Chapter 84: God-Given Opportunity
Chris seemed to have some sense of propriety. After chatting for a while, he turned and went to mingle with other people.
"I heard from Declan that he also expressed interest in collaborating with you. Why didn't you go with him?"
"You know their big boss, too—he's invested in our lab before. We're all acquaintances, which makes things more convenient. Isabella, if you ever feel uncomfortable at Infinity Ventures Corporation, just let me know. I can help you."
Marcus looked up at Isabella with genuine concern. He'd heard about the chaos in her personal life and felt deeply sorry for his student.
She could have had a brilliant career, but it had all been wasted on a worthless man. What a tragedy!
"Declan did mention it to me, but I felt awkward about going directly to his company after being out of research for so many years," Isabella said hesitantly.
Richard's gentle eyes narrowed dangerously. "Professor Murphy, poaching my employees right in front of me isn't very sporting, is it?"
"Don't worry, Infinity Ventures Corporation offers Ms. Capulet top-tier compensation domestically. We certainly won't shortchange her."
Marcus snorted. "Who knows when you might find some excuse to kick Isabella out?"
"Professor Murphy, rest assured—even if I left Infinity Ventures Corporation myself, I'd never let Ms. Capulet go."
When Richard spoke with Marcus, he adopted a more humorous tone, as if he were bantering with an old friend.
"You'd better keep your word!" Marcus huffed. After a few more exchanges, his face suddenly contorted in pain as he clutched his abdomen, sweat beading on his forehead.
"Professor Murphy, what's wrong?" Isabella was startled and turned anxiously to Thalia.
Thalia seemed accustomed to this. "It's nothing—just complications from his surgery. He still hasn't fully recovered. He'll be fine after some rest."
Marcus smiled weakly at Isabella and shook his head. "Don't worry about me. I've accomplished everything I needed to in this lifetime. Having trained two outstanding students like you and Declan, I'm already very satisfied. I have no regrets!"
"I know my time is limited," Marcus said, covering his mouth as he coughed, sweat still trickling down his forehead. "If I have any remaining wish, it's to see you complete this experiment before I close my eyes—to see everything you presented at today's summit become reality."
After Marcus finished speaking, Thalia quickly turned his wheelchair around. "You keep chatting—I need to give Dad his medication."
The group continued their conversation about their respective laboratory work.
But gradually the tone shifted. After a few drinks, some people began complaining that Marcus had been too partial back in the day, focusing all his attention on cultivating Declan and Isabella.
Sure, geniuses deserved special training, but did that mean those who were slightly more ordinary should serve as mere stepping stones for the gifted?
These comments were rather unfair. In Isabella's experience, Marcus had always been an equitable mentor who never showed favoritism toward her and Declan just because they were talented.
But Declan, sitting across the round table, merely smiled without responding. Isabella also didn't speak up in her own defense, simply drinking glass after glass of wine.
The atmosphere grew heavy with these uncomfortable topics.
Isabella began feeling lightheaded and desperately needed fresh air.
"I'm going to the restroom," Isabella said quietly to Richard, covering her mouth with one hand.
After leaving the private dining room, Isabella's first stop wasn't the restroom but the hotel's rooftop terrace.
The cool night breeze felt refreshing against her skin. Isabella gripped the railing with both hands, closing her eyes to enjoy this moment of solitude.
"Isabella." A man's voice suddenly came from behind her, startling her.
She opened her eyes and turned to see Chris, whom she'd greeted earlier, standing behind her.
Chris had come alone and appeared to have drunk quite a bit—his cheeks were flushed, and he reeked of alcohol.
"Are you here for fresh air too? I'll leave then."
"No, I followed you out here specifically. I've been holding back some things for a long time. Isabella, please give me a chance to say what I need to say."
Chris hurried to stand in front of Isabella, his gaze unfocused as he stared at her for a long moment before laughing.
"We were classmates, but our treatment was worlds apart. Professor Murphy valued you and Declan so much—he'd include you two in every project, while the rest of us were always ignored... burp."
He rambled on for quite a while before letting out a loud belch directly in Isabella's face.
The alcohol fumes hit Isabella instantly, making her feel nauseated.
"Professor Murphy has always been fair. He never discriminated against anyone," Isabella said expressionlessly.
"You think it was fair because you, genius students, always enjoyed different treatment than the rest of us! Isabella, that's not what I want to talk about tonight. Do you know how excited I was when I heard you're getting divorced? Do you know how long I've been waiting for this day?"
He reached out to grab Isabella, but fortunately, despite having drunk some wine, her reflexes were still sharp enough. She stepped back, dodging his grasping hands.
"I've liked you since college, but I was too insecure to ever confess. Now you're divorced, and I'm divorced too. I think this is God giving us the perfect opportunity to be together. Don't you understand?"
Isabella's mind went blank for a moment.
She never expected Chris to say something so shameless.
Even if she was divorced, what did that have to do with Chris? By his twisted logic, did everyone who got divorced do so just to pair up with someone else?
"I don't like you. In fact, before tonight, I'd completely forgotten your name and what you looked like. Chris, my divorce was solely due to irreconcilable differences with my ex-husband. It has absolutely nothing to do with you."
Isabella turned decisively to leave, but the man behind her laughed again.
"I know you look down on me for being from the countryside. Deep down, you just want to marry into wealth, don't you? You could claim you married into high society before, but now you're just another cast-off toy. What gives you the right to look down on me?"
Seeing his romantic advances rejected, Chris pointed accusingly at Isabella and began hurling abuse.
Isabella turned back, frowning as she looked at Chris.
"Even if I'm divorced, that doesn't change the fact that I'll never like you. It has nothing to do with whether you're from the countryside, Chris. You're fundamentally pathetic—so pathetic that you've started imagining women don't like you because they look down on you."
Isabella laughed coldly, finding the man before her utterly pitiful.
She tried to leave again, but the man behind her wasn't ready to give up so easily and lunged directly at her.