"Old Master Sloan... Isn’t that Old Master Sloan?"

Someone cried out.

Old Master Sloan had contributed so much to Cathan’s rocket program that almost everyone in the industry recognized him.

"Isn’t he... President Sawyer’s mentor? How could he also..."

Everyone’s gazes shot toward Sophia Shaw like daggers.

For even Old Master Sloan to side with Joanna Sherman, just how dissatisfied must he be with Sophia Shaw!

So dissatisfied that he didn’t even give his own protégé any face.

Though no one said a word, the looks on their faces—which screamed, "You’ve been completely exposed, no one will believe you now"—nailed Sophia Shaw to a pillar of shame.

Those who had been on the fence now tipped the scales decidedly in Joanna Sherman’s favor.

Joanna Sherman then announced her team, which was naturally composed of top-tier professionals.

When the two teams were compared, Sophia Shaw’s looked exceptionally weak.

Sophia Shaw closed her eyes, her lashes trembling silently.

She couldn’t shake the fact that Old Master Sloan had also chosen Joanna Sherman.

This... was too great a blow for her.

Only after everyone had finished taking sides did she slowly straighten up.

Joanna Sherman, like a victorious rooster, strutted past her in high heels and tossed out a casual remark, "As it turns out, a rookie is just a rookie. Destined for nothing more than pimping out your daughter for money, never to grace a grand stage."

Although Sophia Shaw’s mind was a chaotic mess, her thoughts remained clear.

She gave Joanna Sherman a faint smile. "As if you don’t use your daughter to make money. At least when I do it, I do it myself and make a good amount. You, on the other hand, only dare to secretly send your parents to do your dirty work!"

"People like you are destined to spend your whole life hiding in the shadows!"

Sophia Shaw brandished her phone. On the screen was a livestream announcement for Yvonne Sherman and Chad Jennings. The preview clearly read: "The Darling Daughter of Cathan’s No. 1 Rocket Pioneer, with Her Grandpa and Grandma."

In the picture, Yvonne Sherman and Chad Jennings were holding Stella Grant, their smiles exaggerated to an absurd degree...

The pride Joanna Sherman had just managed to reclaim was easily shattered by the screen Sophia Shaw shoved in her face.

Not even a scrap was left!

Her fingers clenched tightly under her sleeves.

’Damn that Sophia Shaw! Even in defeat, she just had to do something to annoy me and ruin my mood!’

Sophia Shaw twisted the knife. "At least my daughter and I have people paying attention to us—we have millions of fans. But your parents and your daughter? They’re more repulsive than a dirty rag. NO. ONE. CARES."

’So you want to see who has the sharper tongue?’

’Then let’s see whose is sharper!’

Those three words—"No. One. Cares."—were like three nails piercing Joanna Sherman through and through!

Furious, she could only glare viciously at Sophia Shaw a few times.

She left quickly.

’If I don’t leave now, who knows what Sophia Shaw will do to humiliate me next.’

Joanna Sherman got into her car and slammed her fists against the seat!

Infuriating! Absolutely infuriating!

’I was supposed to be the winner, but I’m the one who ended up feeling sick to my stomach!’

Joanna Sherman opened Chad Jennings and Yvonne Sherman’s livestream.

The two had already started broadcasting.

They had obviously bought traffic, as tens of thousands of viewers flooded in at once.

Yvonne Sherman and Chad Jennings were dramatically pulling Stella Grant into various poses.

They had even dressed her in an outlandish outfit and headpiece.

"Ooh, look! Isn’t our little Stella so pretty, so cute?"

"She’s adorably cute! So, so cute."

"The child of Cathan’s number one rocket pioneer is just different, isn’t she? So smart, so cute, so lovable."

"..."

"I think I’m going to be sick."

Someone commented.

"This couple is acting like a pair of lunatics, treating the little kid like a marionette. It’s hideous to watch."

When Yvonne Sherman and Chad Jennings saw that comment, their faces contorted with anger.

They wanted to curse someone out.

’But with tens of thousands of people watching, there were bound to be a few low-class haters. It was just one person; no need to let it ruin their mood.’

The two pretended they hadn’t seen it.

"I thought I was the only one who found this exaggerated and ugly. Turns out I’m not alone." Another comment flew across the screen.

"I’m about to puke too. The kid’s face is so stiff, totally expressionless. She can’t even smile. What’s so cute about that?"

"Dead fish eyes. Where’s the ’cute’? I’m honestly not trying to pick on a kid, but the parents’ aesthetic is seriously questionable. Praising her for nonexistent virtues... I’m speechless."

"As for her looks, her skin is too pale, looks unhealthy. Her features are just average, you couldn’t call her pretty."

"The kid’s a wooden doll, the adults are overacting. I can’t watch this anymore."

"I’m outta here!"

Yvonne Sherman had been planning to use the opportunity to sell some products, but when she looked up, more than half the people in the livestream had left in a flood!

In the comments, apart from the paid bots they’d hired who were still forcing out praise, nobody else liked it!

The scene she had imagined—a flood of virtual gifts like "Auspicious Clouds" and "Aircraft Carriers"—simply wasn’t happening!

There weren’t even many people sending simple hearts and flowers.

Everyone was making it clear:

This level of cringe was an assault on their sensibilities.

They’d rather go watch the long-legged oppas and the sisters in black stockings next door.

Oh, and there was also Rocket Planet and her baby.

Joanna Sherman only watched for three minutes, but in that time, the viewer count plummeted from thirty thousand to five thousand.

The screen filled with negative comments about Yvonne Sherman, her husband, and Stella Grant, stabbing at her heart. Her chest felt tighter than if it were filled with stones.

With trembling hands, she made a call. "Immediately! Right now! Shut down that livestream!"

"Isn’t it enough that the two of you are a public embarrassment? Now you have to drag Stella into it!"

"You’ve made me lose all face, too!"

After the call, she flung her phone far away with a loud THWACK.

—

Only after everyone had left could Sophia Shaw slowly get to her feet.

Her legs were sore and weak, and her whole body felt as if its tendons had been pulled out. It was an awful feeling.

Old Master Sloan helping Joanna Sherman was, strictly speaking, him helping Cathan’s rocket program.

’I shouldn’t hold it against him.’

’But I’m only human; I can’t be that magnanimous.’

’The person I admired most had suddenly sided with Joanna Sherman. I couldn’t bear it.’

Walking out onto the corridor, Sophia Shaw leaned against the railing, gazing at the dense rows of buildings in the distance.

It was clearly midday, the sun intense and scorching.

Yet she felt as if she were submerged in ice, a bone-chilling cold surrounding her.

Waves of cold seeped into her bones, freezing her very blood.

She slowly dialed Old Master Sloan’s number.

His assistant answered the phone.

"May I ask if you’re calling for Old Master Sloan?"

Sophia Shaw opened her mouth, but her throat was terribly dry.

The words on the tip of her tongue—"Did Old Master Sloan really become Joanna Sherman’s consultant?"—simply wouldn’t come out.

She couldn’t bring herself to sound like a victim in front of her mentor.

In the end, she just said, "Ms. Warren, this is Sophia Shaw. I wasn’t calling for any particular reason; I just wanted to ask how Old Master Sloan has been doing lately."

"Faye!" Ms. Warren’s voice warmed with enthusiasm.

"His health is good. He’s been keeping up with his exercise, and I’ve been paying close attention to his diet. His physical exam results just came in, and all his levels are normal."

Ms. Warren was a nutritionist who used to be in charge of nutrition and physical recovery for professional athletes. After retiring, she became Old Master Sloan’s assistant and had been with him for many years.

Ms. Warren was very familiar with Sophia Shaw, so she couldn’t help but ramble a bit about how much Old Master Sloan loved to work.

"At his age, he’s still running off to places like The Vorlan Wastes. He doesn’t even consider the gap between him and the younger folks."

"No amount of persuasion works. He insisted on going, no matter what. SIGH."

Ms. Warren was Old Master Sloan’s assistant in name, but in reality, she was practically family.

Sophia Shaw just listened quietly, her heart a tangled knot she couldn’t unravel, feeling utterly suffocated.

"Oh, by the way, Shirley has been doing some training in Cathan. Has she contacted you?" Ms. Warren asked.

Only then did Sophia Shaw speak. "No."

She didn’t know Seraphina Vaughn was in Cathan.

Ever since she had insisted on giving up her career in rocketry to marry Vincent Grant, she and Seraphina Vaughn had a falling out.

For all these years, Seraphina had never once given her a pleasant look.