Boss, Your Wife Signed the Divorce Agreement Before the Wedding novel Chapter 527

Preston wasn't a core member of the evaluation committee, so he had to retreat to the observer seating in the back.

Sierra finished chatting with her peers and hurried back to her seat directly behind Raelynn, completely unbothered by the heavy tension in the room.

Raelynn stared straight ahead.

Facing them was the absolute pinnacle of medical authority.

The panel centered around Professor Alistair Finch, Dr. Evelyn Hayes, and several top-ranking government health directors.

Kingsford University had been specifically mandated by the highest levels of government to spearhead this neurological disease research. It was a global medical crisis, and they needed the sharpest minds from the nation's elite institutions to collaborate and discover new breakthrough treatments.

The academic paper review was the most crucial phase of the selection process.

Dr. Hayes glanced down at the finalized grading sheet containing the top-tier rankings.

Seraphina stared intently at Dr. Hayes, sitting perfectly upright with a flawless, winning smile.

With Leo Lombardi pulling the strings behind the scenes, she had already mentally prepared her victory speech.

Dr. Hayes pulled the microphone closer and finally spoke. "Over the past week, the dozen of us on this panel have meticulously reviewed all submissions. Two papers stood out as exceptionally brilliant. However, we have come to a unanimous decision on the absolute best academic paper—one that perfectly aligns with our research goals and achieves a truly world-class standard."

She looked directly toward the southwest corner of the room.

Her eyes were burning with intense, undeniable admiration.

Seeing Dr. Hayes's gaze lock onto their section, Seraphina's heart rate exploded. Her smile widened into something blinding, and she instinctively began to rise from her chair.

"From Kingsford University, Raelynn Ortiz."

Dr. Hayes's voice rang out, crystal clear and deafeningly loud.

Seraphina froze mid-stand.

The next second, her head snapped toward Raelynn in utter, horrified disbelief.

Raelynn took first place?

She beat the paper that Leo Lombardi had personally micromanaged from start to finish? Raelynn was taking the crown?

But...

Seraphina quickly forced her panic down. It made sense, in a twisted way. She knew the actual content inside Raelynn's paper carried immense, undeniable weight.

Sebastian turned his head.

His dark, unreadable eyes locked onto the side of Raelynn's face.

Leo Flynn instinctively scrutinized Sebastian's expression. Seeing no visible reaction from the billionaire, Leo forced himself to remain seated, masking his own shock.

Julian, however, was visibly stunned. He always suspected Raelynn was hiding a brilliant mind beneath her quiet exterior.

But the sheer magnitude of this victory was something else entirely.

This wasn't just a school project; this was a guaranteed seat at the National Academy. This was the "Number One" title bestowed by the most terrifyingly accomplished minds in the country. For Raelynn—someone largely viewed as an obscure newcomer—to claim this was earth-shattering.

The name Raelynn Ortiz wasn't entirely unknown in these circles.

She was already famous as Kingsford University's unprecedented Associate Professor.

Watching Raelynn bathe in that untouchable spotlight caused a dark, vicious sneer to bleed through Seraphina's perfect mask. She instinctively looked over at Sebastian, seeking validation.

But she realized, to her horror, that Sebastian was completely fixated on Raelynn.

His pitch-black eyes held an emotion she couldn't read, an intensity she couldn't decipher.

It felt like a jagged needle plunging straight into Seraphina's spine.

Raelynn's voice echoed through the hall, clear, steady, and commanding. "I will break down this presentation by focusing on our core methodology and the primary research trajectory..."

Seraphina snapped her gaze back to Raelynn.

Her face turned lethally cold.

Just as Raelynn was about to dive into the heavy data, Seraphina abruptly stood up.

"Excuse me, I need to interrupt."

Seraphina's sharp, ringing voice instantly shattered the respectful, academic silence of the hall.

Professor Finch and the panel looked up sharply.

Sebastian finally tore his eyes away from Raelynn and looked over.

Raelynn was forced to stop talking, waiting for the inevitable attack.

Seraphina's lips curled into a glacial, triumphant smirk. "At first, I thought my eyes were deceiving me. But after checking multiple times, I can confirm it's not a mistake. Raelynn... this paper is completely plagiarized."