Chapter 251

No.1

The formal review officially commenced.

Helena Hawthorne sat at the center of the massive mahogany panel. Her posture radiated absolute,terrifying authority. She picked up a pen and tapped the microphone twice. The sharp, metallic sound instantly silenced the lingering murmurs in the grand room.

Across the aisle, Allena immediately stood up from her isolated VIP seat.

She smoothed down the front of her custom white Dior skirt. She lifted her chin, pasting on a heavily rehearsed expression of deep, emotional dedication.She opened her mouth, preparing to deliver a theatrical opening statement about her tireless nights and her profound commitment to medical science.

Helena raised a single, wrinkled hand in the air. The gesture stopped Allena dead in her tracks.

No.2

"Sit down, Miss Mills," Helena said. Her voice was freezing cold, amplified by the speakers to fill every corner of the room. "We are here for data, not a theatrical performance."

Allena's mouth snapped shut.

She slowly sank back into her plush leather chair. Her face burned with a humiliating, violent shade of crimson. The silence in the room was deafening.

A few pharmaceutical executives in the second row muffled their laughter behind their hands. The sound was quiet,but in the tense room, it cut like glass.

August clenched his jaw. The muscles in his neck strained against his collar. He turned his head,shooting a dark, lethal glare at the executives behind him to force their silence. His chest heaved with suppressed rage. His mistress was being treated like a clown, and he was powerless to stop it.

No.3

Helena ignored the tension. She turned her attention to Alastair Cromwell, offering a curt nod to signal the start of the technical presentation.

Alastair stepped up to the podium. He pressed a button on the console. Complex Al architectural

schematics projected onto the massive screen behind the panel.

He spoke with crisp, undeniable expertise. He outlined the neural network's clinical trial success rates, stripping away all marketing fluff and delivering pure, hard mathematics.

August sat rigid in his chair. He watched Elisa out of the corner of his eye.

No.4

She sat perfectly still. Her demeanor was completely calm and detached. She took precise notes on her digital tablet, her fingers moving swiftly over the screen. She completely ignored August's intense,scrutinizing gaze. She dlidn't look at him once.

Twenty minutes later, the presentation concluded.

Helena looked down at the final evaluation documents resting on her desk. She picked up a heavy, brass federal stamp. She pressed it firmly onto the top page. The loud thud echoed through the room.

"The committee has reached a unanimous decision,"Helena announced, her voice ringing through the speakers. "Project Chiron is hereby awarded the

FDA's highest Tier-1 safety and efficacy rating."

No.5

The room erupted.

Polite but enthusiastic applause broke out among the industry elites. It was a massive, historic victory for medical technology.

Allena immediately jumped to her feet. She clapped loudly, stretching her lips into a wide, ecstatic smile for the press cameras positioned at the back of the room.

She deliberately turned toward August. She mouthed the words, We did it, making sure the cameras captured her projecting the illusion of leadership.

August offered her a tight, validating nod. He was desperate to salvage some pride from the earlier humiliation. He needed the world to believe his investment in her was justified.

No.6

Elisa calmly powered down her tablet. A flicker of grim satisfaction, almost imperceptible, crossed her features before settling back into a mask of calm neutrality. She had written the code; she knew exactly what it was worth.

Alastair walked down from the podium. He stopped in front of Elisa's desk and extended his hand. Elisa stood up and shook it. The grip was firm, grounded in deep,mutual respect.

Allena quickly stepped into the aisle. She rushed over, trying to insert herself into Alastair and Elisa's victory circle.

She reached out, attempting to touch Alastair's arm,acting as if she had orchestrated the entire presentation.

Alastair smoothly shifted his weight backward.Allena's hand grasped nothing but empty air. She stumbled slightly, her manicured fingers curling awkwardly into a fist.

No.7

Elisa looked at Allena. She gave the imposter a look of pure, freezing disdain. The absolute emptiness in Elisa's eyes made Allena shrink back slightly, her fake smile faltering.

Up on the platform, Helena stood up. She gathered her files, signaling the end of the public session.

Allena bit her lip. Her eyes darted toward Helena.Her chest rose and fell rapidly. She was not going to let

this end here. She silently plotted her next move,determined to corner the Chairwoman in the lobby and force the validation she craved.