Chapter 477

Selene offered a faint smile.

"Everything was handled, so I came over."

Truthfully, she hadn't felt settled at all.

The meeting wasn't even halfway finished before she departed NovaSight Labs.

She was aware Damien didn't need to attend the specific meeting Camille was in today.

Yet, just as she predicted, he had indeed come down from his office specifically to observe Camille's presentation.

That thought left a bitter taste in her mouth.

Her expression tightened slightly.

Damien checked his watch.

"I have a video conference starting in about ten minutes."

"It will run over an hour."

"Would you like to come upstairs with me and wait?"

"Alright," Selene agreed.

Selene returned to the Lancaster residence that afternoon.

Nora noticed her immediately.

"You're back so early?"

"I thought you and Damien were going out for lunch?"

"He had pressing matters to attend to," Selene replied flatly.

"I see," Nora said, noting her daughter's weary demeanor.

Selene kicked off her heels, intending to head upstairs and rest.

Her mother, Helena, observed her closely.

"Is something the matter?"

"You haven't seemed yourself lately."

Selene paused for a brief moment.

She then answered as if it were nothing.

"It's nothing."

"Just feeling a bit tired."

Recently, NovaSight Labs had been swamped with issues.

Their core technology still lacked any significant breakthrough.

It was understandable for her to feel strained and frustrated.

Because of this, Helena didn't push further.

She simply instructed a staff member to prepare some nourishing soup and told Selene to eat something.

Sabrina was already home from her outing.

When Selene sat down beside her, she greeted her casually.

"Selene."

Selene responded with a noncommittal hum.

As Selene ate her soup, Sabrina cracked open some sunflower seeds.

"Oh, that reminds me."

"The Mercer family's daughter, Helena, had her engagement called off by the Dunmore family."

The Mercer and Dunmore families she mentioned were from Montreux.

Both families were considered social equals.

Helena Mercer and the Dunmore family's eldest son, Noah, had grown up together.

Both were refined, accomplished, and reportedly shared an excellent relationship.

Helena was quite beautiful and academically brilliant.

While still at university, she had secured several patents, significantly boosting her family's company's standing.

The Dunmore family had always expressed great satisfaction with their future daughter-in-law.

Rumors even suggested the wedding was imminent.

Unexpectedly, the Dunmore family broke off the engagement.

Nora was instantly intrigued.

"Why was it called off so suddenly?"

"Did something happen?"

"It's rather dramatic, actually," Sabrina said between seeds.

"Apparently, Noah cheated."

"With Helena's personal assistant, of all people."

"The assistant is supposedly a graduate student."

"Quite capable in her own right, though nowhere near Helena's professional league."

"But people say she has a much more vibrant personality."

"Unlike Helena, who's all business—very serious, always buried in her work."

"Noah is now absolutely determined to end the engagement."

"Didn't everyone say he greatly admired Helena before?"

"Praised her talent?"

"And she is genuinely beautiful."

"Noah is known for being so composed and self-disciplined."

"It's hard to picture him doing something like that..."

"Exactly!"

"But you know how men can be."

"It's not always about a woman's accomplishments or how talented she is."

"Just because you're more accomplished doesn't guarantee a man's love."

"Too true," Giselle chimed in, her own mood lifting slightly with the gossip.

"What's the real use of a woman just being capable and talented?"

"If that's all she offers, a man will inevitably grow bored."

"Noah losing interest was only natural."

Selene had been listening with only half an ear, merely passing the time.

But hearing this particular part, she suddenly paused and looked up.

Camille was undoubtedly exceptional in her professional field.

But in virtually every other aspect, she couldn't compare to Selene.

Even if Damien didn't yet know Camille was a protégé of Graham, he was already well aware of her capabilities.

So far, he had only shown a degree of professional appreciation for her—nothing more...

Then she remembered that morning at Harrington Group.

From the moment Damien learned she had arrived, he hadn't glanced at Camille even once.

He had simply escorted her upstairs immediately.

The dark cloud that had loomed over Selene's head for days suddenly dissipated.

A genuine smile finally touched her lips.