Chapter 415
Chapter 415:
“Watch your mouth, Roth,” Daron snapped.
Isolde let out a soft, dark chuckle.
“He is just doing basic due diligence, Daron,” Isolde said, finally looking up from her tablet. She locked eyes with Belle. “Unlike some people p>
Belle leaned down, bringing her face inches from Isolde’s.
“You are just bitter,” Belle whispered, her breath hot with anger. “You are bitter because I took your husband, and now I took your contract p>
Isolde didn’t flinch. She stared straight into Belle’s panicked, furious eyes.
“You took my leftovers, Belle,” Isolde said, her voice dropping to a lethal, freezing whisper. “On both counts p>
A sharp gasp echoed from the table beside them. An older woman had stopped eating, her fork suspended mid-air as she listened to the brutal exchange.
A violent, blotchy flush crept up Belle’s neck and spread across her cheeks.
“You will deeply regret saying that when you are filing for bankruptcy,” Belle hissed, her voice shaking.
уo𝘶𝘳 d𝘢𝗂𝘭𝘆 𝘥o𝘀e o𝖿 𝗻𝘰𝘷𝖾𝗅𝘴 𝗼𝗇
She spun on her heel and stormed toward the hostess stand. Daron glared at Arland one last time before hurrying after her.
Arland let out a long, heavy exhale.
“That felt incredibly good,” he admitted, picking up his water glass. “But it was risky p>
“She needed a push,” Isolde said, turning her attention back to the tablet. “Right now, she is terrified. She will rush the production schedule just to prove me wrong p>
“You are baiting her to sprint,” Arland realized, his eyes widening slightly.
“Speed kills, Arland,” Isolde said, her voice devoid of any emotion. “Especially in aerospace engineering p>
She raised her hand and signaled the waiter for the check. The psychological warfare for the day was complete.
Two days later. The InnoTech boardroom.
The air in the room was suffocating. Belle stood at the head of the long mahogany table, her hands planted firmly on the polished wood, practically vibrating with frantic energy.
The massive digital screen behind her displayed a bright red production timeline. The bold text at the top read: 48 HOURS TO LAUNCH.
A senior engineer — a man with graying hair and tired eyes — cleared his throat nervously.
“Ms. Escobar,” he began, his voice hesitant. “Standard protocol dictates we run a full twenty-four-hour vibrational stress test on any new alloy batch before assembly p>
Belle slammed her palm against the table. The loud smack made him jump.
“We do not have twenty-four hours!” Belle shouted, her voice shrill and echoing off the walls. “The investors want tangible results right now. Today.” She pointed a shaking finger at him. “Run a six-hour simulation. It is practically the exact same thing p>
The engineer looked desperately across the table at Daron McKnight, silently begging for intervention. Daron gave a slow, deliberate nod. “Just do what she says p>
At that moment, the heavy boardroom doors burst open.
A young intern rushed in, his chest heaving, clutching a digital tablet against his ribs. He crossed the room in a few urgent strides and dropped it onto the table, sliding it toward Belle.