The Headline Queen: President Hawthorne is Her Die-Hard Fan!-Chapter 523: Underestimating Her

This is the first time in so long that she smiled so naturally in front of Henry Hale, her pale face seemed flushed, and she looked both beautiful and radiant.

But she said nothing.

Henry Hale, however, couldn’t take his eyes off her smile.

"Paige Sterling, Julian Hawthorne may be an excellent man, but he might not necessarily be the most suitable man for you. You’re completely free to choose someone else, someone who makes you happier. Leaving him, you’d only live better and more content, and other men would give you a broader sky to fly freely..."

His gaze was so direct, it was as if he was telling Paige Sterling straight out that she should consider him instead, that he was more suitable for her than Julian Hawthorne.

Paige Sterling looked at Henry Hale as if he were a fool. Henry Hale said again, "I can support you in any research, help you climb to the peak of scientific achievement and become a trailblazing pioneer in scientific history. Whatever you want, I can give you..."

He was willing to sacrifice more than Julian Hawthorne, ready to abandon his family without hesitation or doubt.

He could do many things that Julian Hawthorne wouldn’t dare, and naturally, he could give Paige Sterling more support.

And some things, though now they might invite criticism and ruin one’s reputation, who knows what the future holds a hundred years from now?

Perhaps by then, those who created those things might become heroes of humanity.

So Henry Hale never judges heroes by moments of success or failure.

He believes in this principle, and he thinks Paige Sterling would understand it too.

Yet Paige Sterling didn’t respond to him at all.

Some people, once they’ve recognized a truth in their hearts, won’t listen to others no matter what is said.

That’s how Henry Hale is now. He firmly believes that what he’s researching in his underground lab is a monumental feat for humanity, that he’s right, and that current human thinking is too narrow-minded to understand him, so he’s not wrong.

Driven by this belief, he’s trying to bring Paige Sterling on board.

Maybe his idea is right, but Paige Sterling still couldn’t agree.

Humans are called humans because they have civilization, morality, a sense of shame, and unique human genes.

If genes are altered, do people still remain human?

If animal genes could be edited, could animals also become human?

Would human civilization continue to function properly then, or would the world fall into chaos?

Perhaps one day, genetic alteration will be considered normal, but certainly not now.

Currently, every human should uphold the authentic human gene, not some haphazardly altered one.

Technology is important, but not all technology can advance human society.

Development is not a singular aim; the premise of development is peace.

Without a peaceful environment, how can development occur?

The chaos brought by gene mutations would disrupt the relative balance between humans and humans, and humans and animals.

There’s no way Henry Hale hasn’t foreseen this scenario, but its conflict with his persistence makes him subconsciously ignore it.

Ultimately, Henry Hale’s claim of working for humanity is just to satisfy his own selfish desires.

Watching Henry Hale talk eloquently, Paige Sterling didn’t interrupt him.

When he finished speaking, Paige Sterling said lightly, "So Henry Hale, if I never submit, do you plan to keep controlling me with drugs until the day I die?"

Henry Hale frowned, "That day will never come. You’re a smart person; you’ll give in."

Paige Sterling smiled, "Not everything in this world is under your control, especially the human heart, which is the hardest to manipulate."

Henry Hale looked at her, "So you would choose to die rather than submit?"

Paige Sterling, "I don’t fear life or death."

Henry Hale’s expression suddenly became very unpleasant, "I didn’t realize you were so open-minded. You still have family and loved ones. Aren’t you afraid your death would cause them sorrow?"

"Everyone dies, but when I die, I can still live in their hearts."

Everyone has a different definition of death, that’s all.

Paige Sterling also fears her family and loved ones’ sorrow, but in the face of great right and wrong, she has never feared life and death parting.

Henry Hale might have taken her away, perhaps out of some affection.

But she knew very well the primary reason driving Henry Hale’s actions was her usefulness to him.

The previous talents in the research institute ended up either dead or captured. Now Henry Hale couldn’t find talented people to continue his research.

Undoubtedly, Paige Sterling was the best choice.

In fact, she was even better than those people. With the same research, he believed Paige Sterling wouldn’t need ten or even twenty years.

Henry Hale remained silent for a long time, looking at Paige Sterling without speaking.

If Paige Sterling truly refused to submit, he naturally would resort to controlling her with drugs.

In the end, Paige Sterling’s health would only worsen, and he thought she would eventually compromise before her body was entirely broken.

Even if Paige Sterling endured until her body was completely broken, he could find the best doctors to treat her as long as she conceded.

However, he never thought Paige Sterling was determined not to submit even unto death.

So how should he handle Paige Sterling going forward?

After a moment of silence, Henry Hale finally said, "Paige Sterling, why are you standing your ground against me? You’re only causing yourself to suffer. If you submit now and work for me, I promise once you research what I want, I’ll let you go. At that time, I can tell the authorities back home that you were coerced by me, and they won’t pursue any action against you."

Moreover, they probably wouldn’t bear to pursue Paige Sterling.

Paige Sterling chuckled, "Would you let me go?"

Henry Hale nodded, "I would."

"You wouldn’t." Paige Sterling’s eyes seemed to see through all of Henry Hale’s lies. "Humans are the most greedy creatures. If I did research and created what you wanted, you would be even more unwilling to let me go. You’d continue to have me do other research until my value was exhausted."

And even if Henry Hale did truly keep his promise and let her return, her life afterwards wouldn’t be easy.

A scientist who lost her sense of honor, how would the country see her?

This time, she managed to research something devastating to humanity because she was kidnapped and coerced. But what if someone else tried the same thing and took her away again, would she not be doomed?

No matter how capable she was, she would ultimately be nailed to the pillar of shame, and her family would be stigmatized with her forever.

Paige Sterling would never do such a thing.

"Paige Sterling, why don’t you trust me?"

"We simply aren’t aligned," Paige Sterling said calmly. "I have my principles, and for these principles, I fear neither life nor death."

Henry Hale sighed, and he suddenly realized that he had underestimated Paige Sterling all along.