"Please, you start," Lance finally said after a moment of contemplation. Addison skipped any formalities. "Fine, since you insist, I'll begin," she replied. She gathered her thoughts, ready to delve into the details, but Lance cut her off abruptly. "Addison." Hearing her name made Addison raise an eyebrow. "I thought you wanted me to start? Or have you changed your mind, Mr. Johnston? No problem, you go ahead." "Could you not call me Mr. Johnston?" There was a low undertone in Lance's voice, pressure that Addison had become familiar with over their three years together. "Why not?" Addison remained composed. "Why should you? We don't have anything to do with each other anymore. If not for your family's business, I wouldn't be talking to you," Addison's response was straightforward, devoid of any diplomacy. There was a pause. "Mr. Johnston, are you still there?" Addison asked, unsure of his mood as silence fell. Finally, Lance's voice returned, sounding somewhat resigned. "I'm here. Continue." "Okay," Addison nodded, though Lance could not see this. Her voice remained steady, unaffected by any emotional undercurrents from him. "I need to discuss the security project involving the Fullers with you." Lance took a moment before replying, "What does the Fullers's Acygine project have to do with us?" Addison cut straight to the chase, "There's no need for pretense, Mr. Johnston. You know exactly what you've done to the Fullers." "And what have I done?" There was a playful tone in Lance's question. "Don't play dumb.You manipulated the Fullers' financial channels, didn't you? You aim to force them to abandon the project and partner with you, correct?" Addison was direct, not sparing any details. Lance's expression was unreadable as he stared out the window. Addison's accusations were correct; he had indeed severed the Fullers's financial ties, aiming to corner them into a partnership with his company.Now, things had taken a turn. Addison revealed herself as Dr. Nancy's assistant. Ever since Lance learned this, he could not help but regard Addison with a newfound respect and curiosity. This revelation shifted his strategy. He decided against pressuring the Fullers any further. Given Addison's role as Dr. Nancy's assistant, the Fullers' issues seemed trivial by comparison. He was a businessman, after all, always aiming to prioritize the company's benefits. Calculating gains and avoiding losses were instincts ingrained in every successful entrepreneur. Hearing Addison's firm stance, Lance was intrigued, "How could I possibly manipulate the Fullers' finances? That's beyond my capacity." Lance's denial was firm. Addison, exasperated, responded, "Mr. Johnston, are you seriously refusing to admit it? Are you avoiding responsibility? In Halton, who else but the Johnstons could easily disrupt the Fullers' financial network?" Lance just smiled, offering no reply. "If you're going to be like this, Mr. Johnston, I see no point in continuing our conversation," Addison said, her frustration evident. "I actually have something I need to discuss with you," Lance said, detecting her irritation. "Why didn't you tell me you were Dr. Nancy's assistant? When did you start? How long have you been keeping this from the Johnstons?" Lance's curiosity was piqued ever since he discovered her secret. What other secrets are you keeping from me? he pondered silently, not voicing it aloud. Addison felt bombarded by his questions, further fueling her frustration. "My role as Dr. Nancy's assistant involves confidential matters that aren't meant to be public knowledge," she explained, her patience wearing thin yet still needing Lance's cooperation, "The fact that you know now was unintentional, so please keep it to yourself." "Confidential? You're part of the Johnstons. How can you claim it shouldn't be disclosed?" Lance's skepticism was apparent, his tone soft yet insistent. Addison had always been devoted to the Johnstons, serving them loyally. Lance could not fathom why Addison would withhold such information unless she was explicitly instructed to. After a brief pause, Addison countered, "Just because I'm a Johnston doesn't mean I forfeit all rights to privacy." Was her allegiance to the Johnstons supposed to negate any personal boundaries? What made Lance believe that internal affairs were not kept just as private within the company? Addison could not help but chuckle at the situation. Wasn't the golden rule clear enough, or was Lance simply oblivious to such basic etiquette? "I never said you couldn't maintain some privacy," Lance responded, noting the doubt in Addison's tone and attempting to soften his approach. However, Addison was no longer interested in continuing the conversation. The call ended abruptly with the sound of a disconnected line. Lance stared at the disconnected call, baffled. It had been years since anyone dared to hang up on him so abruptly. ... The following morning, Addison rose from her bed. Following her usual routine, she washed up and typically checked the latest medical updates and literature during breakfast. She picked up her phone as usual, but her expression soon turned to one of annoyance, diminishing her appetite for the breakfast she had just prepared. On her phone's notification screen was a message without a name. "Are you awake?" Even without a name, she knew immediately—it was from Lance. What was Lance thinking? Was he trying to provoke her? Addison set her phone down, pushing aside her breakfast. Before she could fully pull away, another message arrived. "Do you have time today? Can we meet and talk? "If it's too much trouble, I can come to Pendomium Heights." Yesterday, when she was open to discussion, Lance had been uncooperative. Now, he wanted to visit her at Pendomium Heights? Why had he not considered that before? "No need," Addison quickly replied. Lance, sitting in his car reading her response, just smirked. He was not deterred by her refusal. As long as Addison responded instead of ignoring him, he saw it as an opportunity to continue negotiating. With confidence, he texted back, "I will reinstate the Fullers' financial resources." Addison paused, taken aback by his message. Then another text appeared, "As long as you agree to meet with me in person." She pondered her options carefully. Lance, sensing she needed time to think, patiently awaited her decision without pushing further. He was resolved to achieve a favorable outcome. About 15 minutes later, Addison finally responded with a simple word, "Okay."