As Arthur spoke, an undeniable sense of authority radiated from him, sending a jolt through Stanley and everyone else in the room. Was this really just some random high school kid? No—he carried himself like someone who had already conquered the business world. Zion and Cindy tried to protest, but before they could get another word out, Stanley motioned for security. The guards stepped in and dragged them away without hesitation. Stanley knew this was just the beginning. Arthur was about to put his plans into motion. Once Zion and Cindy were dealt with, Stanley headed straight for the chairman’s office. This office had once been his, but now it belonged to Arthur. He had already cleared out his things yesterday and had even made sure to stock the office with everyday essentials. Arthur might still be in school and wouldn’t be around often, but Stanley wanted to make sure that whenever he was here, he had everything he needed. He had made his decision to follow Arthur, and from now on, he would fully dedicate himself to supporting him. Arthur appreciated that. As soon as he stepped into the office, he went straight to the computer. A major opportunity was on the horizon—one with huge potential. If he could land this project and see it through, Cloudia Corporation’s market value would double overnight. And right now, his top priority was using his knowledge from his past life to create the perfect proposal—fast. Stanley’s eyes widened when he saw what Arthur was working on. A high school kid… making business proposals? And it wasn’t just decent—it was near perfect. But what truly shocked him was the project Arthur was aiming for. He had thought about pursuing that project before, but it was way too big. Their company simply didn’t have the resources to compete for it. As someone who had spent years in the corporate world, Stanley knew exactly what landing this deal would mean. He couldn’t help but warn Arthur, "Mr. Gray, this project is massive. With our company’s current standing, I’m not sure we can—" He didn’t finish, but Arthur already understood. His fingers didn’t stop typing as he replied, "Relax. I know what I’m doing." In his past life, he had followed this project closely. He knew its lowest possible price and the exact strategy to squeeze the most profit out of it. The only thing that really mattered was having a flawless proposal. As long as he recreated the perfect plan from his past life, sealing this deal would be a sure thing. After hearing Arthur’s words, Stanley’s confidence soared. It was almost funny—he was pushing fifty, yet he found himself trusting and admiring a sixteen-year-old. If someone had told him this before, he would have laughed in their face. Arthur spent the entire day in the office. For hours, he fine-tuned his proposal while bouncing ideas off Stanley. And in just one day of working together, Stanley was blown away by Arthur’s fearless decision-making. His sharp judgment, the way he tackled problems with such ruthless efficiency—how was this kid still in high school? Even with decades of business experience under his belt, Stanley still felt outmatched. Arthur had once again redefined the way Stanley saw him. The next day. Arthur spent his break keeping tabs on the project bidding. He had already handed things off to Stanley. Their proposal was the best fit for the project, and Stanley had made all the right connections to smooth things over. There shouldn’t be a problem. But this was a huge bid. Cloudia Corporation’s future was riding on it. No matter how well-prepared he was, he still felt a little anxious. Just as he was deep in thought, someone suddenly snatched his phone. Arthur’s instincts kicked in, and he nearly lunged to grab it back—until he heard a sweet, teasing voice. "Arthur, what are you so focused on? You look completely lost in it.""Ashley? What are you doing here?" Arthur glanced around, and sure enough, everyone was staring. South High’s most gorgeous campus queen? She was drop-dead beautiful—the kind of girl people couldn’t take their eyes off. And she had come looking for Arthur. That guy? Arthur had been cut off from the Gray family. He had nothing now. Just another broke high school kid trying to make it on his own. What made him worthy of Ashley? Ashley completely ignored the looks people were giving her. She smiled at Arthur, eyes full of amusement. "I came to see you," she said casually. She made no effort to step back. If anything, it felt like she was doing this on purpose—standing close to Arthur in front of all these people just to make a statement. And Ashley wasn’t just any girl. She was the Ashley—South High’s undisputed queen. Arthur didn’t like how many eyes were on her. Without thinking twice, he got up, grabbed her hand, and pulled her toward the door. Ashley tilted her head. "Where are we going?" Arthur looked a little stiff as he muttered, "I don’t want them all staring at you." "Oh?" Ashley let out a soft laugh.