Chapter 586
Chapter 586:
She spun back toward Nelson, jabbing an accusing finger at Isolde. “Professor, your consultant is completely out of line. I understand she is Grayson’s ex-wife, but professionalism should be mandatory for everyone—even her p>
Nelson’s face darkened like a thundercloud. He slowly reached up and removed his reading glasses, wiping them with deliberate calm on his white coat.
“Consultant?” he repeated. The word sounded like a curse in his mouth. “Miss Escobar, I believe you are suffering from a severe cognitive malfunction p>
Grayson finally moved. He stepped forward, his voice cutting through the tension like a broadsword. “Belle,” he said, his tone leaving no room for negotiation. “Shut your mouth p>
Belle whipped around, staring at him in pure shock. “Gray!” she gasped, her eyes welling with manufactured tears. “She is humiliating me in front of p>
Grayson ignored her. He walked past Belle, his eyes fixed entirely on the massive glass whiteboard behind Isolde, and stood before the dense, elegant equations in silence.
“Did you write this?” His voice came out as a hoarse whisper.
Isolde raised one eyebrow. “If I told you I just scribbled some random numbers to look busy, would you believe me p>
𝖭𝗼𝗏e𝗅𝗌 іո 𝗍re𝗻𝘥 𝘰n.соm
A bitter, painful smile touched Grayson’s lips. It was his own arrogance thrown back at him, and he knew it. “Five years ago, I would have,” he admitted, the weight of the regret plain in his voice. “Now I do not know anything anymore p>
Nelson stepped up beside Isolde. “Mr. Lancaster,” he said firmly. “Isolde is not my assistant. She is my p>
“I am an independent consultant for The Institute,” Isolde said, cutting Nelson off with fluid precision. She looked directly at Belle. “I bill by the hour. My rate is exceptionally high p>
Belle’s jaw dropped. “A consultant?” she cried, her voice cracking. “That is impossible! You do not even have a college degree! You went to a community college p>
Isolde let out a cold, sharp laugh. “A degree is a piece of paper used by mediocre minds to prove they can follow instructions,” she said, her eyes pinning Belle where she stood. “True genius does not require a permission slip p>
Belle was hyperventilating now. She pointed a shaking finger at the whiteboard and turned frantically to Nelson. “She copied that! Professor, she is a fraud! She spent the last five years baking cookies and shopping! She does not know anything about aerospace p>
Nelson brought his hand down hard on the metal desk. The crack of it made Belle stumble backward.
“Enough!” he thundered. “The algorithm on that board can be solved by exactly three people on the face of this earth. Isolde Carson is one of them p>
He turned his full, furious glare onto Belle. “As for you, Miss Escobar—I reviewed the schematics for your InnoTech thrusters. The technology is archaic. The logic is fundamentally flawed. You are a charlatan. Get out of my laboratory p>
Belle looked as though she had been physically struck. The blood drained from her face, leaving her skin a sickly, pale gray. She had just been publicly expelled by the most respected mind in the industry.
And it was all because of Isolde.