Zane pinched the bridge of his nose. "The company's in chaos right now. Let's postpone personal matters. Cancel the meeting this weekend." Zora's face instantly fell. "Cancel? We agreed on this long ago! What will my parents think? Besides, what's the difference—sooner or later, you'll still be busy with work!" In Zora's view, this was just an excuse. Her eyes welled up with tears. "Tell me, are you still blaming me for the launch failure?" Her over-the-top reaction took him by surprise. Seeing her cry, Zane—already worn down and exhausted—softened. He reflected on himself. When he'd been at his most lost and cornered, Zora had been the one to bring light, supporting his survival within the Vance family. And now, because of one failed product launch, he was pushing her away. Maybe he was being too narrow-minded. He pulled her onto his lap, using two fingers to gently wipe her tears, and coaxed gently, "My attitude was wrong. I apologize. But the company really is facing serious problems." He showed her the resignation list. "Most of these people were veterans with over three years at the company. They've all gone to Stratagem. Combined with the success of their new product... I'm afraid Stratagem will soon become our most formidable competitor. "This weekend, I need to organize an executive strategy meeting. We must devise a detailed plan to win back the clients we've lost." Hearing he still wanted to call off the family meeting, Zora was still upset. But with him speaking so gently, she didn't dare push it. With guys, being too moody can make them annoyed. That night, Darcy walked home from work. Work had been intense lately, but everything was trending in a good direction. Her mood was light, her steps brisk—so much so that she didn't notice the Maybach lurking in the shadows. "Darcy." A low voice came from the darkness. Darcy instinctively turned. Zane pushed the car door open and walked toward her. The night was already dark; Zane wore a black suit and shirt even darker. His handsome face was etched with cold severity. Darcy wasn't surprised he'd come to confront her. She didn't stop SummitCore employees from applying to Stratagem. She just told HR and the tech heads to follow the usual rules. Meet the hiring requirements? Offer a fair salary. Don't meet them? Turn them down. She told her team, "We've done nothing wrong, so we have nothing to fear. Hiring openly and fairly leaves no room for criticism." Over two weeks, Stratagem had absorbed many former SummitCore employees. They were quick to adapt and significantly boosted delivery and R&D efficiency. Knowing Zane, a reckoning was inevitable. She wasn't afraid. She gave a mocking smile. "It's been a while, but seems you still love blocking people at night, Mr. Vance." Zane caught the mockery. His chest rose and fell once as he suppressed his anger. "Don't you think you're going too far? Poaching clients is one thing, but now you're poaching my employees!" Darcy scoffed, "Mr. Vance, watch your language. 'Poaching'? The clients contacted us seeking cooperation. The employees submitted their resumes voluntarily. A mutual agreement. That's not 'poaching'. "Besides, if SummitCore were capable, you could always 'poach' them back from us. I wouldn't mind." Zane's jaw clenched. He spoke through gritted teeth, "I never knew you had such a sharp tongue. All that sweet, gentle stuff you showed me before... it was just an act, right?"Hearing him bring up the past, Darcy closed her eyes for a moment. She'd been stupid back then, and every time she thought of it, she got mad at herself. She smiled thinly, self-mockingly. "Yes. It was all an act." Her true nature had never been that of a dutiful homemaker. She'd suppressed her real self for Zane. And look where it got her. She despised the person she used to be. But Zane misunderstood. He thought her words hinted at lingering feelings. He stepped forward, gripping her shoulders, the corners of his eyes turning red. "Darcy, I knew you hadn't forgotten me. Let the past be the past. Let's start over." He leaned in, his head dipping toward her lips. Slap! Zane's head snapped to the side. Darcy recoiled three steps, her face filled with disgust. "Darcy! You dare hit me?!" Zane was furious, disbelief mixing with rage as he touched his stinging, reddening cheek. No one had ever laid a finger on him—not even his parents. And now a woman had slapped him? Of course he was furious. Darcy's voice was icy. "A slap's letting you off easy. Touch me again, and I'll make sure you're totally ruined!" With that, she turned and walked into her apartment complex without looking back. After the anger subsided, a sharp, aching sorrow spread through her chest. How utterly stupid was I to have ever loved a man like that?! Zane stood there dazed for a long moment before finally coming to his senses. He got back into his car, started the engine, and drove straight to the Vance Manor.