After Ryan pulled out a chair for Addison, he sat down beside her. The room was faintly filled with a delicate, calming fragrance. The soothing aroma lingered, creating a tranquil and pleasant atmosphere. Once they were both seated, Michael finally raised his gaze to carefully observe Addison. Previously, any collaboration with Acygine had always been handled by Michael's grandmother. As such, Michael had never met the famed and highly skilled pharmacology expert himself. Before today, he had assumed this globally renowned pharmacology Ph.D. must be quite elderly. He thought that Addison would be at least over 50. However, seeing her now, he was taken aback by how young she was. And beautiful. Though he wasn't one to comment on appearances, his first glance at Dr. Nancy left him momentarily captivated by her clean and elegant features. Her refined, makeup-free face carried a natural charm, perhaps because she had been working in the lab earlier and hadn't had the opportunity to apply makeup. Coupled with her poised demeanor, she sat there like a lotus untouched by the mundane world. She looked pure and serene, exuding an almost ethereal elegance that filled the room with its own fragrance. Michael couldn't discern whether the scent came from the room or her. Ryan noticed Michael's lingering gaze and frowned slightly. "Mr. Fuller." His tone was low but clear. It was a deliberate reminder. Michael snapped out of his thoughts. Meeting Ryan's sharp eyes, he realized his lapse in decorum. Then, he awkwardly cleared his throat to mask his embarrassment. To cover up further, Michael poured Addison a cup of tea. "I wasn't sure about your preferences, so I ordered a variety of dishes. I hope you'll find them to your liking." Addison nodded graciously. She hadn't noticed Michael spacing out earlier. "Thank you. I'm not a picky eater." She paused before raising her eyes slightly. "Have you prepared the contract?""It's ready. I'll have it brought over for you to review," Michael replied. Addison nodded again, picking up the teapot as if to pour tea for Ryan, but Michael quickly intervened. "Allow me." He took the initiative to fill Ryan's cup, then motioned to the waiter by the door. The waiter promptly bowed and exited the room. "The contract will be here shortly," Michael said with a polite smile. "In the meantime, let's start with the dishes." A procession of servers entered the room, each carrying exquisitely prepared dishes. They placed the dishes on the table with practiced precision before exiting in an orderly line. Throughout this, Michael felt the weight of an unwavering gaze fixed on him. Looking up, he found it was none other than Ryan staring at him intently. Is there something on my face? Michael wondered and unconsciously touched his cheek. Finding nothing, his confusion grew. "Doctor, may I ask your assistant's last name?" Michael asked, sensing something odd in the way the assistant was looking at him. "His last name is—" Addison began, but Ryan cut her off curtly. "Zimmer. Ryan Zimmer." Michael raised an eyebrow and smiled politely. "Mr. Zimmer, I look forward to working with you on the Acygine project." He extended his hand in a gesture of goodwill. Ryan did not reciprocate. Instead, he offered a cold nod, ignoring the hand extended toward him. Michael blinked but didn't let his expression falter. Years in the business world had taught him resilience, and he'd long since learned not to let such moments faze him. He raised his hand slightly higher, but Ryan's expression remained impassive. Left with no other option, Michael withdrew his hand, concealing his awkwardness with a calm demeanor. Addison cast a brief glance at Ryan, sensing a peculiar tension in the room. Yet, she couldn't quite pinpoint what felt so off. The strange atmosphere was broken by a knock at the door. A man in a suit entered briskly. "Mr. Fuller, the contract is ready."Michael nodded, taking the document from him. "You may go." The man hesitated, as though struggling with whether to speak further. Michael raised an eyebrow. "Why are you still here? Do you have something to say?" Addison, hearing the commotion, looked up briefly. The man at the door seemed uneasy as if grappling with something. Deciding it wasn't her concern, Addison lowered her gaze again. "Speak up if you have something to say. Don't just stand there—can't you see I have important guests?" Michael's tone grew impatient. "There's ... Mr. Johnston is at the door," the man finally said. "Mr. Johnston?" Michael frowned. "Which Mr. Johnston?" Addison's eyes flicked upward. Could it be Lance? "The CEO of Johnston Enterprise, Lance," the man clarified. So it was Lance. What could he possibly want with Michael? Addison's eyes narrowed slightly. "What does he want? Can't he see I'm busy with guests? Tell him to come back tomorrow—I don't have time right now," Michael said dismissively. The Johnstons were a dominant force in Halton, an unshakable power at the very top of the elite social hierarchy. No company in the city dared challenge them, and the Fullers were no exception. Between offending the Johnstons and finalizing the deal with Dr. Nancy, the latter seemed more critical at the moment. He decided that he would find time to explain to the Johnstons later. "Mr. Johnston has been waiting outside for quite some time," the man added hesitantly. "He seemed quite insistent." Addison blinked. It wasn't every day she heard of Lance being turned away. Still, she had no interest in why Lance was here or what he intended to do. Turning her gaze, she glanced at Ryan.She noticed that his tea remained untouched. "You don't like tea? They probably have wine. I can ask Mr. Fuller to open a bottle for you. "I liked drinking tea since I was young and had ordered tea in advance. I apologize for forgetting to ask what you might prefer," Addison said. Ryan's gaze softened as he waved his hand. "No, tea is fine. There's no need to change anything." He hadn't touched his tea because Michael had poured it, and the idea of drinking it didn't sit well with him. Since Addison had mentioned it, he reluctantly picked up the cup and downed it in one gulp as if it were poison. "If you have other matters to attend to, feel free to handle them. I don't mind," Addison said to Michael, her tone as understanding as ever. Michael chuckled. "No, no, nothing is more important than this. Everything else can wait." Addison offered no further comment. Michael waved dismissively at the man by the door. "Tell him to come back tomorrow. I can't step away right now." He sighed inwardly, frustrated by his rotten luck. Of all times, the Johnstons had to show up now. There was no way to avoid offending one party today. The man nodded without further argument and quietly left the room. Michael watched him go, then turned back and cleared his throat. He picked up the contract and handed it to Addison. "Take a look at this. If everything seems fine, you can go ahead and sign it." Ryan stood, taking the contract from Michael's hand and passing it to Addison. Before she could even flip it open, a unique ringtone suddenly chimed, breaking the silence. Addison didn't need to glance at her phone to know who it was—Keith. She looked up at Michael. "I'm sorry, but I need to take this call. I'll review the contract in a moment." Michael nodded, extending an arm toward the door. "Please, take your time." Addison rose and stepped out to answer her call, leaving Michael and Ryan alone in the private room. For a moment, silence settled heavily between the two men.