SOPHIA’S POV
The ballroom remained unusually quiet after I finished speaking.
A few monts earlier, several people had been questioning whether I belonged there. They had looked at as though I were an outsider who had sohow wandered into the wrong room.
Now, the atmosphere had changed. Nobody was laughing anymore. Nobody was making comnts about my background or my interrupted education.
I sat calmly in my chair, refusing to show how nervous I actually felt.
The truth was that my heart was beating hard against my ribs. I wasn’t used to standing in front of so many influential people.
For years, my life had revolved around my ho, my marriage, and Ashley. Standing in a room full of respected doctors and researchers still felt strange.
Beside , Lance looked proud.
His eyes remained on for several seconds before he offered a small smile. It wasn’t a smile filled with pity or sympathy. It was the smile of soone who genuinely respected . Sohow, that made feel stronger.
Across from us, Zade looked as though he wanted to challenge anyone who dared criticize again.
His arms were folded across his chest. His expression remained cold and intimidating. Several people who had been making comnts earlier were now carefully avoiding eye contact with him.
I almost smiled.
Trust Zade to look like he was preparing for a war at a dical dinner.
"Well." Professor Archer’s deep voice imdiately drew everyone’s attention.
The professor slowly rose from his seat.
The room seed to straighten automatically. Conversations stopped. Every eye turned toward him.
My stomach tightened.
Professor Archer was the most respected people in the room. His opinion carried a whole lot of weight.
The professor looked around the ballroom before finally settling his eyes on . A warm smile appeared on his face.
"I think everyone has underestimated Miss Sophia." He said.
A wave of whispers imdiately spread throughout the room. Several people exchanged uncomfortable looks. Others looked confused.
The professor continued speaking "I’ve been observing her for quite so ti."
My eyes widened in shock. What was he doing?.
The room beca even quieter. Nobody interrupted him.
"When I first t Sophia, I imdiately noticed sothing unusual." He continued "Talent."
The word echoed through the room. everyone looked shocked.
I froze.
For a mont, I wasn’t even sure I had heard him correctly.
The professor smiled. "Many people believe talent is asured only by certificates and awards but I disagree."
The room remained completely silent.
Professor Archer pointed toward "Talent is determination. Talent is persistence. Talent is refusing to give up when life repeatedly knocks you down."
I felt my throat tighten.
Without warning, mories flooded my mind. I rembered all my years of sacrifice, the years spent supporting Damien, the nights studying after everyone had gone to sleep, the countless monts when I had doubted myself.
Suddenly all of it felt very real.
The professor looked directly at . Then he said sothing that completely stunned the room.
"I have already reserved a PhD position for Sophia."
My eyes went even wider. All I felt in that mont was shock.
For several seconds, nobody reacted. It was as if the entire ballroom had forgotten how to breathe.
Then the whispers exploded.
"What?"
"A PhD position?"
"Professor Archer personally reserved it?"
"Is he serious?"
The room instantly filled with shocked voices.
I sat completely frozen. My mind had gone blank.
A PhD position reserved for .
I stared at Professor Archer. I couldn’t even find the words to respond.
The professor chuckled softly "Judging by your expression, I assu you weren’t expecting to announce it publicly."
A few people laughed.
My cheeks ward.
"No," I admitted quietly "I wasn’t."
The professor smiled "Good."
More laughter followed. The tension in the room finally began to ease yet the shock remained.
I could see it everywhere.
The sa people who had questioned earlier were now staring at like they were seeing an entirely different person. Their attitudes had changed completely.
Beside , Lance quietly squeezed my shoulder.
I looked at him.
His eyes were filled with pride "I told you that you belonged here,"
I swallowed hard "Thank you."
"You earned this, Sophia."
Across the room, Damien stood completely still. His eyes never left . The announcent had stunned him just as much as everyone else.
anwhile, Tiffany looked as though she had swallowed poison. Her smile had completely disappeared. Her fingers tightened around her wine glass.
The dinner continued, but everything felt different now.
Guests who had ignored earlier suddenly approached our table. Doctors introduced themselves. Researchers asked about my interests. Several professors congratulated personally.
The sudden change was overwhelming. Still, I forced myself to remain calm and professional.
Professor Archer remained nearby throughout most of it. Whenever soone seed doubtful, one glance from him imdiately settled the matter.
His support was obvious. And because of his reputation, nobody questioned it.
As the evening progressed, more conversations ford around our table. Several guests began discussing dical research with . Others asked about my future goals.
For the first ti in years, I found myself speaking openly about my dreams.
Lance remained beside through every conversation.
Whenever soone interrupted , he redirected the discussion back toward .
Nearby, Zade remained just as attentive, although his approach was entirely different. Where Lance was calm, Zade was protective.
Every ti soone stood too close to , Zade suddenly appeared. Every ti a conversation lasted too long, he sohow found an excuse to interrupt.
At one point, he handed a glass of water.
I looked up "Thank you."
His eyes softened "You need to stay hydrated."
I laughed quietly "You’re impossible."
A grin appeared on his face.
"That’s what everyone keeps saying."
The warmth in his expression made my heart skip unexpectedly. For a brief mont, neither of us looked away.
The chemistry between us felt impossible to ignore.
Then soone called my na and the mont ended.
Now, the atmosphere had transford entirely.
Nobody questioned whether I belonged there anymore. Nobody mocked my background. Nobody looked down on .
Instead, they respected .
For the first ti in a very long ti, I wasn’t being introduced as Damien Stone’s wife. I wasn’t being identified through soone else.
I was simply Sophia - a future researcher, a future PhD candidate and a woman with her own future.
As I stood surrounded by people who finally saw my worth, I felt hope.
It wasn’t the hope I had during my marriage. It wasn’t the desperate hope that Damien would soday choose .
This was different. This was hope for myself.
And for the first ti in years, that felt like enough.
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