Dumping The Ice King His Mini-Tyrant novel Chapter 459

Simon smirked. “I bet she’s just clinging to Academician Vaughn, shamelessly using her connection to Harrison.”

Quentin pressed his lips together, silently agreeing with Simon’s remark.

Annalise Johnston had just wrapped up her introduction to QuanTech Innovations. As the executives leaned in for a quiet discussion, she let her gaze drift over to Selene.

Remembering the photos Clarissa Vaughn had sent her, she thought of Selene’s relentless efforts to cozy up to Altair Vaughn. Annalise let out a cold, dismissive laugh through her nose.

Without hesitation, she strode over to Leo.

“How’s Altair doing?”

Selene, catching the question, looked genuinely surprised. Annalise did bear a distinct resemblance to Altair. What was their relationship, exactly?

Leo ignored her question and asked instead, “How long do you plan on staying with QuanTech Innovations?”

There was a certain familiarity between the two.

“My goal is to join the Draco Research Institute,” Annalise declared, her eyes bright with confidence as she looked at Leo. His expression remained unchanged, as cold and remote as a snow-capped mountain.

The mayor spoke up, “Academician Vaughn, do you and Director Johnston know each other?”

Annalise opened her mouth to answer, but Leo cut her off.

“We’re not close.”

A flicker of disappointment flashed in Annalise’s eyes, gone as quickly as it appeared. She didn’t seem the least bit embarrassed; instead, she smiled warmly. “I admire Academician Vaughn a great deal.”

Quentin chimed in from the side, “Who doesn’t?”

Just then, Annalise pulled a flash drive from her pocket and handed it to Leo. “This is a paper I wrote this year. I’d be honored if you’d take a look.”

Leo reached out and took the flash drive. Everyone around them seemed to suck in a sharp breath.

It was common knowledge that Leo hadn’t accepted a student in five years.

Anyone who’d worked with him knew: outside of the staff at Draco Research Institute, Leo never reviewed anyone’s work. If he started reading every paper that came his way, he’d be buried in submissions from all over the world.

Seeing Leo accept Annalise’s paper, Quentin was visibly shaken.

Annalise replied immediately, “I’m the project lead.”

“Are you sure?” Selene blurted out, her eyes narrowing.

Selene had no real standing in this group, yet here she was, being openly questioned by someone of little apparent consequence.

Annalise let out a derisive snort. “Perhaps you didn’t know, but Ms. Lockridge personally recruited me from Silicon Valley at great expense. There’s only one reason I’d come to QuanTech Innovations—to lead projects. Who else could possibly have me working under them?”

“Selene,” Quentin interjected, “Annalise Johnston is the head of QuanTech Innovations. This whole new digital model project is her doing.”

The realization dawned on Selene. If even Quentin believed Annalise was running QuanTech Innovations, it meant Gwyneth had never publicly announced Selene’s position.

Bringing Annalise in must have given her the wrong impression about the company’s internal hierarchy.

But the truth was, Annalise hadn’t developed this new digital model at all. How could she dare claim credit for it so brazenly in front of everyone?

Unless Annalise had managed to master Selene’s data model in record time?