LOGINThe official finished his speech to a round of solemn applause. The tension in the room eased a little, but the weight of his words still hung over everyone.Next, representatives from the various companies took turns speaking.Each executive voiced support for the government's technology initiatives and promised to cooperate fully with Project 07. Every speech was careful, respectful, and almost overly eager to please.Amelia sat below the stage, lightly tapping her fingers against the table as she looked around the room.Most of these companies had business ties with FutureDrive in one way or another. Their speeches sounded sincere, but Amelia knew every one of them had their own interests to protect.Her gaze shifted to Lincoln and Samantha, who sat a short distance away.Every so often, they leaned toward each other and spoke quietly, their expressions giving nothing away. They were definitely up to something.Sure enough, after several more company representatives finished
The meeting was less about the project itself and more about making sure everyone understood how urgent the situation was and what was expected of them.Amelia suddenly remembered something Christopher had once said."Technology matters, but the people behind it matter even more. Talent is everything."He was right. No matter how promising a project was or how advanced the technology became, people were still the ones who had to make it happen.A country's strength depended on generation after generation of researchers pushing forward.Amelia turned to Christopher. He sat quietly beside her, listening intently, calm and steady as always. His eyes stayed on the podium, focused and unwavering. No matter what happened around him, he always seemed completely composed.Amelia felt herself relax. With someone like him beside her, she felt ready for whatever came next.Across the hall, Samantha had been watching Christopher the entire time. Her red dress stood out against the sea of
"I just can't stand watching them act like that."Samantha lowered her voice. "They're divorced, but they're still acting all lovey-dovey. It's ridiculous."Lincoln said nothing. His gaze rested on Amelia, a complicated look passing through his eyes.He had never understood why Amelia would walk away from someone like Christopher. What confused him even more was how the two of them could still be this close after the divorce.Tania stood nearby with a folder in her arms and noticed it too. Her gaze shifted between Amelia and Christopher, and a knowing smile touched her lips.The mood in the room slowly grew tense.All kinds of people had gathered in one place. Some were allies, some were competitors, and more than a few had history with each other.What looked like a routine project meeting was clearly going to be anything but peaceful.Amelia took a slow breath and braced herself. She knew the next few hours wouldn't be easy. And whatever happened, she and Christopher would
Christopher smiled."True. Kids have a lot on their plate, too." He opened the car door for her. "Come on. We should get going."Amelia nodded and slid into the passenger seat.The car pulled away from the neighborhood.Christopher stayed focused on the road, quiet and composed as always, but Amelia could feel that something between them had started to change.There used to be an invisible distance between them. Even when they were together, things never felt this natural.Now, something as simple as a morning greeting and breakfast made her feel strangely at ease.-Before long, they arrived at the conference center in the city's tech park. Even from a distance, the building looked sleek and imposing. Luxury cars already lined the entrance.Most of the people coming and going wore business attire and carried themselves with quiet authority. It was obvious that plenty of influential people were attending.Christopher parked, and the two of them got out together.As soon as t
The next day, Amelia got a call from Jasper."Mia, there's an important meeting you should know about. Nova Nine is getting ready to work with FutureDrive on Project 07. The government is holding a special meeting to review the project, and a lot of major players in the industry will be there."Amelia's fingers stilled.Project 07 was the main focus for both her and Christopher right now, so a government-led meeting like this was bound to matter."Got it. When and where?""Nine the morning after tomorrow, at the conference center in the city's tech park." Jasper added, "There'll be a lot of people there. Lincoln and Samantha are both going. Tania's on the guest list, too. It's basically an industry-wide event. A lot of companies will be there."Amelia frowned slightly."Alright. I got it."After they hung up, Amelia sat there for a moment, thinking. Then she called Christopher.He picked up almost immediately. In the past, he rarely answered her calls that quickly.His low vo
"Jasper, is all this putting a lot of pressure on you?" Winona asked.Jasper shook his head. "I just think if we're going to do this, we should do it right. I don't want you getting the short end of the deal.""Still, thank you." Winona looked at him. "For agreeing to help me, and for putting so much into this.""We're friends, aren't we?" Jasper smiled. "Friends help each other out."Winona thought about that. The more she did, the more his logic made sense. This really was more of a partnership than a relationship.She nodded. "Then I'll do my part, too.""Your part?"Jasper kept his eyes on the road, a faint smile on his lips. "I'll take care of the engagement. All you need to do is keep living your life the way you always have. Go out, have fun, do whatever you want. You don't have to feel tied down by any of this."Winona blinked. She hadn't expected him to say that."Even if you meet someone you like, you can still date him." Jasper's tone stayed calm. "This is just an
"She's so outstanding at such a young age."Evelyn blushed at the man's praises. She said softly, "You're too kind, sir. Julian is very outstanding, too.""Don't say that! I'm really not that good," Julian said gleefully as he took a step nearer to Evelyn.Heath arched a brow, surprised to see hi
Since Dorothy called her here, Nicole was certain Dorothy had something serious to talk about.Nicole dolled herself up and put on a white gown. It made her look elegant and poised, very much unlike her usual boyish style.She stood before Amelia in her heels, her eyes filled with disdain.She ha
Tania covered Megatech's financial losses for Nicole's sake. Megatech had indeed secured many outstanding projects since its establishment, but because of insufficient time, none of the projects had been completed.Nicole had a lapse of judgment in selecting her partners, which directly resulted
Quinn didn't forget to nod in Christopher's way and greet the latter before turning to Amelia and Jasper to make his intentions clear.Putting their aircrafts into operation would greatly increase the safety aspect of their operations. Many large-scale aviation companies were fighting to order airc







