Chapter 421
Chapter 421:
“The Ohio shipment arrived at four this morning,” he reported, shifting to business. “The factory floor is prepped. We start full production at noon p>
Isolde stopped at her office door. “And InnoTech p>
“They are running their stress test today,” Arland said, checking his watch. “Belle is having it livestreamed directly to their primary investors to boost confidence before the launch p>
Isolde looked up at the wall clock. Then, slowly, she looked back at Arland.
𝘉е 𝘵𝗵e 𝗳𝗶r𝘴𝘵 tо 𝗋е𝗮𝗱 𝗼𝘯 ѕ.𝖼o𝗆
“Tonight is the gala,” she said.
The Aerospace Innovators Dinner. The biggest industry event of the year — every major investor, military contractor, and tech CEO in the same ballroom.
“We are going,” Isolde said, her eyes flashing with a cold, predatory light. “We are going to watch the crash in person p>
Evening. The Pierre Hotel ballroom.
The room was a sea of black tuxedos and conservative evening gowns, filled with the low murmur of polished conversation.
Isolde walked through the double doors.
She was wearing a floor-length, blood-red dress — sleek, dangerous, and completely unapologetic. It wasn’t a dress. It was armor.
The moment she stepped inside, heads began to turn. Whispers rippled through the crowd. The scandalous ex-wife. The failing CEO.
Isolde ignored them all.
Across the room, standing near the main stage, was Belle. She was clinging to Grayson’s arm in a glittering silver gown, with Daron McKnight beside them, sipping champagne.
Belle spotted the flash of red. She released Grayson and moved aggressively across the ballroom floor, pulling him behind her by the hand.
“Isolde,” Belle said loudly as she approached. “I heard about Effie’s little accident. Such a clumsy child p>
Grayson’s jaw tightened. “Belle, don’t do that p>
Belle waved him off, keeping her eyes locked on Isolde. “What? I am just making conversation. Maybe if you stayed home more, instead of playing businesswoman, she wouldn’t get hurt p>
Isolde didn’t flinch. She let a slow smile spread across her face — a terrifying, hollow expression.
“I am entirely too busy fixing your catastrophic mistakes, Belle,” Isolde said smoothly.
Belle let out a sharp, mocking laugh. “My mistakes? InnoTech stock is up ten percent today based on our production speed alone p>
Isolde slowly raised her wrist and checked her diamond watch.
“Give it an hour,” Isolde said.
The Innovators Dinner was in full swing.
Waiters in crisp white jackets moved silently through the crowded ballroom, carrying silver trays of expensive hors d’oeuvres and crystal flutes of champagne.
At the front of the room, a massive digital screen had been lowered over the main stage. It was broadcasting a live, high-definition feed directly from the InnoTech testing laboratory.
On the screen, a gleaming silver Phoenix-X7 wing — forged from the Leland alloy — was locked inside a massive dynamic resonance chamber. Mounted on an industrial rig, the wing shuddered visibly under immense, high-frequency vibrations simulating engine stress at supersonic speeds. A digital counter in the corner of the screen flashed in bright green numbers: Resonance Load: 80 p>
Belle climbed the short stairs to the stage and took a microphone from a technician.