Chapter 120
Alexander appeared at the laboratory entrance, his gaze as sharp as a blade.
“Since when did this company become a playground for uninvited guests?” His voice cut through the air like ice. “And correct me if I’m wrong—neither of you was on the approved visitor list. How exactly did your names end up there?”
Ethan and Sophia froze, their confidence evaporating in an instant.
Not a single word escaped their lips.
They knew full well their names hadn’t been on the list. They had simply slipped in with the group, hoping to mend their crumbling relationship with Alexander. But in their arrogance, they had overstepped, forgetting just how precarious their position truly was.
Alexander’s cold eyes swept over the murmuring crowd before landing on Isabella with unwavering certainty.
“Miss Sinclair isn’t just a department head here—she’s a shareholder. One of the owners of this company.” His tone left no room for argument. “She doesn’t need anyone’s permission to act.”
A harsh laugh escaped Sophia’s lips as she stepped forward. “And let’s not forget, she’s the head of the fragrance division. If she wants to make changes, no one in this company would dare oppose her!”
Her words echoed through the room, draining the color from the technicians’ faces. Until now, they had dismissed Isabella as just another executive appointed from above. They hadn’t realized she was one of the people who owned the company.
Disobeying a superior could be overlooked. But crossing a shareholder? That was a quick way to lose your job—or worse.
“Isabella Sinclair is a shareholder of Charisma?” someone muttered in disbelief.
“Even so, rules are rules,” another voice chimed in. The attendees were industry professionals, usually cordial—but when self-preservation kicked in, alliances shifted.
A deliberate challenge rose from the crowd. “This doesn’t seem to follow protocol.”
Isabella’s response was swift and icy.
“Since when did you dictate how the fragrance industry operates?” Her lips curled into a smirk. “You may have more years under your belt, but remind me—where did you place in last year’s Perfumery Competition?”
The man’s face flushed, then paled. He hadn’t even qualified to enter.
Isabella’s voice dripped with disdain. “Some are born with talent. Others spend their lives clinging to outdated traditions. You can follow every rule in the book, but you’ll never match the spark of true genius.” She tilted her head. “Instead of complaining about fairness, maybe you should consider whether your own limitations are the problem.”
She typed one final command into the computer before standing, her gaze colder than a winter storm.
The room fell silent.
Every technician under her scrutiny felt an involuntary shiver. They had underestimated her—badly.
Seizing the moment, Marcus—pushed forward by Sophia—stepped up to challenge her.
“Ms. Sinclair, even as a shareholder, you shouldn’t be tampering with the lab’s central system. What if a hacker had breached it while you were distracted?”
Tabitha, with her usual wide-eyed innocence, interjected. “Oh, but I think Mrs. Sinclair mentioned she was fixing the computer because the mainframe had been attacked.”
Her words only fueled the skepticism.
“She’s not an IT specialist,” someone scoffed. “Even if there was a breach, why would she be the one handling it? And why wouldn’t she let anyone see what she was doing?”
“Charisma’s firewall is one of the strongest in Ontdale,” another added. “There’s no way it could’ve been hacked so easily. We’ve never had issues before.”
Doubt spread like wildfire. Most were convinced Isabella had neglected her duties.
Alexander frowned but didn’t hesitate to stand by her. Just as he opened his mouth to speak, a staff member burst in, clutching a stack of documents.
“Mr. Kingsley! Our company’s website just suffered a major cyberattack. The entire database was nearly wiped out—but it was restored just in time. We thought headquarters intervened, but they couldn’t have acted that fast.”
Understanding flashed in Alexander’s eyes. He turned to Isabella, admiration lacing his voice.
“It seems Miss Sinclair has done us another favor.”
All eyes snapped to Isabella, who remained utterly composed. Behind her, the computer screen displayed lines of complex code—and the once-crashed webpage flickered back to life.
Sophia’s jaw dropped. “Isabella… how is that possible?”
Ethan stared, stunned, his mind racing. He couldn’t fathom that Isabella, of all people, had the skill to repair such a sophisticated system.
Those who had mocked her fell silent, shame burning in their chests. Their earlier taunts had come full circle—and the sting was impossible to ignore.
Note from Tac-K: Happy Monday, lovely readers! May your week be as fierce as Isabella’s comeback. 💖
