Chapter 435

Rumors had always circulated that Damien Harrington's girlfriend Selene Lancaster held a doctorate from an elite international university and was a technological prodigy.

Yet no one could name a single groundbreaking achievement attributed to her.

While Vertex Dynamics had recently made several technological advancements, industry insiders whispered these were likely remnants of Damien's influence during his tenure, with little connection to Selene herself.

Meanwhile, Camille Hartwell had never claimed to be a genius, yet today she'd single-handedly dazzled the entire tech community with her brilliance.

The unspoken comparison hung heavy in the air - perhaps Selene's "genius" reputation had been exaggerated all along.

No one voiced the thought aloud, but the constant glances bouncing between her and Camille, the silent evaluations in every pair of eyes, made the message painfully clear to Selene.

Her porcelain complexion paled further. The way people were mentally measuring her against Camille - and finding her lacking - made her nails dig crescent moons into her palms.

She might not have personally developed any revolutionary technology, but her academic credentials were impeccable. She wouldn't stand for this silent judgment!

Yet with no direct accusations made, she had no opportunity to defend herself. The frustration simmered beneath her carefully maintained composure.

When it came to academic accomplishments, she couldn't ignore Camille's internationally acclaimed research paper or today's dazzling press conference performance.

The bitter truth settled in her stomach - academically, she could no longer compete with Camille Hartwell.

Selene stood rigid, her expression carefully schooled into neutrality despite the storm raging inside.

After Damien finished exchanging pleasantries with various executives, he turned to her. "We should leave."

Selene forced a smile. "Of course."

She took a steadying breath, smoothed her expression into one of polite detachment, and bid farewell to Wesley Caldwell and several other business associates she knew.

Only then did she walk out with Damien, maintaining perfect poise as they said their goodbyes, though internally she was anything but calm.

Damien, however, had already moved his focus beyond the press event.

"Mr. Valen's evaluation is complete? Everything checks out?" he asked in his usual measured tone.

He referred to Gideon Valen, their upcoming meeting - a potential new partner for Vertex Dynamics.

Hearing Damien's familiar, steady voice and seeing the same gentle regard in his eyes, Selene felt some of her tension ease.

She nodded. "The due diligence is complete. His team's capabilities align perfectly with our company's needs."

"Excellent."

The elevator arrived with a soft chime.

Virelia had established significant industry recognition domestically, and today's product launch had been streamed live.

While not yet a household name capable of dominating social media trends instantly, Virelia commanded a dedicated following who'd tuned in for the event.

Initially, the live chat had moved at a leisurely pace, but everything changed when Virelia announced their collaboration with NovaSight Labs. Viewer numbers skyrocketed.

Within minutes, the stream saw a dramatic surge in audience.

As Camille explained the technology and delivered her speech, the stream's popularity continued climbing until it trended across multiple platforms.

Giselle Lancaster, idly scrolling online during her lunch break, noticed the trending topic and clicked out of curiosity.

When Camille's face filled her screen, she froze. Before she could process what she was seeing, a flood of comments praising Camille's brilliance scrolled past.

Beyond the compliments, viewers speculated about how Virelia's launch might disrupt the autonomous vehicle industry.

Many wondered aloud about the substantial profits Camille, as the technical visionary, would command.

Even someone as disconnected from tech as Giselle understood the implications immediately.

Panic set in.

She hastily closed the browser and made a frantic phone call.

The entire Lancaster family, including Malcolm and Helena, knew Selene and Damien were attending Virelia's launch. They'd assumed it was just another corporate event, nothing worth special attention.

When Giselle shared what she'd seen, their reactions ranged from disbelief to stunned silence - surely they'd misunderstood.