Chapter 6
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Leila seemed not to suspect anything, only routinely asking whether the practical activity went well. I presented the geological photos I had taken along the way and fabricated sample data that I had prepared in advance, easily handling her questions.
In the days that followed, I played my dual role with even greater caution.
At the academy, I was Elara Vance, a diligent student showing promising talent, actively participating in interest group discussions, and even proposing an idea during a seminar on new gene sequencing algorithms that earned approval from Dr. Hammond himself.
At home, I was the quiet, well-behaved stepsister who occasionally helped Isabella with her homework. Caleb still kept his distance from me, but his vigilance seemed to have diminished somewhat. At least when I discussed a complex solid geometry problem with him, he was willing to listen to my explanation.
Leila was obviously very satisfied with my "good adaptation." She even began to let me have brief conversations with Cassius during some informal family video calls.
On the other side of the screen, my father, with his tone as gentle and distant as always, inquired about my studies and reminded me to listen to Leila. I cooperated with my responses, but inside my heart was as cold as ice. Each call carved a new wound in my heart, reminding me of this family's hypocritical nature.
On a Friday evening, Leila turned on the Global Business Network (GBN) as usual. I was sitting on the sofa next to her, pretending to read a heavy textbook on bioinformatics, while secretly paying attention to the screen.
When Cassius Vance's face appeared in the interview program, my breathing paused imperceptibly for a moment.
He spoke eloquently, describing how the Vance Group uses technology to "advance human civilization" and how it "fulfills social responsibilities." The host timely shifted the topic to family, praising him as a model corporate leader who has a happy family and "an outstanding heir, Miss Elara."
The camera zoomed in, and Cassius displayed that well-rehearsed, affectionate smile: "Yes, family is my most important pillar. Sophia and Elara are everything to me." The screen appropriately displayed that carefully edited "family portrait" with just the three of us, where mother's smile appeared particularly glaring in that photo.
"I believe Miss Elara will certainly be able to successfully take over such a massive business empire in the future," the host flattered.
In that instant, I clearly saw a fleeting hint of hesitation in Cassius's eyes, an almost imperceptible guilt, as if some secret had been accidentally exposed.
Although he immediately covered it up with steady words, that momentary flicker, like a needle, precisely pierced into my eyes.
After the program ended, Leila turned off the television with satisfaction, and a false sense of tranquility permeated the living room. She turned to me, her tone gratified: "You see, your father is always like this, not good at expressing himself, but he loves you very much in his heart and has high hopes for you."
I lowered my head, trying hard to bring a tinge of redness to my face as if moved by "fatherly love," and said softly: "I understand." Yet my stomach churned violently.
This elaborately woven lie, this globally broadcast performance, every detail made me feel sick.
Back in my room with the door locked, I immediately pulled up the interview clip I had just recorded, repeatedly playing and magnifying that guilty moment.
This insignificant change in expression might be useless in court, but for me, it was the first crack in breaking through the hypocritical mask. I encrypted and saved this footage, marking it as "Evidence A."
Meanwhile, my encrypted communication channel with Arnold Lee was established. After receiving the funding, his work efficiency was astonishing. A few days later, he sent me a preliminary analysis report.
The report indicated that through reverse engineering and cross-referencing, he discovered that Omega Genesis's series of technical patents published in recent years regarding "neural cell vitality enhancement" and "genetic stability optimization" had underlying algorithms and molecular pathways strikingly similar to his early theoretical intervention for rare neurological diseases, but the application direction was completely opposite—more like "creating" or "strengthening" certain specific traits, rather than "treating" diseases.
Even more alarming was that Arnold attempted to trace several money trails that flowed into Omega Genesis after being laundered through complex financial instruments. Despite the obscured pathways, the sources indeed seemed to be related to several offshore funds controlled by the Vance Group.
He couldn't decipher the complete codename of the final project, but in the captured data packet fragments, the prefix "P.O." appeared repeatedly.
"Prometheus' Child"… this project not only really exists, but is also receiving financial infusions through my father's funds!
Arnold wrote at the end of the report: "The fund flow and technical path alignment is highly consistent, pointing to a large-scale, highly classified human enhancement or modification project. Its ethical risks are extremely high. The direct connection with 'Heartblight' has not yet been found, but the technological homology warrants deep vigilance."
Looking at the text on the screen, a chill rose from my spine, quickly spreading to my entire body. This was no longer just about business betrayal and emotional deception.
Cassius and Leila, they might be stepping into a realm far beyond my imagination, dark and dangerous. Caleb and Isabella's unusual intelligence… could it be that they aren't just illegitimate children, but rather the "products" or "test subjects" of this horrifying project?
This idea makes me shudder. If the "Dome Project" is intertwined with "Prometheus' Child," then what I'm facing will be an ultimate struggle concerning bioethics and technological abuse.
Leila's seemingly casual comment during dinner, "your father hopes you can be exposed to cutting-edge biotechnology concepts," now sounds more like a cold probe, or… bait to lure me into a greater trap.
I know I must move faster, dig deeper. Arnold Lee's discovery is a breakthrough, but it also means exponential growth in danger. Next time, I'll need not just encrypted communications and anonymous meetings, but substantive evidence that can strike at the core with a fatal blow.
And the next link in this chain of evidence might be hidden in the seemingly glamorous but secretly turbulent inner circle of the academy that I'm about to delve deeper into. The calm before the storm is about to end.
