Chapter 155

When Brinley launched into her pitch for the hormone-monitoring necklace, she caught the subtle glint of intrigue in Miles's gaze.

That tiny shift fueled her confidence-she straightened her posture and occasionally shot smug,sidelong glances at Hannah.

Hannah, though, remained unmoved. Head bowed,she appeared entirely absorbed in her laptop screen,not reacting once.

A trace of a smile flickered across Brinley's lips. In her mind, the win was already hers.

Meanwhile, the loading bar on Hannah's laptop crawled to completion. As it finally flashed 100%, she fixed her attention on Evan's code. There was no room for second -guessing now. She dove in, fingers racing as she rewrote the handful of lines that actually mattered.

Hannah was just about to close the program when,out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Brinley's triumphant expression. Her own lips curled in a faint,almost mischievous smile. Since Brinley was so certain of victory, maybe it was time to deliver a surprise of her own.

Brinley straightened, radiating poise as she addressed the room, her tone full of conviction, "Up next, we'll be showcasing a live demo of our product's core features. To make everything crystal clear, we've built a code-driven simulation that lays it all out, step by step."

With a click, she shifted seamlessly from her PowerPoint to a browser, the demo springing to life.She scanned the judges, her eyes sparkling with anticipation, certain they'd be impressed.

Instead, a wave of puzzled whispers swept through the audience, rising and falling with barely-concealed skepticism. She instinctively flicked her gaze to Vincent, catching the deep crease in his brow. Her stomach tightened.When she glanced over at Miles, his expression was just as severe.

Miles fixed her with a cold stare. "This is what your company calls a demo?"

A surge of panic twisted through Brinley's chest.Did the concept fail to impress? She forced herself to look calm, inhaling slowly, lips parting as she prepared to highlight the product's features.

Then, her gaze landed on the demo screen, and her entire mind sputtered to a stop. There was no product simulation. In its place, huge lines of flashing,code-rendered text blared from the screen."I'm sorry.I plagiarized."

The words blared across the screen, glaring and impossible to miss.

A hot flush spread up Brinley's neck, burning her cheeks red. She fumbled desperately to shut the browser, but just as her finger reached the remote, another line blinked onto the display. "I messed up.Taking credit for someone else's work was wrong."

Brinley finally managed to shut the whole thing down,but the whispers in the room only grew, rising in volume and intensity. With her hands shaking, she gripped the presenter's remote like a lifeline.Struggling to regain her composure, she pressed her nails into her palm and forced out a clear voice."Next, I'd like to-"

Miles didn't let her finish. He cut in, his tone frigid,"That's enough. Don't waste any more of our time.Next presenter."

Miles had entered the hall expecting a brilliant pitch from "Victoria." Now the disappointment on his face was unmistakable-he saw the whole thing for what it was: a total letdown.

Brinley stood frozen beneath the harsh stage lights,her teeth digging into her lower lip as she scrambled for a way to salvage the situation.

Before she could speak again, Miles signaled to an

event coordinator. The event coordinator approached briskly, her professional smile masking any pity as she gently guided Brinley offstage.

In the audience, Hannah and Felix traded a brief,knowing smile, satisfaction flickering between them.

Settling back into her seat, Brinley immediately angled herself toward Vincent, desperation in her voice. "Vincent, I swear-someone sabotaged me.I would never stoop to plagiarism."

Vincent's face gave nothing away. "Let's discuss this later. Just pay attention to the remaining presentations."

His voice was calm, lacking any hint of reproach or contempt, and that-more than anything-allowed Brinley's nerves to loosen, if only slightly. Still,resentment twisted in her stomach.Who the hell had pulled this stunt?

Hannah finally let herself exhale, her shoulders losing their tension as she mentally rehearsed the strongest points she'd higghlight on stage. The presentations ticked by, one after another, until it was Nova Tech's turn.

Felix reached over, his fingers closing gently around Hannah's hand-a quiet reassurance. "Don't let the pressure get to you. I'll be right here, always."

A quiet smile tugged at Hannah's lips. "I know," she said,her voice steady. "Relax-we've got this."

Vincent sat just a row behind Hannah and Felix, close enough to see every detail. Despite himself, he kept a constant watch on the pair, unable to miss even the smallest exchange. His lips locked tight, his features twisting into a thunderous scowl. The sight of his ex-wife and her suitor exchanging subtle but unmistakable encouragement made something bitter twist inside his chest. Why did it still get under his skin?

Hannah walked to the stage and tapped her remote,bringing up the first slide. The words Hormone Monitoring Wristband flashed boldly on the screen,immediately setting off a ripple of whispers throughout the room. Without missing a beat, she projected her voice across the audience. "I can tell you're all intrigued.I hope you'll keep that curiosity alive as we introduce what Nova Tech has created. And unlike Polaris Tech,I promise you-this is one hundred percent original work. Plagiarism isn't in our vocabulary."

Her gaze locked onto Brinley, the message sharp as a knife-Nova Tech had drawn a line in the sand, and Polaris Tech was standing on the other side.

Offstage, Brinley's insides churned with humiliation.She wanted nothing more than for this nightmare to vanish,but Hannah's pointed remarks had dragged her and Polaris Tech right back under the harshest spotlight.

A violent urge clawed at Brinley-if she could've, she would've shredded Hannah right then and there.

Five years had slipped by since Hannah last claimed a stage as her own. The experience felt strange and electric all at once-almost as if she were stepping back into the fierce, unstoppable version of herself she'd been in college. She straightened her shoulders and radiated composure, every word crisp,every gesture measured.

At first, Vincent barely paid attention. But as she continued, his focus sharpened, surprise flickering in his eyes. He'd never witnessed this side of Hannah before-undaunted, magnetic, and absolutely in control.