Chapter 85: How Many Six Years Does Life Offer?
The stench of alcohol from Chris hit Isabella instantly.
Unable to dodge in time, she nearly found herself trapped in his embrace.
At that crucial moment, Richard burst through the door, grabbing Isabella's hand firmly and pulling her into his arms.
Not only did Isabella successfully avoid Chris's unexpected advance, but she also found herself pressed against Richard's chest, his fresh citrus scent instantly neutralizing the alcoholic fumes and making her feel surprisingly secure.
"How did you find me?" Isabella asked breathlessly as she steadied herself, the question tumbling out instinctively.
"Thalia just came by to say Professor Murphy wasn't feeling well and had to return to the hospital. When I realized you'd been gone for quite a while, I got worried something might have happened, so I came to check on you."
After explaining his presence, Richard lifted his gaze, fixing Chris with an icy, distant stare.
His delusional advances were bad enough, but to continue harassing Isabella after she'd clearly refused him was unacceptable.
A cold breeze swept across the terrace, instantly sobering Chris from his impulsive state. He stared at Richard for a long moment.
Everyone at tonight's gathering knew exactly who Richard was—not someone to cross lightly.
Though Chris was angry, he was acutely aware of the vast gulf between his status and Richard's.
If Richard wanted, he could ensure Chris never worked in Seaside City again.
Like a startled animal, Chris shivered from head to toe before slinking away without daring to utter a word.
"Are you all right?" Richard asked.
Isabella shook her head. "Fortunately, you arrived just in time. He didn't actually do anything."
"Do you want to go back to the party?"
"I think I'll pass. I'll text Declan later to explain. Let's get out of here."
Isabella had never been comfortable with these networking events anyway, and after the incident with Chris, neither of them felt like staying.
For the first time, Isabella noticed that Richard's car carried the same scent as he did—warm citrus notes blended with subtle woody undertones, like sitting by a fireplace on a winter evening, heart warmed and soothed.
"Professor Murphy seemed pretty dissatisfied with your current career trajectory. Haven't you considered other options?" Richard asked.
Isabella laughed, leaning against the window to watch the city lights blur past. "I've never seen a boss actively encourage his employees to jump ship."
"If my employees actively pursue advancement, I don't consider that a bad thing," Richard said matter-of-factly.
Isabella straightened in her seat, suddenly serious about discussing her career plans with Richard.
"In my original plan, after college, I should have gone to graduate school, maybe even pursued a PhD, then joined a research lab. But as you can see, Mr. Spencer, my life is a complete mess right now. Between work, caring for Olivia, and dealing with William..."
Talking about dreams felt impossibly distant in Isabella's current reality.
"But if you could set aside life's complications—what would you most want to do right now?"
"Go back to school for my master's degree. Make up for the six years I lost."
How many six-year periods does a person get in life?
Only when comparing herself to others did Isabella truly understand what it meant for time to be gone forever.
Lost time could never be recovered, but Isabella thought she could at least try to narrow the gap between herself and others.
"I support your decision," Richard said suddenly, his words completely unexpected.
"As long as Ms. Capulet can get accepted, Infinity Ventures Corporation would be willing to offer you a paid leave of absence."
Isabella stared at him in shock, never imagining such an angel investor would appear in her life.
"Mr. Spencer, you'd better think this through carefully. This investment might not yield the returns you're expecting."
Richard hummed thoughtfully. "However, since the investment target is Ms. Capulet, I believe this won't be a losing proposition. Ms. Capulet certainly won't disappoint my expectations."
Richard appeared supremely confident as the car came to a smooth stop outside Isabella's building.
As he walked her to the door, he suddenly remembered something important and called out to her.
"I remember from your resume that you studied AI modeling and rendering in college, correct?"
Isabella paused, surprised that Richard's memory was so sharp he'd remember her undergraduate coursework.
She nodded. "The university encouraged double majors, and I was genuinely interested in those subjects, so I thought I'd give them a try. Why do you ask?"
"The tech department has an international competition coming up. The employee originally scheduled to compete had to drop out. If Ms. Capulet has time, you could register and give it a shot."
Isabella smiled wryly. "I could manage it, but I'm worried about neglecting my primary responsibilities."
"Emily can handle the lab," Richard said with remarkable nonchalance.
The next morning, Richard's car was waiting downstairs, and after picking up Isabella, they drove straight to the registration venue.
Her phone chimed with a new email from Nina, who had sent the competition registration form and rules for Isabella to review.
After reading through everything, Isabella had to admit that what attracted her most was the first prize: fifty thousand dollars in cash.
"In addition to the organizing committee's rewards, since this is an international competition, the company will add two months' bonus to your year-end performance evaluation," Richard added, clearly having noticed where Isabella's attention had focused.
"But what if I don't win?"
"From what I recall, Ms. Capulet isn't the type to anticipate failure before the competition even begins. Since you've decided to participate, give it your all and show your best work." Richard seemed even more confident than Isabella herself.
Isabella even suspected that Infinity Ventures Corporation had saved this competition spot specifically for her.
The registration venue buzzed with activity. After collecting her forms, Isabella found a table to fill in her information.
Glancing to her side, she saw a young woman who appeared to be in her early twenties, representing another major tech company.
Bachelor's and master's degrees from an Ivy League school, and now competing for credentials? Isabella was stunned.
More importantly, the woman's university major was animation, exactly relevant to this competition. Compared to these people, Isabella felt like a complete outsider.
"I heard last year's winner got a job offer directly from Summit Holdings Corporation. The benefits were incredible!" someone behind her said.
"The one in Seaside City?"
"What other Summit Holdings could it be?"
Hearing this conversation, Isabella's pen froze mid-signature, leaving an ugly ink blot on the paper.