Novel Catalog
Chapter 14
As the moment neared, the anticipation in the room was palpable. Everyone’s eyes were glued to the stage.
“Ms. Bonita’s going to show up any time now, Ivor!” Ged said, barely containing his excitement.
Ivor remained composed, though his gaze betrayed his true feelings. His calm demeanor didn’t quite mask the tension that seemed to ripple beneath the surface.
Trina, her voice shaking, palmed her chest. “I’m so nervous, Mom! My greatest idol is about to appear.”
Vera’s hand was clammy as she anxiously squeezed Bonnie’s wrist.
“Stay calm. We’ll talk to her after she’s done,” Vera murmured, though it was clear she was barely keeping herself together.
Bonnie tried to pull her wrist free from her mother’s grasp. “I need to go to the restroom,” she muttered.
“What? Ms. Bonita is about to go on stage, and you want to go to the restroom now?” Vera’s eyes widened in disbelief.
“I really need to go,” Bonnie insisted, trying once more to free herself.
“You’re going nowhere, young lady,” Vera said firmly.
A minute passed, but there was still no sign of Ms. Bonita.
“What’s going on? Where’s Ms. Bonita?” murmurs rippled through the crowd.
The host, his face slick with sweat, looked around nervously. Just as he was about to rush backstage to inquire about Bonnie’s whereabouts, his eyes landed on her, seated among the attendees.
What on earth? What was she doing there?
Bonnie frowned, her eyes meeting Vera’s. She tugged again at her wrist, trying to get some space.
The host, realizing the situation, quickly arranged for assistance.
A moment later, an elderly professor made his way toward them.
“Hello, I’m Professor Terry. I’m a researcher working for Ms. Bonita,” he introduced himself warmly.
Gresham and Vera were taken aback by his sudden appearance. Despite not being as renowned as Ms. Bonita, Professor Terry was still a highly respected figure in the academic world.
“It’s an honor to meet you, Professor Terry. What can we do for you?” Gresham asked, his voice tinged with excitement, though they tried to remain composed.
Professor Terry gave them a polite smile, then glanced at Bonnie, who was still seated next to Trina.
“I’m here for…” He trailed off, his eyes lingering on Bonnie.
Vera beamed. “You’re here because of Trina, aren’t you? She’s famous at her college, but we didn’t expect you to have heard about her as well.”
Vera, not fully aware of what was happening, went on enthusiastically. “It’s Trina’s dream to work for you. She’s planning to apply for an internship at the research institute during her junior year. We hope you’ll look out for her when the time comes.”
Professor Terry looked momentarily flustered. “Uh, is she? She needs to work hard then…” he said, trying to play along.
In her eagerness to talk about Trina, Vera had completely forgotten about Bonnie.
Seizing the opportunity, Bonnie quickly slipped away backstage.
The host, who had been anxiously eyeing the scene, sighed in relief. “Sorry about that. Without further ado, let’s give a warm welcome to Ms. Bonita!”
Bonnie emerged onto the stage, her appearance covered by a surgical mask and hat. She took the microphone, her posture poised and authoritative. As she spoke, her voice deepened slightly, giving her words even more weight.
“This breakthrough in the new nanomaterial was the result of the collective effort of the entire team. Please, give each and every one of them your warmest applause,” she said, acknowledging the group of researchers who had worked alongside her.
Bonnie looked at the professors in the front row, starting to introduce them one by one.
“Professor Jamie Harper.”
“Professor Riley Chambers.”
“Professor Charlie Knowles…”
The crowd applauded with increasing enthusiasm, and the older professors were visibly moved by Bonnie’s gratitude, some even wiping tears from their eyes.
Back among the attendees, Ged’s eyes widened in surprise. “Don’t you think Ms. Bonita looks like Bonnie, Ivor?” he asked, his voice full of confusion.
Ivor shook his head, brushing it off. “You’re imaginative, I’ll give you that.”
Ged chuckled. “Anyway, Bonnie said they would announce their collaboration with The Knight Group. She’s so full of shit.”
Just as he finished speaking, Bonnie paused mid-sentence. She turned her gaze toward the crowd, and more specifically, to Ivor.
“Next, I’m going to announce something important,” she said, her voice cutting through the murmur of the crowd.
Everyone in the room leaned forward, eager to hear what she would say next.
Bonnie’s eyes met Ivor’s. The brief, silent exchange left him momentarily unsettled.
“Hmm?” Ivor said, puzzled by the attention.
Ged, noticing the exchange, looked over his shoulder. “What’s the matter, Ivor?”
“Ms. Bonita seems to be looking at me…” Ivor muttered, frowning slightly.
Ged laughed. “I’m glad you haven’t lost your sense of humor.”
But Ivor wasn’t so sure. He couldn’t shake the feeling that something deeper was at play here.
Bonnie continued. “I know many of you have come here hoping to secure the rights to the new nanomaterial, but I’ve already decided which company we’re going to work with.”
A murmur ran through the crowd. Gasps filled the air as people started speculating.
“What? She’s already decided? I wonder who that lucky son-of-a-bitch is!”
“I tried to get as much funding as I could so the research institute would choose my company. I guess all my efforts were useless!” someone lamented.
“Don’t keep us in suspense, Ms. Bonita. Tell us which company you’re going with!” someone else shouted eagerly.
Bonnie raised her hand, a quiet signal for the crowd to settle. When it was finally quiet, she delivered her news.
“I’ll be working with the Knight Group,” she announced, her voice clear and confident.
Ivor’s jaw dropped. He was stunned into silence.
Scenes of Bonnie, always so confident and calculated, flashed through his mind.
“Holy shit! Did I just hear that? That’s… that’s…” Ged said, his voice filled with awe and disbelief.
“It looks like there’s more to Bonnie than meets the eye, Ivor!” Ged exclaimed, his tone filled with excitement.
Ivor, ever the smart one, nodded in agreement. “Yeah, it seems there’s a lot more to her than we thought.”
The press conference wrapped up shortly after, but Ivor was still reeling from the announcement.
When the event ended, Ivor noticed that the Shepards were present, but Bonnie was nowhere to be found. His curiosity piqued, he stood up and walked toward the stage, his thoughts racing.
The moment Bonnie stepped off the stage, a crowd of people immediately swarmed her.
The security guards, desperate to control the chaos, were struggling to hold back the eager guests.
“Stop pushing! Get more guards over here to protect Ms. Bonita!” one of the guards shouted.
“Ms. Bonita, what do you plan to research next?” someone called out.
“Ms. Bonita, our TV network would like to invite you for an exclusive interview. Could you spare us some time? It won’t take long.”
“Care for dinner with me, Ms. Bonita?” another voice asked, almost pleading.
The situation was growing out of control, as more and more people pressed forward to try and get close to her.
“Get out of the way! I want an autograph!” someone yelled from the back.
Bonnie, though a skilled fighter, was momentarily overwhelmed by the sheer number of people clamoring for her attention.
Just then, an unexpected incident occurred—a camera was thrust upward, knocking Bonnie’s hat slightly askew. Her long hair tumbled out, and the mask that had been covering her face slipped off completely.
The crowd froze in disbelief as they finally saw who Ms. Bonita really was.