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When a Genius Makes a Mistake

****Completed, but under revision.**** ***SUPER SLOW BURN MATURE 18+*** After struggling her way through university, Mina Harlow, a top tier graduate (and literal genius), with the aspiration of lifting her family out of poverty, was still living in the slums, taking odd jobs to earn a living. All of her hard work had been for nothing and her life is cast into turmoil because she offended the wrong Miss from a prominent family. Desperate to for her next source of income, Mina aligns herself with the wrong people, and finds herself amid several conspiracies that keep becoming more and more confounded by misunderstandings. She is mistaken for a spy, by one of the most influential families in the country and held captive as the confusion, mishaps and misunderstandings build up all around her. Under the extreme circumstance, Mina is thrown into despair, hatred and love all that the same time, but will the experience break her or make her ‘better?’ (This story is set in a fictional, modern day patriarchal society on the brink of a shift public opinion on the 'role' of the woman.) Excerpt: "Why are you crying?" "Because I'm stupid," Mina replied. The man laughed sarcastically. "I disagree. I think you are a very smart girl." "Being smart does not mean you can not be stupid." Who told her she was a genius anyway? ***THIS IS AN ADULT STORY WITH AN ADULT THEME. THERE IS VIOLENCE AND IMPLIED VIOLENCE. THERE IS ROMANCE IN THIS STORY, BUT IT IS NOT EXACTLY A LOVE STORY. ***

Shenyechi · สมัยใหม่
Not enough ratings
890 Chs

Chapter 707: Not Good Enough

Irritated by President Lee lying to her yet again, Mina pressed a button on her wrist and when the timer went off, the man wisely shouted for everyone to take cover. She started to run, not surprised when both men followed her closely, and when she got to the line of cars that were surrounding the warehouse, she could hear the loud sounds of an explosion. Both men turned to face the structure in shock, and she used their distraction to climb over the cars and jump into a passing van.

Mina could feel President Lee's hand lightly brush her ankle, and when President Cam opened fire on the van, she curled herself into a ball to avoid being shot, Sunhari, however, was not as lucky. She applied pressure to the man's shoulder as he drove, surprised when no one was following them, and when they got to their dump area, they switched into another van, but this time Mina drove.

"Why did he shoot at you?"

"It wasn't him," Mina admitted. "It was the president."

"You are full of surprises little girl." Mina frowned at Sunhari who looked as though he were going to pass out.

"Please don't leave me," she whined, feeling terrible that the man had been injured because of her. He looked rough, but Mina knew him as a kind person who liked to throw darts.

"This is nothing. I'm just losing too much blood. A quick stitch and I'll be fine." Mina nodded at the man and took him to the only underground hospital she knew of. She quickly put on her mask, knowing that she would not be taken seriously unless she was wearing it, but Sunhari did not allow her to exit the car. "He will look here first. Go on without me."

"But what if he catches you."

"Mina, I've been alive for a long time, but I'm not ready to die. Besides, didn't you see them fighting? He does not want to hurt you. The other man was more serious." Sunhari dramatically held his shoulder and Mina chuckled before turning the engine over.

"Give me three days; when he comes, tell him that I'll meet him in the place where this all started."

----

Ian could not believe when Cam opened fire on the van Mina was in, and he tackled his cousin to the ground, confusing the security around them. The men did not know who to help, so they just stood there and watched their bosses fight until a superior arrived.

"What the hell is going on?" Drax said as he pulled Ian off Cam. "In front of your men?"

"He shot at Mina."

"She blew up a f*cking building."

"It was hardly an explosion," Ian said, trying to make light of the situation at hand. He knew Mina had crossed a line, but the detonation was controlled and only the structure itself was damaged.

"I told you before, and I'll tell you again. That woman is dangerous. She played you Ian and she's been playing you all this time."

"She's the mother of my-"

"That is not your baby!" Cam shouted. "Look, I don't know what you had before the incident with Lisa, but it's gone now."

"And if you were in my shoes?"

"I could never have been in your shoes. Mina would have been killed in that hotel room."

"Cam, please; give me time. I know what it looks like, but she was caught off guard." Cam felt sorry for his cousin, who was practically begging him not to kill an obvious enemy. He knew what it was like to love someone unconditionally, so against his better judgement, he agreed to Ian's request.

"Does she know that we have her friends?" Cam questioned and Ian nodded.

"About that…" Drax suddenly added, making both men look at him in concern.

"My wife may have done something stupid."

"Drax… no…" Ian did not even need to hear because he knew that Mills had gone against the Lee group. "You know how she feels about Mina; by the time I realized she was gone; it was already too late."

----

Mills did not know what to do with the people she now had under her protection, so she took them to the place where she once tortured Drax's ex-whatever and the woman's brother. They looked frightened, but Mr. and Mrs. Harlow wore expressions that told her they were ready to die.

"We already told your boss; Mina is dead."

"I know," Mills said. "Right now, I'm trying to make sure that stays a lie."

"Mills, is it true? Is she really alive?" Neither Olivia nor Willow could stand the idea of being locked in a room with Mina's parents for an extended period, but they had come along for the simple fact that they may be able to see their friend again.

The women were able to play the incident at the banquet up as part of the night's entertainment, and everyone was having so much fun that they believed it. They went beyond the call of duty to keep the evening running smoothly, but by the end of the night, they could hypothesize what occurred; President Lee recognized Madam Aych as Mina and he went after her.

Clicking could be heard on the door, before an exhausted looking Ash practically fell into the room. Mills and Willow quickly helped her to her feet, but the woman was too tired to stand. Mills knew she had been with Cylus before being caught, and knowing that the man was the next target, she decided to leave everyone while she went to find him.

"Cylus is injured and can't run."

"We still have to go get him," Olivia said. She had been forced to leave without her husband who was in another country for work and felt sorry for Willow whose significant other could not be reached in time. Olivia's only consolation was that she had Ollie with her. However, she knew the tension between Cylus and President Lee was serious and had gone back to before the woman 'died,' so she was worried.

"We won't leave him, I will go and I'll see if I can get Oric too, but it may take me a few days. There is water in the trunk over there, but don't drink too much. Be prepared to-" Mrs. Harlow's bracelet began to beep rapidly, and Mills smiled at the old woman.

"Answer it! answer it!" She was excited because she recognized the device as something she had developed with Mina and Milo, but how Mina got ahold of the design plans was unknown to her. Anne pressed the button which would allow Mina to listen in, but not respond. "Mina, I have everyone except Cylus and Oric

"And Connor," Olivia added, knowing that the man was working with Cylus to expose the Lee groups' role in Mina's 'death.'

"Take your time, you know where to find us and bring food when you do."

----

Hearing Mills voice through her mother's bracelet was scary for Mina, but she chose to trust the woman. Instead of going to get Cylus directly, she used a secure line to call Sadie, who immediately agreed to get the man. It was then decided among them that they would meet at a place where Mina and Mills once designated as an emergency meeting area.

Sadie did not have to know, but Mina was not planning to join them. She had to keep president Lee looking for her, and more than that she needed to teach President Cam never to shoot at people she cared about.

----

The group patiently waited for Mina, Cylus, and Oric to show up, hoping that they could safely make it without being spotted by anyone from the Lee group. Mills knew that Mina was good at getting around, but Willow was worried, so Ash reminded her that Mina avoided being caught for over a year. Pounding could be heard against the door, and thinking it was them, Mills pulled it open to reveal her scowling husbands face.

"Do you know how much trouble you've caused?" The man said, entering the room as President Lee followed him inside. "Mills, what you did is-"

"Wonderful," Ian said. His eyes glanced around at the people in the room, and he knew Mina would never leave them behind.

"She will hate you if you hurt us," Mills said, feeling like she had inadvertently betrayed Mina.

"She already hates me, but I don't plan to hurt anyone here." Ian made a gesture and men came pouring into the room, gently ushering the people into waiting cars. "Don't worry, no harm will come to either of you or Mina. I just want her to come home."

----

Unsure of what Sadie was telling him, Cylus followed the woman to what looked like a storage unit, but before they entered the alley, several dark vehicles pulled up and he instructed everyone to get back into the car.

"What's going on? Who are those people?" Cylus peaked from around the vehicle and shook his head at the scene.

"Are those my parents?" Sadie questioned, and Troy had to hold her down.

"Think about Lady," the man said.

"Fine, he thinks she is his. We can use that to get them back." Cylus could not help but to wonder what kind of family Mina was raised in because that should not have been a normal response of a daughter watching her parents being pushed into unmarked cars. They cautiously drove away from the area, hoping that no one took notice and as soon as they got to safety, they called Mina.

----

Mina received a frantic call from Sadie and Cylus, but instead of turning herself in, she sold off random stock to shake up the markets. She had intertwined herself so tightly with the Lee Group that she could literally crash their stock value by sabotaging a few companies of her own, however she was not ready to go that route yet. She wanted to show the Lee Family the dangers of messing with hers and unlike in the past, she wanted to die with pride.

Sadie was with Cylus and she knew the man would keep her sister safe, so all she needed to do was negotiate for the release of her friends and family. As ransom, she was prepared to transfer ownership of several companies she owned, specifically the ones that had the power to cripple the Lee group. She also planned to offer her own life as penance, and when she was ready, she ate something tasty, dressed herself up, and showed up at a distraction banquet being held by the Lee group.

They were truly desperate to save face, and Mina intended to let them keep it if they released the people she cared about. She only wandered around the venue for a few minutes before President Lee wrapped his arms around her, and hugged her tightly.

"Please stop what you are doing. It's crossing a line I may not be able to pull you back over."

"I'm not the one who took everyone you care about." Ian released Mina and pulled her toward a back room as she mentally prepared for torture.

"Miss Harlow I presume?" said Senior Lee, and Mina extended her hand, but the man grabbed it and pulled her ring off her finger. "I heard that you also play with poison." Mina rubbed her fingers, smiling at the old man, who gestured for her to sit, but she refused. "You could always sit on Ian's lap if you're scared."

"I'll pass," Mina said and the awkward silence was interrupted by Cam coming into the room.

"Now that we are all here, can we come to an amicable agreement?"

"Sure, I will stabilize your company stocks and you will release everyone."

"Not good enough," Cam said, and Mina smiled at him.

"Where's Camille?" The woman questioned cryptically. "Congratulations by the way."