Cindy huffed, "You seem awfully calm." Jethro, long legs crossed, hands resting casually on the armrests, simply smiled, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Of course I am. Darcy's far more capable than I even imagined." His gaze inadvertently met Darcy's on the stage. She gave him a slight nod and told him with her eyes not to worry—she had it. "Everyone," Darcy said, picking up the microphone again, her voice steady and unwavering. "Dr. Moss' claims are completely false. Allow me to address them point by point. "First, Dr. Moss claims we deliberately chose today to embarrass SummitCore. This is a baseless accusation. We set our launch date for today first." She pressed a button on her remote. The large screen displayed a screenshot—an internal product development timeline from Stratagem Tech, dated back in January, clearly showing the launch scheduled for today. A cold smile touched Darcy's lips. "In contrast, SummitCore's official announcement initially scheduled their launch for late March. They changed it to today later. The question of who is trying to embarrass whom should now be clear." From her seat in the back, Zora's face flushed with embarrassment. Those in the audience who had earlier doubted Darcy now realized they'd been manipulated. They shot disapproving, accusatory looks at Zora. Sitting beside her, Zane couldn't escape those judgmental stares either. He felt humiliated and exposed. Zora bit her lip, raising her voice to rebut. "Even if that's true, you still used backdoor connections to get the patent! You just wanted to see SummitCore fail!" Darcy's smile widened. "Dr. Moss, you're wrong again. And this time, completely off base. The patent was already in my possession. Why would I need 'backdoor connections'?" Zora was stunned. What did she mean by "already in her possession"? At that moment, a new image flashed onto the screen. A crisp, clear document. Everyone leaned forward to look. It was a patent certificate. Clearly printed on it—"Patent Name: Automated Yield Curve Model. Patent Holder: Darcy Gale." Boom. The hall erupted in shock. What?! Darcy is the patent holder?! But wasn't it with Prof. Reed at Quest University?! Darcy picked up the microphone to explain, her tone calm, "During my undergraduate years, I was fortunate to gain Prof. Reed's mentorship. Under his guidance, I completed the application for this patent."Another wave of astonishment swept through the room. Someone clapped and called out, "Ms. Gale, don't be humble. Filing such a high-quality patent as an undergrad? That's incredible!" Others joined in the good-natured teasing. "Yeah! Totally incredible!" Zora was frozen in her seat, her eyes glued to the image on the screen. No. Impossible! This has to be fake. How could the patent be hers? Why did Prof. Reed never mention it? Zane froze for a second, too shocked to speak. Then he couldn't look away from the woman on stage. His stare was mixed—full of shock, regret, and a sudden, sharp want. He used to think Darcy was just capable and obedient. Since their breakup, he realized he hadn't known her at all. An indescribable, suffocating pressure filled his chest. He stood up and headed for the door. "Zane," Zora called after him, biting her lip. "That picture—it might be fake." Zane turned, his voice icy. "Haven't you embarrassed us enough already?" He left without looking back. Zora went rigid, her face pale. The truth of the image no longer mattered. She scrambled to her feet and chased after him. After the launch came the reception. Everyone moved to the banquet hall, champagne flutes in hand, toasting Jethro and offering compliments to Darcy. To the praise, Darcy simply smiled modestly. "It's all thanks to Mr. Blackwood's leadership." The man beside her raised a brow. "Is that so? I wasn't aware." Darcy's cheeks warmed slightly. "You're too modest." Seeing her flustered, Jethro relented. He gestured toward a middle-aged man nearby. "That's Mr. Brooks from United Capital. Let's go toast him." Thinking of this, Darcy couldn't contain her curiosity. "Why did Mr. Brooks come today? United Capital should have already signed with SummitCore." That deal was her achievement. A glint flashed in Jethro's eyes. He pressed his lips together. "No idea. I just tossed him a casual invite. To my surprise, he accepted." Oh. So that's it. He came because he was accompanying his important client. That makes sense. The two walked over. Darcy extended her hand. "Hello, Mr. Brooks. I'm Darcy Gale. Do you remember me?" Malcolm smiled, "Of course I remember. Your eloquence and professional expertise are unforgettable." "Thank you for the praise." Darcy thought this would just be a brief, polite exchange. But then Malcolm's expression turned serious. "So United Capital would like to continue working with you, Ms. Gale. Would you consider us again?"