Chapter 106: She Won't Disappoint Anyone
William's grip on his phone suddenly tightened, a flash of uncertainty crossing his eyes.
Isabella was just a housewife—where would she get such skills?
"Mr. Montagu, do you need me to investigate further?" His secretary's voice came through the phone after hearing no response from William.
William stared at the photo for a long time, and soon a new thought emerged in his mind.
The video was too blurry and obscured at crucial moments—it was impossible to identify who was actually driving.
Isabella's biggest characteristic had always been being cautious and timid. When the children were young, she constantly worried about them getting hurt or falling, as if she wanted to keep them wrapped in cotton.
And in their six years of marriage, William had never once seen her touch a car—how could she possibly handle something as high-risk as professional racing?
With this reasoning, William naturally assumed it was Joseph who had taken Isabella for a drive.
Joseph was a professional racer after all—using his expertise to impress women wouldn't be surprising.
Once he rationalized this, William felt the tight knot in his chest finally loosen.
Sudden cheers erupted from the competition venue, and William glanced inside.
The competition seemed to have reached its crucial stage.
William pressed his fingertips to his temples and made a quick decision.
"We'll discuss this when I get back." He hung up decisively and strode back toward the venue.
The large screens were broadcasting the contestants' real-time progress.
When William entered, he was surprised to find someone had taken the previously empty seat beside his.
Richard heard someone approaching and glanced over with calm composure.
"What a coincidence."
Despite their heated argument just moments ago, Richard acted as if nothing had happened.
William instantly felt his emotions threatening to spiral out of control. He turned to find the organizers to request a different seat.
"This is the only remaining seat," Richard's voice drifted over leisurely. "We're both sponsors—surely you wouldn't want to trouble the organizers?"
"Word might get out that Mr. Montagu lacks magnanimity."
William couldn't stand being goaded. Hearing this, he strode over and sat down beside Richard with a cold snort.
"Care to make a wager?" Richard suddenly initiated, asking William directly.
William pretended not to hear, completely ignoring him.
Richard chuckled and settled back into his chair more comfortably.
"I bet Isabella will win this competition. I have complete faith in her abilities. Apart from her, no one else deserves this year's championship."
William glanced up—currently, all contestants seemed roughly even in their progress.
Summit Holdings Corporation's animation subsidiary was the domestic animation industry leader. They'd won last year's championship and were heavily favored again this year.
William couldn't believe a housewife like Isabella could outperform his company's most talented rendering specialist.
"What makes you think Isabella has any business being on this stage?" William's eyes turned cold as he looked at Richard.
"You think throwing money and resources at her can elevate her to greatness?" William sneered. "Competition results don't lie. I know exactly what kind of person Isabella is—better than anyone."
Richard's gaze suddenly deepened, an intrigued smile playing at his lips. "What kind of person is she?"
As Isabella's ex-husband, William seemingly held absolute authority on the subject.
But when Richard asked this question, William found himself at a loss for words.
What kind of person was Isabella? A competent wife and mother? Or perhaps an excellent researcher?
William suddenly remembered the video footage he'd just seen, and realized he might not understand this woman at all.
They'd shared what was supposedly a six-year marriage, but this emotionally barren union had brought both William and Isabella nothing but endless suffering.
They didn't truly know each other.
Now they were locked in an ugly divorce battle that lacked all dignity.
William let out a cold snort and turned his attention seriously to the large screen, focusing on the unfolding competition.
"Let's make this interesting. If Isabella wins, you hand over the Majestic City project to me. If she loses, Infinity Ventures Corporation announces its withdrawal from Majestic City tomorrow." Richard's tone was casual, almost offhand.
With major urban markets saturated, many companies were setting their sights on second and third-tier cities.
As Aetheria's largest second-tier northern city, Majestic City had become a battleground for numerous corporations.
Infinity Ventures Corporation intended to expand there as part of their strategy to penetrate emerging markets.
Summit Holdings Corporation had similar ambitions, creating fierce behind-the-scenes competition between the two corporate giants.
Now Richard was proposing to end this war with a single casual wager.
"Is she worth it? The Majestic City market is valued at least twenty billion dollars annually. Surely Infinity Ventures Corporation hasn't become so arrogant as to dismiss twenty billion dollars?" William's lip curled in a mocking smile.
Even if Richard was genuinely pursuing Isabella, even if he truly valued her that highly—
Infinity Ventures Corporation had invested heavily in the Majestic City project. Could Richard really be that willing to sacrifice it?
"Because I believe she won't disappoint anyone. Isabella always delivers results that exceed my expectations." Richard's confidence seemed unshakeable, as if he were the one competing on stage.
His eyes shone with admiration, a light impossible to ignore.
"Unless you're afraid to bet with me? You keep claiming you and Isabella are married, but you don't understand her at all. You've never known what she's truly capable of."
Richard spoke with complete certainty, even shaking his head with apparent regret.
"Unfortunately, even if you recognize Isabella's brilliance now, it's already too late."
William's lips pressed into a thin line, his eyes flashing with bone-chilling coldness.
He knew Richard was trying to provoke him again.
Yet William couldn't suppress the fury burning inside him—an emotion like wildfire, consuming him from within, threatening to destroy all his rational thought.
"Fine. Let's see who comes out on top. I hope you won't lose too badly." After brief consideration, William ultimately made his choice, accepting Richard's challenge.
Isabella, standing on stage, had no idea that a storm was brewing because of her. She remained focused entirely on the complex program before her.
As a professional renderer, she needed not only to handle modeling but also possess superior graphic design skills.
The wireframe video played repeatedly before Isabella's eyes as she worked methodically on her rendering, completely ignoring the cheers around her and concentrating solely on her task.