Chapter 509

Chapter 509:

She didn’t want a cake. A cake meant lighting candles, and candles meant making a wish. And her only wish now was simple, yet extravagant: that no one would ever disrupt the hard-won peace she had made for herself.

Early in the morning, a faint clink of metal drifted into the bedroom, breaking the quiet. Isolde blinked awake, most of her drowsiness dissolving at once.

She slipped quietly out of the bedroom and found Effie lying on the living room carpet, small parts scattered around her, brow furrowed in focused concentration as she assembled something with deliberate, careful hands.

Effie looked up at the sound of footsteps. Her eyes lit up immediately.

S𝘩𝖺𝘳e 𝘺𝗈𝗎r 𝗳𝖺𝗏о𝗿𝘪tеѕ 𝘧r𝗈𝗺

“Mommy, happy birthday p>

She held out both hands, carefully presenting her gift — a rose with a cool, metallic sheen.

Isolde took it and ran her fingers slowly over the petals, realizing the flower was made entirely from scrap gears, tiny circuit boards, and precision metal components. The petals opened and closed smoothly, with a delicacy that seemed far beyond the reach of a child’s hands.

“Press here, Mommy — the little button on the stem. It lights up!” Effie rose onto her tiptoes, pointing to the micro switch, her voice bright with excitement.

Isolde pressed it, and a soft, warm red glow emanated from the center of the flower — gentle as a tiny night star, softening the cold metal petals around it.

She stared at her daughter, barely able to reconcile what she was seeing. Shock and warmth flooded her eyes in equal measure. She sank to her knees and pulled Effie into a tight hug, her voice slightly unsteady.

“This is the best gift I have ever received in my life. Mommy loves it so much p>

After dropping Effie at school and watching her skip inside, Isolde drove to the Institute, ready to push forward on her project.

Inside the lab, Professor Nelson was bent over a particle accelerator model, surrounded by professional equipment, the atmosphere precise and focused. He looked up as Isolde entered, and his expression immediately shifted. He took one look at the dark circles beneath her eyes and frowned sharply.

“You look like a zombie, Sophia p>

Isolde touched the skin beneath her eyes and offered a faint, dismissive smile. “Thank you, Professor. I’ve just been pushing to meet the project deadline. Late nights p>

Nelson didn’t waste another word. He picked up a document from his desk and dropped it squarely into her arms, his tone leaving no room for discussion.

“Take this. It’s a mandatory leave order p>

Isolde stiffened, clutching the paper. “What? I can’t take leave now. The project is at a critical stage — I can’t just leave p>

“Quiet.” His voice sharpened. His gaze was steady and unyielding. “Your mind is a valuable asset to this field. I will not allow you to burn it out on petty business battles or grind yourself down to nothing.” He paused. “Three days. Disappear from here. Go rest, go outside, go on a date — do whatever you like. Just do not stay here burning yourself at both ends p>