Chapter 11
- 20 Bonus
William Moore’s scolding hit Percy like a bucket of cold water, sobering him up almost instantly.
“You know how much the Harlow family treasures Yvonne. They wouldn’t even dream of scolding her. And you had the nerve to tell her to leave? Tomorrow, you’re taking a gift to apologize and make things right.
“The business scene in Riverdale is volatile right now, and there are competitors trying to seize market share. The Moore family needs the Harlow family’s support. Do you understand me?”
Percy didn’t particularly care about the idea of a business alliance through marriage, but with the collaboration with Brighton Group now out of reach, cutting ties with the Harlow family wasn’t an option either.
“Fine,” he muttered after a long silence, hanging up the phone and sinking back into the sofa, his expression blank as he sat
there in silence.
Xavier cast him a glance, the corner of his mouth curling into a cold smirk.
“I’ve got other matters to attend to, so I’ll take my leave. As for helping you sue Stellar–sorry, I can’t help you with that.”
With that, he turned and walked out.
The once–proud aristocrat was, in the end, no different from anyone else.
radiant than ever.
After a restful night, Stellar looked more ra
Her rosy complexion was flawless, and she exuded an air of freedom and rejuvenation that made her even more striking
With matters at Riverside Corporation temporarily settled, she decided to visit her school and give it another try.
Claude personally drove her there.
“Talk things over with your mentor. Once you’re done, call me, and I’ll take you to a friend’s newly opened restaurant to try something new.”
“Alright,” Stellar replied with a smile, waving as she walked through the school gates.
This time, she finally got word that Victor was in his office.
Hurrying over, she paused outside his door, suddenly hesitant.
Standing just one step away, she couldn’t bring herself to knock, her hand hovering in the air and falling back several times.
“What are you doing, standing there like a statue?”
A loud, authoritative voice startled her, making her jump.
+20 Bonus
Looking up, she spotted the blinking red light of a camera above the doorframe.
Why did Victor even have a camera outside his office?
Feeling deeply embarrassed, Stellar forced an awkward smile before pushing the door open and stepping inside.
The moment Stellar laid eyes on the familiar figure of the elderly man she had missed so much, her heart swelled with emotion.
Tears nearly spilled over in an instant.
“Professor,” her voice wavered, carrying a hint of a sob.
However, Victor glared at her with his usual stern expression, his mustache practically bristling in annoyance.
“So, you still remember how to come back?”
His earlier outburst had effectively dispelled the nervous tension that was churning in Stellar’s chest. She sniffed quickly and
walked up to place the items she brought on his desk, only to be cut off before she could explain.
“I don’t accept gifts! Don’t even bother. I’m not giving you any special treatment. Did you learn such a trick after all these years?
Did that man of yours teach you this? He’s surely not a good one.”
For years, every time Victor thought about her, he couldn’t help but fume.
She had so much potential!
“And yet, she’d run off with some man just like that.
Dreams? Did a man’s dreams matter more than her own?
How ridiculous!
Stellar listened obediently, nodding along and even agreeing, “You’re right, he’s no good. I’ve already dumped him.”
Victor cast her a sideways glance, pretending to be uninterested as his eyes flickered toward the cloth–wrapped package on his
desk.
“Hmph, as if I’d believe you. What’s this?”
Stellar knew his temper all too well. Beneath his gruff exterior, he had a soft heart. The harsher his scolding, the more he actually
cared.
“I made you a knee warmer,” she explained with a small smile. “I’ve made one every year, but I didn’t have the courage to bring
it to you until now.”
The knee warmer was crafted from the finest materials and carefully hand–stitched with precision and care. It exuded warmth
just from its appearance.
Victor had an old issue with arthritis in his knees, something Stella discovered during her time as his student. Ever since she
learned about it, she would make him a knee warmer every year.
And every year, Victor treated it like a precious treasure.
+20 Bonus
The year everything fell apart, she had already finished making the knee warmers. But in the end, she couldn’t bring herself to deliver them.
Victor’s expression remained full of disdain, but the sparkle in his eyes betrayed the smile threatening to break through.
Just as the atmosphere lightened, a sudden scoff echoed from the corner of the room.
Stellar turned her head in surprise and finally noticed someone else was in the office.
A tall man leaned casually against the bookshelf, his posture both relaxed and commanding. He held a rare, out–of–print technical book in his hands, flipping through it leisurely. The sunlight streaming in from the window cast a divine glow over his sharp, chiseled features. Yet, despite the halo–like light, his gaze held a chilling indifference.
Anyone allowed to casually handle those prized books must be someone Victor held in high regard.
Although the man didn’t seem particularly welcoming, Stellar quickly composed herself, offering a polite smile and a small nod.
“Hello.”
The man closed the book with an audible snap, his legs moving as he stepped out of the shadows.
Now that he was no longer shrouded in light, the oppressive aura he carried became even more striking, a sharp intensity that seemed to pierce the air,
Stellar instinctively held her breath.
Who was this man?
Victor, who had just finished stuffing the knee warmers drawer, spoke up at the perfect moment
a
“This is Stephen Ward. You two should get to know each other.”
The name immediately sparked recognition in Stellar’s mind. Her expression shifted to one of excitement.
Stephen was three years her senior and someone Victor once called a once–in–a–generation genius.
It was him!
His groundbreaking contributions to the B2 project alone had earned her utmost respect.
“Hello, Senior.” She greeted him at once.
The man’s lips curved slightly into a faint smirk.
“Research relies on intellect and responsibility, not empty flattery or sweet talk. Even the smallest error in data could cost countless lives. If you’re not fully prepared, don’t bother coming.”
Though his words were harsh, Stellar found herself in complete agreement.
+20 Bonus
Aerospace projects were incredibly demanding, even the tiniest flaw, down to a single screw, could result in catastrophic, irreparable tragedies.
Bowing respectfully, she replied, “Thank you for the advice, Senior.”
For a brief moment, the man’s sharp eyes flickered with surprise.
But inwardly, he dismissed her.
She looks earnest and humble, but in a world corrupted by greed and ambition, could someone like her really remain so pure? Could she truly return to her original purpose?
After spending years with Percy, Stellar’s ability to read people’s emotions had become second nature.
She could clearly sense the man’s dislike for her–bordering on disdain.
Not wanting to provoke further hostility, she chose to let it go. Ending the conversation, she turned to Victor instead.
“Professor, I won’t interrupt you and my senior any longer. About the B13 project…”
her mid–sentence.
Victor raised a hand to stop b
“That can wait,” he said, tapping a thick stack of documents on the corner of his desk.
“This is for you. If you want to join the research institute, you’ll have to pass the assessment. If you can’t pass, there’s nothing I can do for you.”
Stellar’s expression brightened at his words.
She hadn’t expected her mentor to agree outright. No matter how brilliant her past accomplishments were, she had been out of
the field for years.
For Victor to say this was already a tremendous opportunity.
As her eyes scanned the familiar technical terms on the documents, her entire face lit up with excitement.
“Alright, I’ll head out now,” she said cheerfully, gathering the stack of papers. After bidding the two men goodbye, she left without lingering or asking for anything further.
Stephen was slightly surprised. Remembering the expression on her face when she first saw those documents, he couldn’t help. but comment, “I’ll be part of the assessment review.”
Victor, busy happily fiddling with the knee warmers in his drawer, laughed at the remark,
“Afraid I’ll cheat for her?”
“Not exactly,” Stephen replied coolly. “I just want to see where someone who’s been out of the game for years finds that kind of
confidence”
+20 Bonus
Outside the research institute, Stellar noticed it was still early. She decided not to call Claude just yet, planning instead to take at taxi home, review the materials, and head out again around dinnertime.
But as she walked out of the campus gates, a speeding sports car nearly ran into her.
The documents in her arms were scattered across the ground.
Too startled to see who it was, she immediately crouched down to gather the papers.
Just then, a pair of high–end leather boots, clearly made for a woman, appeared in her line of sight.
P
Comments
ப
Support
+20 Bonus
Chapter 12
