Chapter 3

At noon, I skipped work and headed straight to the city's Intellectual Property Office.

After two hours of searching, I found the information I needed. All seven patent licensing agreements listed Eveningstar Technologies as the contracting party. However, under the patent owner field, a name was clearly written: Kit Pearson.

This meant only one thing—Eveningstar Technologies had the right to use the patents, but the patents themselves belonged to me.

Back then, the agreement Danica got me to sign merely granted Eveningstar Technologies a license to use my technology.

Buried in the contract was a clause that stated: "The patent holder reserves the right to terminate the license agreement at any time."

I hadn't even read it when I signed, but now, that clause was the strongest card in my hand. The moment I terminated the license, every product line under Eveningstar Technologies would lose its technical foundation overnight.

$9 million a year in royalty revenue? They wouldn't see another cent.

That afternoon, I went to a law firm and found an intellectual property attorney named Natalie Foster.

"Ms. Foster, if I want to terminate a patent licensing agreement, what procedures do I need to follow?"

After reviewing the contract, she nodded. "According to Section 11, the patent holder may terminate the licensing relationship by providing 60 days' written notice. The other party has no right to reject the termination."

"In other words, if I send a legal notice, the company won't be able to use my patents after 60 days?"

"That's correct."

"Good."

I drafted the notice but didn't send it immediately. I wanted every piece in place before I made my move.

After leaving the law firm, I stopped by an electronics store to buy a professional digital recorder. It was no bigger than my palm and could record continuously for 72 hours.

When I got home, I slipped it into my shirt pocket.

From that day forward, I intended to record every word Danica and Kevin said. The more arrogant they became, the better it would play in court later.

I didn't make a scene, and I went to work as usual and came home as usual. I never mentioned the new bank card again.

She thought I'd backed down. On the fifth day, she tested me.

"Honey, have you finally come to your senses about that bank account?"

I sat on the couch watching television without even looking up. "Yeah. You were right. I don't understand business. Why was I bothering with something I know nothing about?"

She sighed in relief. Smiling, she sat down beside me. "That's more like it. Just focus on your technology and leave everything else to me."

I smiled but said nothing.

A moment later, she picked up her phone and walked out onto the balcony.

I listened carefully.

"Mmm... don't worry. He hasn't done anything... Yeah, he's just a nerd. Scare him a little, and he falls right back in line..."

The wind carried fragments of her voice inside.

"When are you coming back from your trip? I miss you..."

My grip tightened around the remote until my knuckles turned white, but my face revealed nothing.

Inside my pocket, the recorder continued running silently.