At that moment,n turned to Joel. "Dr. Kingsley, you''ll be in charge of recruiting for the civilian project. You''ll also handpick and evaluate the leads for the three R&D teams."


    Joel nodded, then addressed the group. "Each team lead must have at least five years of relevant research experience, and must have overseen at least one medical device project that passed FDA approval."


    As soon as those words settled, the conference room fell silent for several seconds. Joel''s standards for the recruitment team were almost impossibly high.


    Faye''s fingers tightened around her phone. She''d only been in medical research for two years, and none of the projects she''d worked on had even reached the clinical trial phase.


    Was Joel deliberately setting the bar to keep her out?


    She didn''t really believe that, but given her current credentials, could she really hope tond a team lead position?


    Ifn didn''t intervene, there was no way she''d qualify with Joel''s requirements.


    Ten minutester, the meeting wrapped up. Eleanor closed herptop and slipped out the back door.


    Faye watchedn''s tall figure, half-expecting he might pull her aside for a private conversation. But she caught sight of Gavin trailing behind him, rattling off a report. Ian listened intently, never breaking stride; when his gaze drifted over Faye, he looked straight through her.


    She thought, for a split second, that he''d noticed her. Butn''s eyes slid away, his demeanor distant and unapproachable, as if she were just another irrelevant stranger.


    Clutching her folder, Faye stood rooted to the spot, realizing for the first time just how little she mattered in the academic world without a real achievement to her name.


    Back in her office, her phone buzzed. Vanessa had finally replied: "Ian says all team leads must pass Joel''s technical assessment. Faye, you''ll have to talk to Joel yourself and seize the opportunity."


    Faye stared at the message, breath catching.


    A one-on-one with Joel? He was friendly enough in daily life, but when it came to


    his work, he was famously demanding. Passing his assessment without solid skills and proven results was next to impossible.


    She realized thatn had just handed the civilian project over to Joel; if he jumped in to help her now, Joel would surely take issue.


    "Faye, just join the project team for now," Vanessa tried tofort her. "Wait for the right moment—mayben can promote youter."


    Faye almostughed. She''d been so sure she could lead a team on her own, and now she couldn''t even secure a team lead position without someone else''s favor.


    Her frustration welled up until it felt like a physical weight on her chest. She left for the restroom, and as she reached the door, voices drifted from inside-her colleagues from the materials team.


    "I told you Faye didn''t stand a chance. She really thought connections were enough to get her a team?"


    "I heard Dr. Kingsley''s standards are brutal. Five years of experience and an FDA- approved project? She''s nowhere close."


    Another woman snickered. "You guys know her sister Vanessa is dating Mr.


    Goodwin, right? She''s practically Mrs. Goodwin already!"


    "So what? You think Dr. Kingsley is the type to y favorites? Even if Mr. Goodwin wanted to sneak someone onto the project, it wouldn''t fly with Dr. Kingsley. Connections don''t mean a thing to him."


    "I heard Faye applied for the civilian project team. Wonder what position they''ll stick her in?"


    "Whatever she deserves, I guess. She''ll get what''sing to her."


    Faye clenched her jaw, the words needling at her self-confidence. The more assured she''d once felt, the more exposed and humiliated she felt now.