Chapter 325: The Reluctant Star

Morgan leaned back in his chair, barely concealing his satisfaction as he scanned the figures displayed on the screen before him. The surge in public interest had translated into a sharp increase in inquiries, preorders, and partnership requests.

Two months of marketing efforts had failed to generate this kind of momentum.

Isobel’s so-called ’scandal’ had accomplished what his entire marketing department couldn’t do in just two hours.

"Good. Very good," Morgan remarked, his tone unusually lighthearted.

The marketing and sales directors exchanged a quick glance. They were accustomed to presenting reports under the scrutiny of a CEO who demanded perfection.

Seeing him smile so openly was almost more unsettling than seeing him angry.

Morgan closed the report and looked at them.

"Convene our partners for an emergency meeting tomorrow morning."

His expression sharpened, but the gleam in his eyes remained.

"We need to accelerate production of both KitKat and Lexan. Prepare a revised rollout plan, coordinate with our manufacturing partners, and make sure quality control keeps pace with the increase in demand."

He paused, allowing his instructions to sink in.

"I want a production schedule, updated cost projections, and a distribution strategy ready for discussion. We have an opportunity here, and I won’t have us squander it by moving too slowly."

"Understood, Mr. President," the directors replied almost in unison.

Morgan nodded, satisfied.

For months, Project Lexan had been waiting for its moment.

Now, thanks to one little boy, one remarkable robotic puppy, and an unexpected turn of events involving Isobel, that moment had finally arrived.

And Morgan Foster had every intention of making the most of it.

...

Meanwhile, in her office at Aioryx Tower, Isobel was having a very different reaction to the internet frenzy.

While the rest of the world seemed determined to celebrate her, she was growing increasingly uncomfortable.

Surprisingly, it wasn’t the earlier slander that bothered her.

She had expected people to judge her, and she could live with their insults. What she found difficult to accept was the overwhelming praise being heaped upon her for the success of KitKat and Lexan.

The two inventions had become the talk of the internet, and netizens were treating her as though she had single-handedly brought them to life.

That couldn’t be further from the truth.

Indeed, she was the brains behind the projects, but she hadn’t worked alone.

Countless hours of research, testing, coding, troubleshooting, and refinement had gone into bringing the products to life. Her colleagues had sacrificed their time and energy, and some had overcome technical challenges that had nearly brought the projects to a standstill.

She wasn’t about to let their contributions be overshadowed simply because the spotlight happened to be on her.

With a frown, she picked up her phone and called the public relations department.

"Gavin, I need you to issue an official statement about KitKat and Lexan."

"Of course, Miss Isobel. What would you like us to announce?"

"Make it clear that both projects were the result of a collective effort. I may have led the development, but I wasn’t the only one responsible for their success." Her tone was firm but measured.

"Please include the names of the major contributors. They deserve recognition, too."

A brief silence followed on the other end of the line.

Gavin couldn’t help wondering what kind of person Isobel Lancey was.

In the corporate world, people often fought tooth and nail for recognition, eager to claim the glory of a successful project. Some would even go so far as to downplay their colleagues’ contributions just to make themselves shine.

Yet Isobel was doing the exact opposite.

With the entire internet singing her praises, she was voluntarily sharing the spotlight with her team.

It was an attitude Gavin rarely encountered in the workplace.

"Miss Isobel, I understand what you’re asking," he replied cautiously. "However, an official statement of this nature requires Mr. Foster’s approval. I’ll have to run it by him first."

Isobel pressed her lips together. She had expected as much.

"All right. Please get his approval as soon as possible."

"Certainly, Miss Isobel."

The call ended, and she returned to her desk, hoping the matter would be settled quickly.

Morgan approved the statement without delay. He knew Isobel didn’t want to be in the spotlight.

Once the PR department finalized the announcement, it was published on Aioryx’s official website, explicitly recognizing the key team members behind both inventions.

The response was immediate.

Netizens who had been singing Isobel’s praises were now even more impressed by her attitude.

"I already liked Isobel, but I like her even more now. She could have taken all the credit, yet she chose to recognize her team."

"Exactly! She isn’t clinging to the spotlight. She’s making sure the people who worked behind the scenes get their recognition, too. That’s what real leadership looks like!"

"No wonder she’s so good at what she does. A person who remembers her team even when she’s at the center of attention deserves respect."

"Isobel is the kind of boss everyone wants. Imagine working hard for months and then having your leader publicly acknowledge your contribution instead of taking all the glory. I’m jealous of her colleagues!"

"She’s beautiful, talented, and humble. Is there anything this woman can’t do?"

Reading the comments, Isobel let out a long, weary sigh.

Somehow, her attempt to share the credit had only earned her more admiration.

That was precisely what she had been trying to avoid.

She wasn’t interested in becoming an internet sensation, much less in having her every action dissected and praised by strangers. She simply wanted her colleagues to receive the recognition they deserved.

More importantly, she didn’t want the sudden attention to create an awkward atmosphere within the team.

How would those who had worked alongside her feel when everyone outside the company treated her as the sole genius behind their achievements?

Even if her colleagues didn’t voice their displeasure, she couldn’t rule out the possibility of resentment quietly taking root.

She had worked too hard to build good relationships with them to let public opinion ruin everything.

Isobel set her phone facedown on the desk and leaned back in her chair, rubbing her temples.

For someone who had spent years working behind the scenes, being thrust into the spotlight was proving to be far more exhausting than she had imagined.

And the more the internet praised her, the more she wished everyone would simply leave her alone.

Unfortunately, the internet had never been particularly good at giving people what they wanted.