Being Dumped by My EX, I Marriied His Older Brother-Chapter 164: About to Die

But there it was on the screen: a progress bar at one hundred percent.

The crowd could no longer contain their excitement and burst into shouts:

"So fast! Unbelievably fast!"

"That was some god-tier skill. It’s completely blown my mind!"

"Cracking the Kane Group’s system in under ten minutes... and with a decryption program she wrote on the spot? That’s insane."

"Looks like Miss Thorne isn’t as useless as the rumors claimed. Her skills are actually way above Miss Graham’s."

"..."

The chatter was unrestrained.

April Graham’s face was ashen. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing, and her cheeks burned with a fiery sting.

’I’ve been completely humiliated!’

She actually...

She’d actually lost to Nina Thorne again.

Last time, few people knew about it. But this time, it was in front of so many industry professionals.

And on a live stream...

Nina Thorne’s calm gaze swept over to her, the corner of her lips hooking into a slight smile. "Miss Graham, you’ve lost."

To April Graham, Nina’s smile was full of provocation, as if she were grinding her dignity underfoot.

Her face deathly pale, she was speechless for a long moment.

Nina stared at her. "Miss Graham, you should have nothing left to say now. The computer wasn’t mine, and the decryption program was written live. This time, you should be willing to accept your loss."

"No, this is impossible!"

April Graham refused to believe it, yet she couldn’t figure out what could have possibly gone wrong.

’How could Nina Thorne be this skilled?’

The way the crowd looked at April Graham suddenly changed.

The facts were right in front of them.

Everyone had seen it with their own eyes: Nina Thorne’s skills were indeed superior to hers.

Nina’s smile grew even brighter. "Miss Graham, you have to admit when you’re outmatched. If you’re a noob, you just have to practice more."

After speaking, she faced the audience, her smile radiant and confident. She seemed to shine on the stage.

Applause thundered from below the stage, interspersed with cheers.

Justin Kane’s gaze burned as he watched her, following her figure as she descended from the stage.

Albert Locke stood up, clapping, a gratified smile on his face as he watched her.

"Kiddo, you’ve finally taken this step."

Nina understood that he had been waiting for this day. A sense of relief washed over her, and she smiled back.

"Thank you."

Justin Kane was sitting in a parallel row, too far away to hear what they were saying.

But just from their expressions, he could see the deep bond between them, which confirmed what his investigation had revealed.

His heart sank instantly, as if it had been brutally struck by a hammer—a dull, aching pain.

Jason Graham approached them, his admiration unconcealed.

"Miss Thorne, congratulations on your spectacular performance today. The Thorne Group has really stolen the show."

Nina Thorne’s smile vanished, her expression turning cold.

"You’re too kind, Mr. Graham. I only won by a stroke of luck, thanks to your sister going easy on me."

Just listen to that.

The words sounded modest, but upon reflection, they were dripping with sarcasm.

April Graham, utterly humiliated, stormed off the stage.

She clenched her fists so tightly she wished she could rush over and wipe that smile right off Nina Thorne’s face.

’Nina Thorne’s skills are actually better than mine!’

’Doesn’t this mean she’ll be walking all over me from now on?’

Today’s seminar had also been broadcast via live stream.

The seminar concluded successfully.

Through the live stream, Nina Thorne’s abilities were displayed for all the netizens to see.

In a short time, she was flooded with positive reviews.

Netizens hailed her as a "genius girl."

Soon after, people started digging into her past.

And as they dug...

They unexpectedly unearthed the story of how she had been framed for bullying back in college.

A post appeared with a firsthand account, pointing out that the real bully was Serena Kane and that Nina Thorne had been completely framed...

Of course, all of that came later.

Nina Thorne was swarmed by engineers asking her questions, and she had a hard time getting away.

She and Albert Locke headed for the lounge.

A dark figure followed behind them, quickly closing the distance.

"Nina Thorne." A familiar, gentle voice called out.

Then, Justin Kane’s tall figure appeared before them.

His gaze was icy as he met Albert Locke’s eyes.

"Mr. Kane," Albert Locke greeted him, but without warmth.

"I need to speak with her," Justin Kane said, his tone forceful and leaving no room for refusal.

Albert Locke hesitated, looking at Nina.

If she didn’t want to deal with him, he certainly wouldn’t leave her side.

But Nina did end up giving him a nod. "Wait for me for a moment."

Albert Locke nodded and reminded her, "Call me if you need anything."

Justin Kane’s eyelids were lowered, his expression detached. The perfectly tailored suit accentuated his cold aura.

He looked just like an ice sculpture.

After Albert Locke left, Nina shot him a cold glance. "Is there something else you want to say?"

As she spoke, she casually pushed open the door to the lounge and went inside.

Justin Kane’s gaze fell upon her, softening to its usual gentleness.

Even though she was acting incredibly cold, he wasn’t the least bit annoyed and followed her in.

"Your presentation was brilliant, very impressive. All the engineers in the industry have been won over by you."

Just now, Nina had been surrounded by a group of engineers eager to learn from her.

He had watched from the side. She was composed, professional, and handled it all with ease—a complete transformation.

This was what he had always wanted to see.

But now that he was seeing it, their relationship had deteriorated to this state.

Instantly, a mix of complex emotions welled up inside him.

Nina Thorne poured herself a glass of warm water without even sparing him a glance.

"You can leave when you’re done talking, Mr. Kane."

Her attitude remained distant and cold.

She wasn’t even willing to exchange another word with him.

"If you need any help with the group’s business, just ask."

Justin Kane knew there was a problem with the parts supplier. "I can recommend a parts..."

Nina took another sip of water, then set the glass down and turned her head to look at him.

"I don’t need it. You can go."

Her refusal was blunt. She clearly wanted nothing more to do with him.

Though they were husband and wife, they were as cold and distant as strangers.

Justin Kane’s pupils constricted. He said in a hoarse voice, "Grandpa is very worried about you. Come home for dinner. He wants to see you."

Nina lowered her gaze, the corner of her mouth twitching into a sharp, sarcastic smile.

"Have you forgotten? *My* grandfather is lying in a hospital bed."

Her words were more heart-stabbing than any refusal.

Nina lifted her head, her gaze fixing on him coldly. "Justin Kane, you know what? Ever since that night, all I’ve wanted is to make a clean break from you."

"I’ll make up for what happened that night..."

Justin Kane reached for her arm, but she dodged him before he could even touch her.

Nina Thorne took two steps back, her expression as cold as ice.

"It’s already come to this, so what’s the point? Since you’re not going to prepare the divorce papers, I will. All you’ll have to do is sign them."

She delivered her harsh words and walked past him.

The faint, fresh scent that was uniquely hers filled his nostrils.

Scenes from their past flashed through his mind—her every frown and smile, so lively and gentle.

Now, all that remained was indifference.

In that instant, Justin Kane’s chest felt like it had been stuffed with water-logged cotton, suffocating him with a heavy, uncomfortable pressure.

It was also like a sharp blade had pierced him, the pain making it hard to breathe.

He could barely catch his breath. Clenching his fists, he endured the pain, his brow tightly furrowed until he heard the sound of the door closing behind him.

Nina Thorne was gone.

She had left without a shred of hesitation...

Justin Kane closed his eyes. His furrowed brow suddenly relaxed, but the bitterness in his heart spread like a vine, rapidly and crazily wrapping around his entire being.

Pain. A dense, all-consuming pain.

’I feel like I’m dying.’