The entire situation was now being pinned on Chloe. Had the partnership with Myers Group moved forward and the promised 500 million in collaboration funds materialized, it might have alleviated the current crisis. Instead, Chloe had outright excluded Myers Group from consideration. Without signing the contract with them, Lewis Group would lose access to Myers' capital injection, pushing the company dangerously close to collapse. Myers Group had demonstrated considerable goodwill by offering two billion in collaboration funds. What on earth was going through that woman's head? Gordon grew increasingly concerned about Lewis Group's stability. He made a move to step in, but another shareholder held him back. Frustrated, he spun on his heel, deciding there was no point in staying any longer. He had no desire to witness Lewis Group become the laughingstock of the business world. "Ms. Lewis, time is of the essence. Lewis Group's future is at stake—this isn't some game you can play on a whim," one of the shareholders spoke up, his tone edged with impatience. Another added, "We understand you're young and prone to acting on emotion. But Myers Group has shown real sincerity. You can't gamble with the fate of this company just because of some personal disagreement with Mr. Myers!" One by one, the shareholders voiced their objections, each comment layered with disapproval for what they saw as Chloe's reckless stubbornness. "Chloe, a friendly reminder—you have fifteen seconds until the negotiation window closes." Ernesto's calm, low voice cut through the tension from where he stood near the edge of the room. His words seemed to darken the mood even further. Fifteen seconds—could anything change in that time? It seemed impossible. Ernesto leaned back lazily, arms crossed, and began counting down with an almost theatrical air. "Ten... nine..." As the numbers dropped, Chloe remained seated, her expression unreadable, almost serene. Arthur, on the other hand, grew more anxious by the second. He noticed several Lewis Group shareholders watching with thinly veiled satisfaction, as though waiting for the inevitable collapse. If Chloe failed to sign the agreement before time ran out, she would face not only their criticism but a formal challenge to her leadership. She had only recently been appointed VP of Lewis Group and lacked extensive management experience. Arthur knew she could handle the gossip and the sidelong glances, but recklessness with the company's future was another matter entirely.Even if she resented him, even if she wanted to minimize dealings with Myers Group, this was not the moment to let personal feelings rule. A single signature from her now would secure the two-billion-dollar infusion from Myers Group—and with it, the power to silence every critic in the room. "Chloe, just sign it," Arthur urged quietly, sliding the pre-prepared agreement across the table. "I'll assign an agent to handle all future communications between our companies. If you'd prefer not to see me, I'll keep my distance." He paused, then added almost pleadingly, "Chloe, this isn't the time to be stubborn." "Stubborn?" The word seemed to amuse her. "That might just be the funniest thing I've heard all year." Arthur froze, his expression blank. "You still don't get it, do you, Arthur?" Chloe's smile was tight, controlled. She had been holding back—otherwise, she might have slapped him right then and there. "Three..." Ernesto's voice returned, cool and final. "Chloe, time's up. It's over. Let's end this farce." Just as the final second seemed to slip away, a clear voice interrupted from the doorway. "My apologies for the interruption!" All eyes turned toward the entrance. Even Ernesto halted his count and looked up. There in the doorway stood Landon, dressed in an impeccably tailored suit. He held the glass door open with one hand and gestured with the other. "Sorry—we were held up waiting on a call. We're late." A wave of confusion passed through the room. Wasn't Landon the representative of Cosmos Group? What was he doing here? And why show up at this critical moment? Before anyone could voice the questions aloud, Landon gracefully pushed the door wider and made a polite, inviting gesture. An older man, hair silvered at the temples, entered slowly, leaning on an elegant cane. It took only a moment before someone recognized him. "That's Lawrence!" "You mean Lawrence Crowley, the former Chief Agent of Cosmos Group? I thought he'd retired years ago. What's he doing here?" As murmurs rippled through the assembly, the significance of the moment began to dawn on them. Anyone active in the business scene knew the name Lawrence—and understood the weight his presence carried.