Jasper Covington's face paled as he stared at Lyra, his composure slipping for just a moment before he regained control.
"What did you say?" he asked, his voice dangerously low.
Lyra maintained her calm demeanor, despite the tension rippling through the room. "I asked if you received Dr. Payne's solution yet."
Jasper took a step forward, looming over her desk. "How would you know about that?"
"You just confirmed it yourself," Lyra replied with a simple shrug. "Now, about my solution—"
"I'll take that," Jasper snapped, snatching the flash drive from her hand. "I'll review this personally, though I doubt it's anything but a desperate attempt to save face."
As Jasper turned to leave, Lyra called after him. "Please let me know if you have any questions. Some of the calculations are rather complex."
He paused, throwing a cold glance over his shoulder. "Don't worry, Ms. Moreau. I'm quite familiar with energy conversion formulas."
