However, after waiting for quite some time, the expected scene never unfolded. In fact, neither Spencer and Nancy showed even the slightest hint of panic! What was going on? Zane suddenly had a sinking feeling. It was an all-too-familiar sensation, one that made him uneasy! Maris and Stephen exchanged puzzled glances with him. Why were their reactions so completely different from what they had anticipated? Just then, Nancy suddenly smiled. The sight of it made Zane and the others even more uneasy. Why did it feel as though Nancy had been waiting for this moment all along? No! Impossible! Walker Group and the Seacity government had been mutually dependent on each other for decades. Their cooperation had started in the previous generation. Aside from recent events, their partnership had always been stable. Even though Stephen had taken his share of benefits from it at times, Walker Group had never voiced any objections. It was impossible for Walker Group to have found enough major contracts to sustain itself in such a short time. They had never received any news about it either! And yet, despite this, neither Nancy nor Spencer showed the slightest concern! Nancy glanced at the people around her, her lips still curled into a satisfied smile. "Since Mr. Maris has voluntarily chosen to terminate all contracts, Walker Group has no choice but to accept." She paused before continuing, "I've already notified my company to calculate the government’s breach of contract penalties as quickly as possible. By tomorrow, we should have the exact amount ready for you, Mr. Maris." The crowd was stunned! "Breach of contract penalties?" Stephen’s face paled in shock!! "Are you serious about terminating all contracts?!" Nancy raised an eyebrow. "What else?" She had been waiting for him to say that this way, she could still make a fortune before the contracts were severed. Spencer glanced at Nancy in surprise. At that moment, he finally understood her intentions. No wonder she had stopped him from speaking earlier, subtly signalling him to hold back. So this had been her plan all along. He couldn’t help but give Nancy a discreet nod of approval! The Yarbrough family were in disbelief. They had never expected Walker Group to actually go through with severing all government ties! Sure, they hadn't secured that major contract, but the smaller projects though not particularly profitable were still enough to keep Walker Group running. If they truly cut off all cooperation, Walker Group might not last six months before facing bankruptcy. For a business, the most terrifying prospect was having no projects and no clients! Their earlier threats had only been meant to intimidate Spencer and Nancy, to force them into submission! But Stephen had made his declaration in front of so many people. If he wanted to backtrack now… The breach of contract penalties alone would be an astronomical sum! The worst part was, if Stephen truly forced the government to pay such a large amount due to his personal grudge, his own position would be… After all, he was merely a government employee, overseeing important projects. The Seacity government wasn’t his personal domain. While he had the authority to decide which companies to work with, he certainly didn’t have the power to order the government to pay such a massive penalty! Especially over personal matters! Stephen studied Nancy’s expression closely, searching for any sign of hesitation. But after staring at her for a long while, all he saw was indifference. There wasn’t the slightest trace of worry over losing government contracts. In the end, Stephen couldn't hold back anymore. Hesitating, he lowered his voice and asked, "Ms. Nancy, are you serious?" His tone had noticeably lost its earlier arrogance. Nancy raised an eyebrow. Now he was afraid? Feigning helplessness, she let out a sigh and played the role of a distressed woman oppressed by authority. " Mr. Stephen, you announced in front of all these people that you were terminating all contracts with Walker Group. They say that commoners can't fight against officials. I’m just a powerless woman, what else can I do?" Stephen: "..." Commoners can't fight against officials? Had she forgotten that she wasn’t just the head of Walker Group but also the wife of Spencer!! A government official’s wife, publicly claiming she was powerless against officials? Was she serious? Stephen took a deep breath, struggling to suppress his rising fury. Nancy knew exactly how to push the limits. She was clearly testing him, waiting for the slightest sign of hesitation so she could press her advantage and humiliate him further. He never imagined that the usually composed and well-mannered Nancy could be so cunning in moments like these.