s grin widened as she leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand. "You’re so uptight, Isaac. It’s almost cute."

Isaac rolled his eyes. "And you’re insufferable. Can we focus on the task at hand instead of whatever weird commentary you’re trying to add?"

Luri shrugged, clearly enjoying his discomfort. "Fine, Mr. Morality Police. But let’s be real—how do you even know there’s anything about this ’Cale’ person on his phone? For all we know, this could be a complete waste of time." free𝑤ebnovel.com

Isaac glared at her, his patience wearing thin. "Because, genius, Savas has been in contact with some shady people lately, and his phone is the best lead we’ve got. If you can’t handle that, maybe you should sit this one out."

Luri feigned a gasp, placing a hand over her heart. "Oh no, did I hurt your feelings? Poor Isaac, always so serious."

Isaac let out an exasperated sigh and turned his attention back to the phone. "Can you shut up for five minutes? Just five. I swear, it would be a miracle."

Luri’s smirk turned into a mischievous grin. "I could, but where’s the fun in that?"

She reached down and grabbed a slipper that had been kicked under the desk. Without warning, she launched it at Isaac’s head. Isaac saw the projectile coming and ducked just in time, the slipper sailing harmlessly over his head and landing with a dull thud behind him.

"Real mature, Luri," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "What’s next? Are you going to start throwing your laptop?"

"Don’t tempt me," Luri shot back, her tone playful despite the argument.

Isaac ignored her and continued swiping through the phone. Eventually, his focus sharpened as he stumbled upon a folder buried within the device’s storage. The name was innocuous—Work Notes—but the timestamp on the files suggested they were recent.

"Finally," he muttered, opening the folder.

Luri noticed the change in his demeanor and leaned forward, suddenly serious. "What is it?"

Isaac didn’t answer immediately, his eyes scanning the contents of the folder. There were several PDFs and audio recordings, along with a few images that seemed unrelated at first glance. But one document caught his attention: Project Cale - Phase Outline.

"Bingo," he said, his voice low. He tapped on the file, opening it.

The two of them leaned closer to the screen, their earlier banter forgotten. The document was filled with jargon and technical details, much of it incomprehensible without context. But a few key phrases stood out: genetic modification trials, cellular restructuring, and advanced human adaptation protocols.

"This is it," Isaac said, his tone triumphant. "This is what we’re looking for."

Luri frowned, her playful demeanor replaced by a rare seriousness. "This... this doesn’t look good. What the hell is Savas involved in?"

Isaac didn’t answer, his mind racing as he pieced together the implications. Whatever Project Cale was, it was far from harmless. And if Savas Faust was connected to it, then they were dealing with something far more dangerous than they had anticipated.

"Keep digging," Isaac said, his voice firm. "There’s more here, and we need to figure out exactly what’s going on."

Luri nodded, her earlier antics forgotten as she focused on the screen.

Dr. Rowen adjusted his glasses, his piercing gray eyes fixed on Zara as she finished the last detail about the infamous project. The sterile smell of antiseptic lingered in the office, mixing with the weight of the conversation. Zara’s expression remained calm, though her fingers nervously fidgeted with the edge of her long coat.

"So you’re telling me," Dr. Rowen began, his voice measured, "this banned project—initially aimed at treating genetic disorders—was hijacked and turned into something far darker? And no one knew?"

Zara nodded, her sharp features betraying a flicker of regret. "No one outside the inner circle, at least. The public believed the project was abandoned after its initial success. But behind the scenes, another project—CALE—was quietly born."

Dr. Rowen frowned deeply, the lines on his weathered face creasing further. "CALE? What exactly does that stand for?"

Zara took a deep breath, her voice steady despite the storm brewing in her chest. "Codified Adaptation and Longevity Experimentation." She paused, letting the weight of the name settle. "It was no longer about curing people. It became about creating a superior version of humanity, playing with the very building blocks of life. It went against every ethical boundary."

Rowen leaned back in his chair, letting out a low whistle. "Genetic enhancement, then. Of course. Humanity’s obsession with perfection."

Zara nodded solemnly. "And that obsession led to unspeakable acts. What was meant to save lives turned into a quest to redefine what it meant to be human."

Dr. Rowen rubbed his temples, processing the information. "Was this sanctioned by the government, or was it done in secrecy?"

Zara hesitated, her lips pressing into a thin line. "I... don’t know. There were whispers that some officials might have been involved, but nothing was ever confirmed. What I do know is that the experiment spiraled out of control."

She paused, her voice softening as memories resurfaced. "My mother-in-law, Dr. Sayra, was one of the lead researchers on the genetic disorder project. She was a brilliant woman, one of the best in her field. But when CALE began, she became... different. More distant, more secretive."

Rowen tilted his head, curiosity flickering in his eyes. "She was involved in CALE?"

"Yes," Zara admitted. "But not by choice. According to my husband, she despised what it had become. She wanted out, but leaving wasn’t an option for those involved."

Dr. Rowen leaned forward, his hands clasped. "What happened to her?"

Zara’s voice trembled, but she forced herself to continue. "One night, she didn’t come home. At first, it wasn’t unusual—long hours were common for her. But two weeks passed, and there was no word, no contact. My father-in-law finally intervened, only to find that the laboratory she worked at had been burned to the ground."

Rowen’s eyes widened in shock. "Burned? With people inside?"

Zara nodded, her throat tight. "Many researchers died that night, and Dr. Sayra was presumed to be one of them. But her body was never found. My father-in-law didn’t believe she was dead, not without proof. He sued the laboratory owners, demanded investigations, but nothing came of it."

Rowen shook his head, disbelief etched into his features. "What a tragedy. Losing someone like her is a loss not just for her family but for science itself."

Zara’s eyes darkened, the memory of her father-in-law’s despair still fresh. "He never recovered. He spent the next ten years searching for answers, but he died with nothing to show for it. No closure, no truth."

"And your husband?" Rowen asked softly.

Zara’s lips curved into a faint, bittersweet smile. "He’s still searching. Every clue, every lead—he follows them all. It’s become his life’s mission to uncover what really happened to his mother and the others who were involved in CALE."

Rowen sat back, his expression a mix of admiration and sorrow. "It’s admirable that he hasn’t given up. But it must be exhausting for him, and for you."

"It is," Zara admitted. "But I support him. I owe it to Dr. Sayra. She was an incredible woman, and she didn’t deserve what happened to her."

The room fell into a heavy silence, the weight of Zara’s story pressing down on both of them.

Rowen finally broke the silence, his voice gentle. "I can’t imagine how difficult this has been for your family. And now, with Ethan..."

Zara’s gaze sharpened at the mention of Ethan. "That’s why I’m here," she said firmly. "Ethan is my best friend’s son—no, he’s more than that. He’s practically family. I watched him grow up. He’s been through so much already. I won’t let him become a casualty of this madness."

Rowen studied her for a long moment before nodding. "You care for him deeply. That’s clear."

"I do," Zara said, her voice unwavering. "Cain and I have only recently begun rebuilding our relationship, and Ethan is a part of that. But more importantly, he’s a good man with a family to protect. If there’s any chance that CALE or something like it could hurt him, I need to know. And I need your help, Dr. Rowen."

Rowen straightened, his expression resolute. "You’ll have it. Whatever resources I can provide, they’re yours. If this project is resurfacing, we need to stop it before it causes more harm."

Zara nodded, relief washing over her. "Thank you, Dr. Rowen. That means more to me than I can say."

The older man gave her a small, reassuring smile. "You’ve shared a lot today, Zara. It’s a heavy burden you’ve been carrying. But we’ll figure this out. Together."

Zara smiled back, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes. "I hope so. For Ethan’s sake, for my family’s sake... we need to."

The two sat in silence for a moment, the enormity of their task looming over them. But there was also a spark of determination—a shared commitment to uncovering the truth and protecting the people they cared about.

Dr. Rowen’s voice broke the silence, quiet but firm. "Let’s get to work."

And with that, the wheels were set in motion.

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