Chapter 441
Chapter 441:
He couldn’t help but think how hard Yelena had worked—this was probably what she was truly after, and it should be her moment to shine. It was the perfect opportunity, and he hoped she wouldn’t let it slip away.
Yelena, however, shook her head with a soft laugh. “No, I’ll pass.” Confidence had never been an issue for her. She’d always carried herself with poise, steady and unshakable.
But then, something dawned on her, and she turned to Erica with a playful tilt of her head. “What about you, Erica? Fancy giving it a go p>
Erica’s breath caught in her throat, and she nervously swallowed.
“Me? You mean, me p>
Corbett gawked at Yelena in disbelief. He had thought her relentless efforts were just a means to seize the spotlight, but to his surprise, she turned down the opportunity with ease. He stared at Yelena as if he couldn’t quite believe what he was hearing.
Meanwhile, Erica was too lost in her own fears to notice the stunned look on Corbett’s face.
Yelena brushed off Corbett’s reaction and turned to Erica with a reassuring smile. “Don’t sweat it. Even if things don’t go smoothly, Corbett and I will have your back. With us covering for you, you can focus on doing your thing p>
After a short pause, Yelena added with a gentle nudge, “Besides, you’ve been involved in every experiment from the start. You’ve got this p>
Erica pressed her lips together, her face etched with worry. Though Yelena made it sound simple, deep down, Erica’s nerves still hadn’t quite settled.
Corbett finally snapped out of his daze. He could see Yelena had no intention of doing the presentation herself. It also seemed like Yelena was purposefully pushing Erica to grow stronger.
Figuring he might as well lend a hand too, Corbett said, “Honestly, these seminars are just routine. Each lab sends a student to present—no professors or bigwigs will be there. There’s no need to get worked up. We’ll run through it a few times today, and you’ll be golden p>
But Erica wasn’t ready to take any chances. She decided to rehearse and give it her best shot first. If it didn’t go well, she’d gladly let Yelena or Corbett step in.
Feel the thrill at gαℓησν𝒆𝓁s﹒𝚌o𝓂
The first run-through was rough—Erica stumbled over her words, her nerves getting the best of her. Just then, Yelena heard a mocking laugh from the doorway. Instinctively, she turned her head.
The person outside probably hadn’t expected Yelena to react so quickly—or maybe they didn’t plan to hide at all—because their gaze met Yelena’s immediately.
Corbett heard it too. When he looked, he saw Brinley standing there, her expression smug, her brow furrowed with annoyance. He muttered under his breath, “What the hell is she doing here p>
The lab Roland secured and Brinle’s mentor’s lab weren’t even close to each other, so it wasn’t a coincidence that she was here. She had clearly come on purpose.
Corbett stood up sharply and moved toward the doorway.
“Brinley, what are you doing here? You’re not welcome p>
Brinley glanced at Corbett, then at Yelena and Erica inside the lab. She smiled sweetly and said, “Just passing through. Is that a crime? Should I get a hall pass? Why don’t you put your name on the hallway while you’re at it p>
Brinley was clearly pushing Corbett’s buttons, and it was working—he was boiling with anger.
Corbett was honest and raw, the kind of person who couldn’t hide his emotions even if he tried.
Brinley smirked, her voice sharp as a dagger. “I thought your lab might have recruited some real talent, but it looks like you’ve just got a couple of amateurs. Good thing I left early—this place is a dump p>
“Shut up!” Corbett snapped, his voice rising. “No matter how ‘great’ you think you are now, you’re only where you are because of what Professor Hoffman taught you. You’ve simply got no heart, and no clue what it means to be thankful p>