Seraphina felt no nerves stepping into an environment like this. While the other candidates waiting with her were stiff with anxiety, she merely offered a serene, unbothered smile.
After drawing her number, she entered the designated area.
She scanned the room.
She had fully expected to see Raelynn in the waiting area.
But looking around, there was no sign of the other woman.
A flicker of doubt crossed her mind.
They had watched Raelynn walk into this exact building earlier.
But on second thought, it made sense.
Given Raelynn's actual skill level, it was entirely possible she had chickened out at the last minute.
People made irrational choices when they were consumed by anger—like applying for the same doctoral group as someone out of their league.
When the final scores were published, it would be a public humiliation.
It was perfectly understandable that Raelynn wouldn't want to officially rank behind her.
Seraphina smiled slowly to herself at the thought.
While she had previously found it petty of Raelynn to sneak around applying to steal a spot as Director Moreno's student, it didn't matter now.
She simply couldn't be bothered to care anymore.
Each interview took roughly thirty minutes.
When her turn finally came, Seraphina stood up.
She had already familiarized herself with the entire process, and bolstered by her bulletproof confidence, she pushed the door open and strode in.
However.
As her gaze swept over the people in the room, her elegant facade cracked imperceptibly.
She spotted Raelynn standing by the window, casually rubbing the back of her neck, and the words slipped out before she could stop them. "What are you doing in here?"
Raelynn, feeling stiff after sitting for over two hours, turned around. Seeing Seraphina, her expression remained perfectly placid. "Why wouldn't I be in here?"
Seraphina's brow furrowed in instant displeasure. She immediately turned her attention to the panel of esteemed faculty members. "Are we conducting group interviews now? I was hoping for a fair, objective, one-on-one process. Could you please ask Raelynn to leave the room?"
She knew her professional credentials crushed Raelynn's.
But this was a matter of pride.
She absolutely refused to let the other woman linger in the room and disrupt her focus.
*How on earth could Raelynn be a professor?*
*That was impossible.*
"Seraphina Vance?" Professor Polk prompted, noticing how pale and frozen the candidate looked.
Seraphina snapped back to reality.
A million questions hammered at her brain. As much as she couldn't fathom how Raelynn had secured a professorship at Kingsford University, she had to force herself to focus right now.
She clenched her fingers and stepped forward.
She willed her racing heart to calm down.
She shot a dark, resentful glare in Raelynn's direction.
Raelynn entirely ignored it.
Seraphina's self-introduction went relatively smoothly. But as they moved on to the presentation portion of the interview, Raelynn scanned the candidate's glowing resume and past research projects, a faint, mocking smile touching her lips.
Because.
Right there in black and white, Seraphina's resume falsely claimed credit for NexusMind's cardiovascular new drug project, the establishment of an independent smart medical development team, and crucial involvement in the tumor surgical robot.

Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Boss, Your Wife Signed the Divorce Agreement Before the Wedding
I think for as slow as the beginning was, their turning point is just so fast... really hope we actually get to read about R and S and their rekindle.... we did not read 950 pages for their story to be sidelined. Im for this sideline story, but it if it's to separate from the main characters and their story, please make it separate book....
Author please update more chapters...
I really like Zella, she is becoming a good friend to Raelynn. Ian needs to go. The relationship with Chloe is confusing. Some chapters they are cousins, sometimes they're sibling. A little confusing....
Julians role as big brother- I feel comes from a genuine place, but in a relationship thats is just as stained as Raelynns and Sebastians. It hard for me to connect to his big brother role as he too was such a problem before. And while they talked a little bit, the conversation did not give me the believe there was resolution between Raelynn and Julian. For a brute, he should make his feelings clear about the situation to Raelynn and then step back, until there is more foundation for him to stand on....
Knife in my heart. I hurt for Raelynn. She has made it this far, but how much does she have in her, everyone has a breaking point. Some back of me hopes the author is joking to lighten the mood after so many intense chapters, but thats not this kind of story or couple....
My heart cannot take this. This, cannot be how it ends with these too. They need resolution with each other. Raelynn needs to be more humanize with Sebastian. We know she is hurt, but this is the branch. She needs all these answers, if not for them to be together, then for Lily to have both her parents. Stop with the mind games Raelynn!...
Its like the story is just repeating itself...
Timeline is getting lost for me. So many treasured little memories Raelynn has but yet, he was gone for years ? Anyways... still rooting for them! These two need a heart to heart. Lily "forgetting" someone, not possible in this day and age and I hope thats not their storyline....
Sebastian, the man of few words.... needs to find all the words! Needs to fight for her! On note, seven years seems like a long time for this master plan (which I am sure goes back much farther). Rereading this novel, and it seems like everything has played out in a 5-8 month time span. And I feel like all Sebastian's doings/ plan have not been revealed. I hope we get to see the whole picture and have the resolutions we hope. But seven years of mistreatment, I just don't see Raelynn fully coming back. If these was 2-3 years, maybe, and I know it changes some characters around, but it would still work. Rooting for them!...
Literally on edge!...