At the exact same moment, in two neighboring hotels, the product launches for Stratagem and SummitCore officially began. The scene at the SummitCore venue was a world apart. The grand hall was packed to the brim. As the new product features flashed across the massive screen, the clients in attendance were visibly impressed. "This is exactly what we need! We want to place a pre-order!" "Making a profit is so hard in the current market. With SummitCore's new product, I think our company's profits could double in the second half of the year!" "This product is a game-changer!" Watching the clients' heated discussions and rush to pre-order, Zora's eyes sparkled with triumph. She glanced down at the live stream dashboard. The viewer count was climbing sharply, and the chat was buzzing. She knew a good portion of the online viewers were paid for, but seeing the soaring numbers—and comparing them to Stratagem's stream, which couldn't even muster five viewers—made her lips curl into a smug smile. She leaned closer to Zane, lowering her voice. "The clients are very excited. Many of them want to place orders as soon as they hear the key innovations." Zane's expression softened. "Yes, I hear them. This is all thanks to you." Zora swelled with pride. "Totally. I've been pulling all-nighters like it's nothing. So... how do you plan to reward me? And don't try to brush me off with a 'vacation.'" "What do you want?" Zora's eyes gleamed. "My mom mentioned she's spoken with your mom. They think once the launch is over, our families should meet. What do you think?" A meeting to discuss an engagement.Zane understood her meaning perfectly. He had thought it was too rushed. Getting engaged after only reuniting for a few months seemed impulsive. Of course, a bigger part of it was that he still couldn't let go of someone else. But he had witnessed everything Zora had done for the company these past months. Today's launch was a success beyond his expectations. "Alright," Zane said after a moment's thought. "We'll do it your way. Next weekend, our families can meet." Zora's eyes lit up instantly. She ducked her head, shy. "Okay. Whatever you say." On stage, Lucian's smooth voice continued. He was handsome and charismatic, and the live stream chat was already filling with comments about his looks. Zora felt another rush of pride. A guy like Lucian, and he's totally wrapped around my finger. He does whatever I say.Just then, Zane's phone vibrated. He answered it, and his expression changed instantly. Hanging up, Zora hurriedly asked, "What's wrong?" Zane's eyes darkened. "United Capital's assistant says they can't make it." United Capital was SummitCore's biggest client up north—the one Darcy locked in right before she left. But after they agreed to the initial deal, both parties have been going through the requirements communication process and haven't signed the procurement contract yet. Every time Zane asked about it, the other side would say it was because of their internal bidding process. For today's launch, Zane had invited several key clients to publicly endorse SummitCore. Aside from some local firms, United Capital had the widest national recognition. He had hoped their presence would attract more clients, showcasing SummitCore's credibility.And now, at the last minute, they'd backed out. "It's fine if they don't come," Zora said dismissively. "For the client appreciation segment, I'll just slot in another client. It's their loss. Plenty of other clients are lining up to support us." Zane sighed. At this point, that was the only option. Meanwhile, at the other venue— Though the hall was sparse and the online viewer count pitifully low, Darcy gave the presentation her absolute all. She began by thanking the audience, both in-person and online, for their unwavering support. She even joked, "Everyone who showed up today just hit the jackpot. Stratagem Tech's real ace is coming up later. Prepare to be amazed." Her remark earned a genuine round of applause from the small crowd. Then, Darcy officially began introducing the new product.When she reached the product's most significant highlight—the Automated Yield Curve Model—she deliberately paused for suspense. "I know many of you are curious about how we obtained the rights to this patent. Don't worry, I'll explain during the Q&A session." The audience smiled, intrigued. Soon, everyone got totally wrapped up in Darcy's explanation. A lot of them could feel their excitement revving up. This product's so amazing! It could totally change the whole FinTech industry! This is a once-in-a-lifetime innovation! Who led the design? Gotta ask that during the Q&A! The first part of the presentation concluded swiftly. Darcy bowed with a smile, thanking everyone once more. Suddenly, her gaze inadvertently met someone's in the first row. The man sat in a corner of the front row, slightly shrouded in shadow. His broad hands were clapping steadily. His handsome, gentle features were filled with unmistakable appreciation for her. Darcy froze for a second. He mouthed a word at her. It took her a moment to decipher it. "Brilliant."