When Frederick voiced his doubts, some attendees began question ng Ariel as well. After all, what Ariel had shared during her speech was undeniably impressive.
But Frederick had a point. Ariel was only 25.
Most people her age were still pursuing their master’s or PhD degrees. Even the most gifted students were typically inexperienced, learning step by step under the guidance of professors and supervisors.
Yet Ariel had developed an innovative flight control system for Fave Technologies–one that significantly advanced the country’s aerospace capabilities. The results of that project had already earned widespread acclaim.
And now, she had authored a top–tier research paper that experts were praising. It was a level of achievement that even prodigies might take years to reach. What was more, Ariel hadn’t indergone any formal academic training in the field.
On second thought, it did seem almost unbelievable that she had accomplished so much.
So when someone voiced skepticism, others began to wonder. Was Ariel truly exceptional, or did she simply have access to resources of tricks that made her appear like a one–in- million genius?
Among the thousands of guests at the event, some believed in Ariel’s brilliance, and some others weren’t so sure.
What they didn’t know was that Nancy, who had been trying to stay composed, felt her heart skip a beat at Chad’s words. Her eyes widened in disbelief. She hoped Chad wasn’t about to say what she feared.
But Chad, hands in his pockets, smirked and said, “Ariel v
Nancy’s face went pale. She quickly turned to Ariel, who?
that paper.”
stood quietly beside Chad.
Ariel’s gaze was calm and emotionless. Nancy could sense her indifference and the unmistakable message in her eyes–she had never seen Nancy as a worthy rival.
Nancy felt humiliated. The realization hit her hard.
Chad glanced toward Russell. “There are two more research papers written by Ariel that students can use for reference. They should be in Ashford University’s database. Would you mind if we take a moment to show them?”
“Sure, no problem.”
Frederick frowned. “What’s the meaning of this?”
Chad cast him a stony gaze. “We’ll convince you with solid proof, Mr. Swanson.”
The staff members got what was needed fairly quickly.
When the two papers appeared on the big screen, gasps echoed through the hall.
Students in Ashford’s aerospace engineering program immediately recognized them. Their professors had referenced these papers countless times. Many students knew them so well that they could recall entire sections from memory.
Nancy’s face turned ghostly white.
The paper she had seen in Nacsall–it really had been written by Ariel.
And the two papers were dated five years ago. Ariel had been only 20 at the time…
Chad turned slowly toward Nancy, whose face was ashen. “If you don’t mind me asking… Do you think Ariel is qualified to write and publish a paper that’s more advanced than yours, Ms. Stanton?
“Also, Ariel wasn’t Mr. Carlos‘ student five years ago. So would he have written those papers for her back then?”
Chad was clearly responding to Frederick’s earlier implication that Ariel couldn’t have produced a paper superior to Nancy’s.
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Nancy’s expression hardened. She was furious–both at Chad’s biting remarks and at Frederick’s earlier comments, which had now backfired and left her in an awkward position.
She said nothing.
Nancy felt as though she had fallen into a cold, dark void. Goosebumps prickled her skin. The overwhelming sense of dread made it hard to breathe.
Chad, however, wasn’t interested in Nancy’s response. His goal was to help the audience understand the stark difference between Ariel and Nancy in terms of knowledge and capability.
While students cheered, the academic experts were stunned.
As they turned their attention to Ariel, they began to understand why Carlos had chosen her as his student. They also recognized Carlos‘ keen eye for talent–he had discovered a true gem.
And yet, Ariel had remained out of the public eye all this time.
Frederick, watching the crowd’s reaction, realized just how valuable those two papers were. Still…
“Ariel was only 20 five years ago. There’s no way…” His voice faltered, his mouth dry.
He glanced at Nancy, who sat stiffly, clearly struggling to hide her inner turmoil.
Jayson remained silent throughout. He didn’t react to Frederick’s doubts, as if the person being questioned wasn’t his wife at all.
Until…
“What does it matter whether you believe it or not?” Cedric, who had remained seated since the ceremony began, finally spoke. He cast Frederick a sidelong glance, clearly annoyed. “I read those two papers five years ago. Ariel wrote and completed them herself.”
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