Lance had been rejected again and again. Now, he was seething with anger, his face dark and stern. His already harsh features seemed even more rigid, exuding a cold, cruel aura. "The Johnstons can step in to help the Fullers clean up the mess they made in Halton. If the price isn't right, Johnston Enterprise can always adjust it." This was the greatest concession he was willing to make. The Fullers' complete lack of cooperation sparked a quiet fury within Lance. Annie didn't respond to the offer, clearly uninterested in the concession Lance had made. Michael couldn't help but feel a pang of concern for Annie. He discreetly glanced up at Lance. Lance's face grew even darker. Addison raised an eyebrow. Seeing Lance, who typically kept his emotions in check, show such a clear expression, it was evident that his patience had worn thin. Michael quickly intervened, trying to ease the tension. "Mr. Johnston ... the Fullers would be happy to collaborate on future projects." Lance said nothing. Seeing Lance's expression, Michael was completely puzzled. With a sigh, he sat back down, still unsure of how to respond. Annie, on the other hand, noticed Lance's mood but remained unmoved. Her face stayed composed, a subtle smile lingering on her lips. While Michael seemed uneasy, her calm and unbothered demeanor was almost unsettling. Watching Annie remain so composed, Addison couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration. There was likely no one else in all of Halton who could face Lance with such unwavering calm. As expected from a Daves. A sense of pride stirred unexpectedly within Addison. And so, once again, Lance and Annie were locked in a silent standoff, the room enveloped in an almost oppressive quiet. The silence was so overwhelming that Addison couldn't help but yawn. The moment the sound escaped her, she quickly remembered her current situation and hastily covered her mouth with her hand. Minutes passed, and the silence persisted. Addison could feel her calves starting to ache, and she wondered if she could keep standing any longer. If she didn't sit down soon, her legs might give out. Maybe it was time to discreetly slip out? The pain in her legs was becoming almost unbearable. She glanced at the three people nearby, then shifted her gaze to the bodyguards, carefully weighing the possibility of slipping away unnoticed. It seems feasible ... Addison cautiously began to take a step. However, before she could get very far, a sound caught her attention—the scraping of chairs being pushed back. She quickly pulled her leg back, frowning as she looked toward the source of the noise. There, she saw Lance getting to his feet. "Mr. Johnston, are you leaving?" Michael asked quickly when he saw Lance stand up. Lance didn't respond to him. Without a word, he started walking toward the door. However, as he neared the exit, he was clearly blocked by the line of bodyguards that had surrounded the room, making it impossible for him to pass. These bodyguards were specifically trained by the Fullers, and without Annie's command, it was clear they wouldn't budge. Lance came to a stop just before the bodyguards. His striking face was now magnified in Addison's view, and she could see his deep furrow. The proximity triggered a surge of discomfort, and Addison instinctively shrank back, subconsciously trying to make herself less noticeable. Fortunately, the Fullers' bodyguards were all tall and imposing, standing so close that they effectively concealed her, leaving her completely out of sight. Feeling secure, Addison cautiously looked through the gaps between the bodyguards, her gaze falling on Lance. His eyes were as dark as polished onyx, deep and chilling in their intensity. At the same time, Michael noticed Lance being blocked and quickly called out to the bodyguards, "What are you doing? Clear the way for Mr. Johnston. Can't you see he's trying to leave?"Lance, this towering figure, had finally decided to leave, and yet none of them budged, only adding to his frustration. It was so inconsiderate! Upon hearing Michael's voice, the lead bodyguard hesitated, glancing at Annie for guidance. Once she gave her approval, he signaled for the others to step aside. The rest of the bodyguards quickly followed, clearing a path for Lance to exit. "Mr. Johnston, please take care. If you have any other projects, we welcome you to come to the Johnstons again," Michael said, walking up beside Lance and gesturing for him to pass with a polite, sweeping motion. Clearly, while he was saying they'd welcome him, his body language told a different story—he was eager for Lance to leave as soon as possible. As the bodyguards in front stepped aside, Addison pursed her lips and quickly moved to the side as well, making way for Lance. Lance's face darkened as he took another step, getting closer to Addison. Addison instinctively held her breath, her heartbeat echoing in her ears. If Lance noticed her here, so close to Michael, his jealous nature would surely lead him to think there was something between them. Considering Lance's obsession with his own image and already being in a foul mood, he wouldn't hesitate to make a scene if he suspected anything. She worried that Michael might not be able to withstand the pressure from Lance and end up revealing her identity as Dr. Nancy, which would only make things worse. So, she did her best to remain unnoticed by Lance. Perhaps because of his intense anger, Lance strode out the door without sparing a glance at the bodyguards on either side. Once Lance had completely disappeared from view, Addison finally relaxed. Once she was sure Lance had left, Addison bent down to massage her sore legs. "Dr. Nancy?" Michael, having seen Lance off and returned upstairs, spotted Addison half-bent over. Addison looked up at the sound of her name and straightened up. "You're really Dr. Nancy," Michael said, recognizing her face. "What are you doing standing here all by yourself?" Addison looked a bit embarrassed. "Well ... it's a long story.""Wait, you've been standing here the whole time?" Michael suddenly realized something was off. Addison nodded. Michael froze for a moment, his mind racing. Due to the pressure from Lance, his performance had been far from ideal, and now Nancy had witnessed the whole thing ... He couldn't help but sighed. Annie, hearing Michael's voice, widened her eyes and took a good look before spotting Addison's figure. "Ms. Daves, weren't you supposed to leave earlier? What are you doing here?" Annie asked, clearly puzzled. Addison winced slightly from the pain in her legs but walked over to the table and sat down, pulling out a chair. "I felt the Fullers were in a tough spot, and we have a business relationship, so it didn't seem right to just walk away," Addison answered honestly. Michael's eyes brightened with admiration. "I didn't realize Dr. Nancy to be so loyal!" Addison quickly shook her head. "It's not really about loyalty." She understood that in business, any cooperation or help was usually driven by mutual interests. "If Lance really gets angry, he's not someone easy to deal with. I'm just afraid that something else might happen to you, Mr. Fuller," Addison said, looking at Michael. "But now that Lance has already left, there's no reason for me to stay any longer," she added, then turned to Annie. "Don't worry, I'll make sure to do my best with the Acygine project." Annie nodded repeatedly.