Chapter 371 Job Application Scene
Franklin could not bear the thought of watching everything he had prepared vanish into nothing.
Only by reviving the Galactic Aurora Collective project could he reclaim what he believed was rightfully his.
These people had no idea how rare, how precious, true genius was.
His hands shook uncontrollably as he jabbed a trembling finger at Arabella, the motion so violent it looked almost like a tremor from illness.
"Arabella, turning against me now will do you no good at all!"
Arabella's lips curved into a cool, dismissive smile.
"Good? The only good I care about is being able to face an old friend one day without feeling my conscience twist."
In recent days, Arabella had come to a simple conclusion: why burn herself out when she could drive someone else to the brink instead? There was no justice in letting the young take the risks while the old sat back and reaped the rewards.
"Arabella, you were no saint in your youth. What gives you the right to judge me now?"
Arabella clapped her hands. A moment later, several police officers filed into the room.
"Go ahead, have me arrested. I dare to have you arrested. Do you dare?"
She did not actually want Franklin hauled off in cuffs. What she wanted was far worse — to see him disgraced, his reputation in ruins. That, she knew, was the one thing Franklin feared most.
And what greater agony could there be for a man like him than realizing that the ideals and dreams he had chased his entire life had turned into nothing?
As Franklin was led away, Catherine finally exhaled. Alexander's hand closed gently around hers.
"He won't be getting out so easily," Alexander said, his voice low but certain. "Let him sit in there and think long and hard about what he's done."
Franklin's allies would no doubt try to shield him. Catherine gave a small, almost amused smile, her gaze sweeping over the members of the Galactic Aurora Collective standing behind her.
"Let him try. If he wants to create a so-called 'genius star,' I'll make sure he learns that genius isn't manufactured. From now on, Franklin and everything behind him are mine to deal with."
Her voice was calm, but the conviction in it was like a strike of thunder.
Someone in the crowd rubbed their hands nervously, then edged closer to her.
"Um... Ms. Windsor, does your lab take new recruits? I'll do anything — even sweep the floors! Here's my resume!"
The moment one person spoke up, others couldn't hold back.
"Me too! I'd be happy just to serve tea if it means I can work at the Galactic Aurora Collective Lab!"
Even those who had been chasing her earlier, demanding apologies, now wore eager smiles. "If Ms. Windsor would take us, we'd gladly ditch our current labs..."
Catherine had not expected a scientific conference to turn into an impromptu job fair.
Her gaze shifted to the researchers standing behind her. Their eyes were alight with hope.
"No," she said at last. "Our lab only takes researchers under thirty... and with hair."
A collective groan rose from the group.
"I'm under thirty..."
As for the hair — well, in research, who wasn't balding? To be rejected for that, when the dream was so close, was almost cruel.
Juniper suddenly grabbed Catherine's wrist, her face radiant with excitement.
"Catherine... you... you're my idol? This is the happiest moment of my life!"
The thought of her idol standing right in front of her made Juniper feel faint.
"It's me, Juniper. Sorry I never told you."
Juniper threw her arms around Catherine, pressing her face into her shoulder, her voice catching.
"What are you saying? It's me who never understood your past! You've worked so hard, Catherine... but from now on, you'll never have to go through it alone. My family and I will always be your shield."
When the summit ended and the Windsor family gathered in the hotel, many still hadn't recovered from the shock.
What on earth had just happened?
They looked at Catherine, their expressions a mix of pride, disbelief, and awe. To them, she had always been the youngest, the purest, the one who should have been sheltered by everyone else. And yet here she was — the genius who had just shaken the entire scientific world.
The Windsor children were all exceptional, but this... this was something else entirely.
Pride swelled in their chests, but so did a deep ache.
Catherine felt the warmth of it and said softly, "I'm sorry, Charles. I didn't want you to worry, so I kept it from you."
"I should have protected you," Charles said, guilt heavy in his voice.
Philip shoved him aside and swept Catherine into his arms, spinning her around.
"Catherine, what else are you hiding from us? You're unbelievable!"
If there were more surprises to come, no one could tell yet if they would be pleasant... or terrifying.
"Put her down before you drop her!" Grace snapped. "If you hurt her, I swear—"
George's gaze shifted to Alexander, his brow furrowing. "You knew, didn't you? Why didn't you tell us?"
Alexander's lips curved in a faint, almost challenging smile.
"I figured it out myself. Why would I tell you? If Catherine hasn't spoken of it, it's not my place to decide for her."
Charles stepped forward, his voice weighted with sincerity. "Thank you. For knowing, and for making sure she didn't have to walk alone."
To the Windsor family, the shock of her identity was matched only by their concern for her.
Catherine's smile deepened. "I'm not alone, Charles. I have plenty of allies."
Behind her stood the entire Galactic Aurora Collective — her unshakable support.
Juniper's eyes widened as she looked at Alkaid. "Catherine... back at Phoenix Lab, the one who stood up for me... that was you, wasn't it? How did I not realize?"
It had been the closest they'd ever been, and yet Juniper had failed to recognize her. The guilt stung.
Alkaid gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder.
"If Ms. Windsor wanted to keep it from you, there's no way you could have guessed."
Samuel's voice cut in, tinged with worry. "Catherine, your lab now...?"
"We focus solely on research," Catherine explained. "No product development. Our family's company and Alexander's have joint projects. We handle R&D and sell patents. It's safe. And from now on, the Galactic Aurora Collective will exist only in the sky. This project will never see the light of day again."
She added, "Everyone has their own work now, their own life."
Samuel's concern was plain. "I just worry about you. If Franklin loses his mind, he could still be dangerous. Be careful. Alexander, I'm trusting you to protect her."
Samuel was one of the few who knew what Alexander was capable of. Entrusting Catherine's safety to him — that, at least, he could feel confident about.
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