Dumped My Cheating Ex. Now I'm Sleeping Next to a Billionaire CEO novel Chapter 1184

Isabel sat at the table, her fingers wrapped tight around her coffee spoon. She stared at Emmy’s retreating figure, her frustration simmering hotter with every passing second. What she wanted was to see Emmy falter, to catch a glimpse of her feeling awkward and small in a place like this. She wanted to see jealousy, maybe even a bit of bitterness, in Emmy’s eyes. But instead, Emmy had stayed cool and unbothered, like nothing could touch her. Meanwhile, Isabel felt like she was the one putting on a show. In the end, Emmy had even looked at her with that sad, almost pitying expression, like she was the one who needed help.

Humiliated and furious, Isabel’s face went pale. She snatched up her bag and walked out of the café. The moment she stepped outside, her team, who had been waiting around for her, hurried over.

“Ms. Summer!” Liu called out, flashing a sycophantic smile and reaching out, hoping to take her bag.

Isabel pulled away, her voice icy and barely controlled. “Did you find out what I asked about? Are you sure Emmy was only brought along by those big shots to look around?”

Liu nodded so fast it was almost comical. “Yes, absolutely. I double-checked with a Chinese friend at Harvard. No doubt about it.” She pulled out her phone, scrolled quickly, and held it out for Isabel to see, eager for approval. “See? In that group, everyone except Emmy is a PhD. The leader, John, is basically a genius. Usually, research projects at that level are so advanced, it’s almost impossible for a grad student to even get their name on them.”

She rolled her eyes, her tone dripping with contempt. “I heard Emmy’s good with people, and she’s pretty too, so she gets along with those nerds. She probably just brings them coffee and keeps them happy. That’s probably why they let her tag along this time, just so she could see what it’s like and have something to brag about when she goes home.”

As Isabel listened, her mood finally started to improve. So, it turns out Emmy was just a mascot after all. That made sense. With Emmy’s background, there was no way she actually belonged in that top-tier circle. All that talk from before was just her covering up her own insecurity. Isabel’s lips curled into a cold smile.

“Looks like the only time Emmy will finally get it is when I’m up on that stage, holding the trophy for everyone to see. That’s when she’ll realize how pathetic she really is.”

…

Back at the hotel, Emmy walked in with John and Harlene and was immediately surrounded by her teammates.

John raised his folder. “Everyone’s had a long day. Let’s go over tomorrow’s schedule one last time, then get some rest.”

They gathered at the end of the hallway for a quick ten-minute meeting, running through all the details. Once they were sure everything was set, everyone headed back to their rooms.

Emmy and Harlene shared a double room. The second they walked in, Harlene kicked off her heels and flopped down on the couch, looking like she was still fuming.

She clenched her fists and glared at Emmy. “I overheard some people talking. There are two nominations for the AI prosthetics award. John said your Sync 2.0 is one of them. That means it’s either you or John taking home the trophy. Honestly, I think your chances are better, so there’s something you have to do right now.”

Emmy raised an eyebrow. “What is it?”