"When you said you won't be home for a few days, I thought it was just a day or two. But it seems like you really have been living in the laboratory," she said, giving Luke a glance over in his black slacks and a short sleeves polo shirt.

He is now sporting a three days stubble on his chin that gives him a certain sexiness. His unkempt hair would make any woman want to take care of him. She grinned inwardly thinking how appearance could fool others.

"I needed the result of this experiment for my internship application with ANAT and Pharma Co," he said, yawning. He raked his fingers over his already messy hair.

"Why the sudden change of mind? I thought you were already fine with the internship you got with Jansen and Jansen?"

Luke was one of the first few students in their class that got internships as early as last year. He was already okay with doing his internship with Jansen and Jansen for it is a good company. Hence, she was curious about what made him change his mind and aimed for an internship with ANAT and Pharma Co.

He looked around the garden like he was making sure no one could hear what he was going to say next.

They are having their lunch again in their secret place, it's a place where no other students visit. Why does he have to act like a fugitive with whatever he is going to say, she wondered with a creased forehead.

"You see, I heard this information that ANAT and Pharma Co is not really looking for interns, hence, they send one of their employees, who happened to be your virginity thief." he turned serious when he saw the expression on Jess' face.

"According to what I heard, ANAT and Pharma Co isn't looking for interns rather they are headhunting employees!" he said with excitement in his voice.

"They are headhunting employees?" she asked surprised. At the back of her mind, she had a nagging feeling it could be true. It would explain why Noah has the resources to dig up her background.

"Yes! And my sources are very reliable. Jensen and Jensen is a good company, doing my internship with them would look really good in my resume, but why do an internship to make my resume look good when I could already land a job!" he asked her, his fingers flipping gracefully - too gracefully to make a point.

"Well, that's true." she nodded in agreement. Her competitive spirit was sparked by the idea of being headhunted to be part of a pharmaceutical company she's been eyeing. She wondered if it would help to have a good relationship with Tiefenbancher.

"Have you talked to Tiefenbacher?" Luke asked like he read what was on her mind. "I think you should consider accepting his dinner invitation." he gave her a meaningful look.

"Now you want me to accept his dinner invitation!" she clicked her tongue towards her friend.

"Well, I just told you to accept his dinner invitation when you are not drunk. I never disagree with the idea of you and Noah." He laughed, flicking his fingers smoothly at the base of his ear, and cupping his face, tilting his head watching her facial expression.

"That's true. And I…" she said, clasping her hands over her chest, "accepted his dinner invitation."

He clapped his hands gleefully and said, "I'm proud of you Bebe girl."

"Shut it! I didn't accept his invitation because of the internship." she rolled her eyes on his excited face.

"I know. You accepted his dinner invitation because you have hots over that demigod. I can't blame you for it." he grinned, teasing her.

"I just followed your advice," she denied Luke's implication that she had a thing for Tiefenbacher.

"Yeah, sure bebe. Whatever you say."

"It's true! I don't have any feelings towards that Tiefenbacher jerk!" she denied vehemently. "If anything, I want him to suffer!"

However, Luke was no longer listening and walked ahead of her back to the laboratory. She hurriedly followed him as she discarded the trash from their lunch. She caught up with Luke at the corner of the corridor going to his team's laboratory.

"I'm telling you, I don't have anything about Tiefenbacher," she said, pulling the sleeve of his lab coat. She was about to say something more when the man she had been talking about came to view.

Her face flushed for the look in Luke's face told her that Noah heard everything she said. She grimaced in embarrassment.

"Hello, Miss Zimmerman."

She wanted to believe he didn't hear what she said about him as he greeted her casually. However, his words betrayed the expression on his face. He definitely heard everything she said!

She sounded like a girlfriend explaining her infidelity towards Luke when she begged her to believe her explanation that she had no feelings for Noah. She wished that the floor would swallow her alive!

"See you later."

Luke removed her hand that was still gripping the sleeve of his lab coat and gave her a leering smile before he escaped to his laboratory and left him with Noah whose eyebrows were lifted so high they almost reached his forehead.

"Hello, Noah." she smiled awkwardly at him. She chose to call him Noah rather than Tiefenbacher in a vain attempt to lighten his mood.

"Is he the reason why you kept on turning down my dinner request?" He asked with a tight line displaying on his lips. His eyes are burning with jealousy.

'Jealousy.' she thought, confused. Why would Noah get jealousy, she wondered.

"I didn't turn down your invitation. I already accepted them, didn't I?" she said, forcing herself to smile when deep down she wanted to smack herself for explaining herself to Noah.

Noah didn't reply and just narrowed his eyes on her.

"I'm still busy at the lab, but once I have the free time I will let you know when we can have dinner."

"You better be. I had an open reservation at Matsugen for us." he nonchalantly said as he left.

"Matsugen? Open reservation? How did he do that?" she muttered all to herself as she made her way to the lab.