Chapter 435
Rumors had always circulated that Alexander Whitmore's girlfriend Victoria Kensington held a doctorate from an elite international university and was a technological prodigy.
Yet no one could name a single groundbreaking achievement attributed to her.
While InnovaTech had recently made several technological advancements, industry insiders whispered these were likely remnants of Alexander's influence during his tenure, with little connection to Victoria herself.
Meanwhile, Isabella Sinclair had never claimed to be a genius, yet today she'd single-handedly dazzled the entire tech community with her brilliance.
The unspoken comparison hung heavy in the air - perhaps Victoria's "genius" reputation had been exaggerated all along.
No one voiced the thought aloud, but the constant glances bouncing between her and Isabella, the silent evaluations in every pair of eyes, made the message painfully clear to Victoria.
Her porcelain complexion paled further. The way people were mentally measuring her against Isabella - and finding her lacking - made her nails dig crescent moons into her palms.
She might not have personally developed any revolutionary technology, but her academic credentials were impeccable. She wouldn't stand for this silent judgment!
Yet with no direct accusations made, she had no opportunity to defend herself. The frustration simmered beneath her carefully maintained composure.
When it came to academic accomplishments, she couldn't ignore Isabella's internationally acclaimed research paper or today's dazzling press conference performance.
The bitter truth settled in her stomach - academically, she could no longer compete with Isabella Sinclair.
Victoria stood rigid, her expression carefully schooled into neutrality despite the storm raging inside.
After Alexander finished exchanging pleasantries with various executives, he turned to her. "We should leave."
Victoria forced a smile. "Of course."
She took a steadying breath, smoothed her expression into one of polite detachment, and bid farewell to Maxwell Sterling and several other business associates she knew.
Only then did she walk out with Alexander, maintaining perfect poise as they said their goodbyes, though internally she was anything but calm.
Alexander, however, had already moved his focus beyond the press event.
"Mr. Holloway's evaluation is complete? Everything checks out?" he asked in his usual measured tone.
He referred to Vincent Holloway, their upcoming meeting - a potential new partner for InnovaTech.
Hearing Alexander's familiar, steady voice and seeing the same gentle regard in his eyes, Victoria felt some of her tension ease.
She nodded. "The due diligence is complete. His team's capabilities align perfectly with our company's needs."
"Excellent."
The elevator arrived with a soft chime.
Velotra had established significant industry recognition domestically, and today's product launch had been streamed live.
While not yet a household name capable of dominating social media trends instantly, Velotra commanded a dedicated following who'd tuned in for the event.
Initially, the live chat had moved at a leisurely pace, but everything changed when Velotra announced their collaboration with YodaVision. Viewer numbers skyrocketed.
Within minutes, the stream saw a dramatic surge in audience.
As Isabella explained the technology and delivered her speech, the stream's popularity continued climbing until it trended across multiple platforms.
Genevieve Kensington, idly scrolling online during her lunch break, noticed the trending topic and clicked out of curiosity.
When Isabella's face filled her screen, she froze. Before she could process what she was seeing, a flood of comments praising Isabella's brilliance scrolled past.
Beyond the compliments, viewers speculated about how Velotra's launch might disrupt the autonomous vehicle industry.
Many wondered aloud about the substantial profits Isabella, as the technical visionary, would command.
Even someone as disconnected from tech as Genevieve understood the implications immediately.
Panic set in.
She hastily closed the browser and made a frantic phone call.
The entire Kensington family, including Reginald and Eleanor, knew Victoria and Alexander were attending Velotra's launch. They'd assumed it was just another corporate event, nothing worth special attention.
When Genevieve shared what she'd seen, their reactions ranged from disbelief to stunned silence - surely they'd misunderstood.