Chapter 456:
In Brinley’s eyes, Yelena was clearly attempting to stir the pot.
Yelena said, “They applied the wrong formula, which skewed the entire experiment’s results.”
In fact, if they had been given a bit more time, some of the students in the room might’ve spotted the mistake as well. However, the sudden question left them all stunned, leaving no room for thoughtful reflection.
While everyone knew something was wrong, given the professors’ reactions, pinpointing the exact flaw was impossible. So when Yelena called it out, Brinley dismissed her immediately. Brinley didn’t buy Yelena’s opinion for a second. She thought Yelena was just trying to show off her so-called expertise.
With a sharp glare, Brinley snapped, “Just because you claim there’s an issue doesn’t mean it’s real. Care to explain exactly what’s wrong?”
The moment the words left Brinley’s mouth, the entire room fell silent. Eyes widened in shock, as though they couldn’t believe those words had come out of her mouth.
Brinley was still seething over what had happened the day before, and the moment Yelena spoke, Brinley’s frustration simply bubbled over.
Yelena responded calmly, “Unlike some people, I don’t make things up on the fly.”
Brinley froze, her brows furrowing in confusion. What did Yelena mean by that? Was Yelena subtly throwing shade at her?
Yelena continued smoothly, “Take a look at the 13th slide of your presentation. Study it carefully before you speak again.”
Brinley didn’t want to waste time arguing. Without hesitation, she flipped through her slides until she reached the 13th and began scrutinizing it with intensity.
Meanwhile, Erica leaned in and whispered to Yelena, “When did you spot this? Just now when she was giving the report?” Yelena shook her head. “Earlier than that.”
Erica stared at Yelena in astonishment. Earlier than that? How could Yelena know, especially since she hadn’t been closely involved with Brinley’s group?
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Before Erica could ask more, Brinley finally uncovered the flaw. Staring at Yelena with disbelief, Brinley said, “How did you know? This data was put together by our team alone. There should be no mistakes unless…”
Her voice trailed off, suspicion deepening in her eyes. “Did you sabotage our project?” Brinley demanded, her tone sharp with accusation.
Yelena let out a cold, mocking laugh. “You may lack skills, but you surely excel at pointing fingers. Your team wrote the formula and calculations on the lab whiteboard when we ‘visited’ yesterday, remember? Honestly, your group is full of amateurs. How could you all overlook something so glaring and still stand here with the audacity to present it? Fix your own mess first, and then come talk!”
Yelena’s words hit hard and fast. Brinley was left speechless, and even her teammates hung their heads in shame.
Brinley had come with the intention of watching Yelena’s team stumble and fall, but in the end, it was Brinley herself who ended up the joke of the room.
Head bowed in defeat, Brinley slowly stepped off the stage, her confidence shattered.
Still, one thought gnawed at her—how had Yelena known? It wasn’t that Brinley couldn’t figure it out—she simply refused to believe it. She couldn’t accept that Yelena’s sharp mind had spotted the mistake with such ease. But no matter how much Brinley clung to her doubt, the truth remained undeniable.
The following presentations were lackluster, with nothing truly memorable, and some groups hadn’t even completed their projects. Naturally, the standout performance came from Yelena’s group. Unaware of Yelena’s background, some professors began to ask curiously, “Who is that lady? Never seen her before. Is she a new grad student?”
Hugh, who knew Yelena’s story best, couldn’t help but feel a swell of pride, like a parent watching their talented child shine. He said with a hint of smugness, “She’s just an undergraduate about to graduate.”
Hearing Hugh’s response, nearly all the professors were left stunned. They could hardly believe what they were hearing. “Mr. Wilson, are you serious?”
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