Chapter 454
Chapter 454:
Brinley couldn’t help but feel a little thrill when she saw Erica draw the first presentation slot. A wicked grin tugged at her lips. She was certain that Erica, a total mess who could barely string a sentence together, wouldn’t be able to handle standing up there and speaking in front of everyone. With Yelena’s team already setting themselves up for a fail, Brinley was more than ready to sit back and enjoy watching their downfall, her amusement bubbling up inside her. Once the drawing was done, Brinley’s group ended up somewhere in the middle. Not that they cared. As long as they weren’t the first up, they were perfectly happy with their spot.
When Erica took the stage, Brinley’s eyes locked onto her, anticipation building. She even pulled out her phone to capture what she was sure would be a spectacular flop.
Erica’s voice trembled as she stammered, “Good… good morning, professors and classmates…” Her gaze flickered nervously around the room, and for a split second, she froze, completely forgetting her lines. It wasn’t that Erica was being dramatic—this was no small crowd. The room was packed, and the sight of so many eyes on her made it hard to breathe.
Hadn’t Corbett said this was just another routine seminar? “No professors, no big deal,” he had told her. Could it be that Erica was seeing things? Why else was the room filled with so many important faculty members? Was it possible that Erica was imagining things? Was that really the university president sitting in the center?
“Who’s presenting first?” Hugh asked. “That would be Professor Hoffman’s team,” came the reply. Hoffman? That’d be Yelena’s mentor.
Hugh had thought it would be Yelena representing their team, which was the only reason he had made the effort to show up. News had quickly spread that the president would be attending, and soon enough, other professors cleared their schedules to join in. The result was an unusual scene—a packed room brimming with curiosity and anticipation, the room was filled with eager attention. Yet, who would have guessed that the person presenting wasn’t Yelena?
Brinley watched Erica on stage, her confusion clear. She couldn’t help but suppress a laugh. Just as she had thought, Erica was a mess. Brinley had assumed Erica might manage to hold herself together for at least a few minutes, but it was already over before it even began.
To Brinley, Erica and Roland’s team were no match for her own. They were playing in a different league entirely.
Yelena cleared her throat softly, a subtle nudge that helped pull Erica back to reality. Erica looked toward Yelena, their eyes meeting. Feeling the encouragement in Yelena’s gaze, Erica gradually relaxed her nerves, drawing strength from the quiet support.
With newfound calm, Erica began her presentation.
Realizing the unexpected presence of the president and other professors had thrown her off, Erica decided to start fresh. “Respected professors, mentors, and fellow classmates, today I will be presenting our work p>
At first, the audience braced themselves for a tedious, uninspiring presentation. But as Erica found her rhythm and began diving deeper into her explanation, the room’s atmosphere shifted. Their attention was drawn in, her earlier nervousness and stammering forgotten.
With each slide, Erica revealed the entire experimental process — photos, data, and findings that told the story with clarity and depth. Her explanations were thorough yet simple, making even the most complex details easy to follow. It was clear to everyone in the room that Erica wasn’t just presenting data—she was sharing her passion for scientific discovery.
As she analyzed every detail and explored all possible interpretations of the results, it was impossible not to see her expertise shining through. This wasn’t just about numbers and facts—it was about Erica’s vision for the future of science.
“Not bad,” Hugh commented, nodding with approval. He was certain that Erica’s stellar presentation was all thanks to Yelena’s expert guidance.
When Erica wrapped up her presentation, the room erupted in applause. Nearly everyone was taken aback by how polished and confident Erica appeared for someone so new to the scene. With a beaming smile, Erica descended from the stage, her eyes alight with excitement and a deep sense of gratitude.
She knew, without a doubt, that today’s success was a direct result of her teammates’ support. She made a mental note to thank them properly later.