Início / They Cut My Card, So I Joined the National Program / Capítulo 1 - Capítulo 10

Todos os capítulos de They Cut My Card, So I Joined the National Program: Capítulo 1 - Capítulo 10

10 Capítulos

Chapter 1

When the family dinner broke up, Jasper's new car sat in the courtyard, the red paint gleaming under the lights.My mother circled it three times with her phone out, pride leaking through every word. "Jasper, when you go out with your friends, don't embarrass this family."Jasper leaned against the door. "Relax, Mom. I have real connections now."My father nodded. "It's good for a young man to understand attention. Money that buys connections is never wasted."I stood by the dining table. The top of my foot was still red from the tea.The tea was still spreading through the grout lines of the tile.My mother glanced at it and frowned as she held out a rag. "What are you standing there for? Clean it up."I didn't take it.The supplier's payment reminder was still lit on my phone screen.If the remaining 27,000 dollars is not cleared by midnight tonight, the imported ceramic targets go to the team on the waiting list.I had waited three months for those materials.The national competitio

Chapter 2

At six the next morning my mother pushed open the basement door.I was slumped over the bench with my safety goggles still on.She covered her nose and took half a step back in disgust. "This room stinks. It smells like a dump."I rubbed my sore eyes. "The exhaust fan has been broken for six months. None of you ever had it fixed."My mother's face darkened. "Isadora has a tea fitting at the Morgans' this morning. Iron her dress first."I checked the time.Eight thirty. That was my rehearsal for the national finals.Professor Harrison had specially lined up three specialists for me, to limit the damage from the failed materials payment.I braced myself on the edge of the table and stood. "Mom, I really don't have time today. Let the housekeeper do it."My mother's face fell at once. "She isn't careful. What if she ruins it?"Isadora leaned half her body through the doorway, a coffee in her hands. "Ophelia, you're not doing this on purpose, are you? Today of all days you're busy?"I clos

Chapter 3

On the third night, I had just finished the recovery run when a ring light flared at the basement door.Jasper came in with three friends.He held up a selfie stick, his voice bright with excitement."Hey everybody, today I'm taking you inside my sister's secret research base."The door had been left open to air the samples out, and I hadn't gotten around to locking it.The camera swept across my bench.Comments scrolled up fast.Rich girl's alchemy workshop?Jasper, your sister has zero style.I set down the pipette and spoke coldly."Get out."Jasper shrugged at the camera."See that? Big degree, bigger temper."One of his friends picked up a sealed bag."What's in this? Powder?"I moved fast and took it back."Don't touch that. It's logged."Jasper laughed and told him to behave, but his hand plugged the ring light into the outlet beside the incubator.My face changed."Don't touch that plug."It was already too late.The incubator's power was pulled.The display went black.The coa

Chapter 4

On the day the Morgans came to visit, my mother brought me a bowl of soup herself.I had just gotten back from campus, still carrying the case with the resealed prototype.She stood at the foot of the stairs, and for once her voice was gentle."Ophelia, have some soup first."I paused.There were short ribs in that bowl.When I was small, ribs were my favorite thing in the world.But every time they reached the table, my sister picked out the lean pieces, my brother took the biggest ones, and by my turn there were only bones left.Yet today my mother handed me the bowl with the most meat in it.My fingertips tightened a little."Thanks, Mom."She watched me take two spoonfuls before she started talking."Your sister has her last partnership meeting today before the engagement.""The Morgans care a great deal about the technology angle. Let her use your project materials."The spoon stopped against the rim of the bowl.The small warmth that had risen in me went cold.My mother kept at i

Chapter 5

On the first morning after I left, nobody in the Greene house got breakfast.Jasper waited at the table for ten minutes, his face getting worse by the minute."Mom, where's my protein plate?"My mother came down with her hair still undone."Doesn't the housekeeper come at nine?"Jasper shoved his glass away."Then who made it before?"The question left the dining room silent for a beat.Before, it was me, of course.I seared his chicken breast before his workouts, weighed out his oats, even brought his water to the temperature he liked best.Isadora came down in her robe and frowned at the gown on the sofa."Why isn't this ironed yet? I'm filming the engagement teaser this afternoon."My mother called out without thinking."Ophelia."No one in the house answered.My father came out of the study with his tie crooked."Where are my meeting papers?"Still no one answered.The house used to run like a program somebody had written.When they woke up, the food was hot, the clothes were press

Chapter 6

The engagement party went ahead on schedule, the hotel ballroom carpeted in flowers.Isadora's teaser video looped across the big screen.She wore a white gown and stood in front of a laboratory backdrop, her voice soft."A woman today needs more than beauty. She needs a mind."The video cut to a technical slide deck.The title read: Greene Family Joint Development Program for a New Shielding Coating.Project representative: Isadora Greene.Someone in the audience applauded.My mother's palms were sweating with nerves, but she held her smile up."Isadora looks so beautiful today."Isadora took the microphone on stage.She had spent two days memorizing the script, and the first half went smoothly enough."This project came out of my long interest in where technology meets daily life..."Before she finished, a middle-aged man in glasses in the front row raised his hand.He was a senior specialist the Morgans had brought in to review the materials science."Miss Greene, could you tell us

Chapter 7

Jasper went live three days later.He sat in the Porsche with the camera aimed at his own drawn face."Hey everybody, this thing with my sister has blown up. I wasn't going to talk about it."The comments started out full of sympathy.Jasper looks awful.So she does research and now she disowns her own family?They spent all that money on her and she turns on them?Jasper sighed."My sister always got good grades, and she always had a temper.""Now she's had a little success and she won't acknowledge her own family."His eyes reddened slightly."I just want her to come home for one meal. I don't want our parents hurting."The stream passed a hundred thousand viewers fast.Jasper watched the numbers climb and nearly lost control of the corners of his mouth.But the very next second, the comments turned.Drop the act, the basement recording is out.You're the one who pulled the plug on the incubator?Heard six figures in tips counts as investing in connections?A video was being shared e

Chapter 8

My father's business meeting was Monday morning.It was supposed to be a strategic renewal meeting between the Greenes and several suppliers.Now the room held board members, a bank representative, and legal counsel.My father sat at the head of the table, his face whiter than the paper in front of him.The chairman's assistant put a document up on the screen."We need you to explain, here and now, the Greene family's unauthorized use of research data."My father forced himself to stay composed."That is my daughter's project. There was a communication breakdown inside the family and outsiders misunderstood."The legal counsel pushed his glasses up."Did Ophelia herself authorize it?"My father said nothing.The bank representative spoke next."If restricted pre-review data was displayed without authorization, the compliance risk affects your credit line."My father explained quickly."Nothing was commercialized. It was a concept presentation at an engagement party."The screen changed

Chapter 9

On the day of my first stage review, my palms were soaked.The room was small.Everyone handed in their phones at the door, the documents were distributed by number, and even the water glasses had names taped to them.I stood in front of the screen and presented the recovery plan for the L-17 coating.When I reached the substitute route for the destroyed samples, my voice caught for a beat.Professor Harrison sat in the front row and nodded at me.I steadied my breathing and kept going.When the last page of data came up, the room was silent for two seconds.Director Sloane, who ran the program, looked up."Thirteen percent better than the original approach?"I nodded."Yes. I redesigned the sintering curve and adjusted the ratio of the interface layer."He finished the test report and set his pen down."Ophelia, L-17 goes onto the shortlist for the core track."The applause started.I stood where I was, my eyes stinging, and I knew exactly why.It wasn't because I felt wronged.It was

Chapter 10

In the end the board took over the Greene business.My father was suspended pending investigation.The handful of deals he had signed over the years had all been propped up by the Morgan connection.Once the Morgans pulled out and the bank pulled back, the holes under the polished Greene surface showed fast.The penthouse meant for Isadora's dowry was mortgaged.Isadora made scenes at home."That's my apartment! You said it was mine!"My father sat on the sofa, his voice worn out."Your name was never on the deed."Isadora froze.It was probably the first time she understood that being the favorite could also be taken back.Jasper's Porsche was sold too, and he clutched the key in both hands and wouldn't let go."Dad gave this to me."My father gave him one look."Aren't you the one who knows investing? This is what a failed investment costs."Jasper's eyes went frighteningly red."That's not what you used to say."My mother covered her mouth and cried.But crying did no good.This tim

ESCANEIE O CÓDIGO PARA LER NO APP

DMCA.com Protection Status