Cindy's impatience was palpable even from a distance. Darcy waved to her briefly before heading back to her seat. She was surprised to find the previously empty seat beside her now occupied. She looked up. It was Lucian. Seeing Darcy next to him, Lucian also seemed momentarily caught off guard, clearly not expecting her to be here today. Darcy gave him a slight, polite nod of acknowledgment, then subtly took in his appearance. Lucian was dressed sharply today—classic business suit, hair styled back with wax, every detail on point, and his face looked good. Weird. Watching the girl you like marry someone else—shouldn't you be wrecked? How do you still have the mood to spruce yourself up? It didn't make sense to Darcy. Maybe her stare was too obvious. Lucian turned and caught her in the act. Darcy immediately averted her eyes, feeling self-conscious. Lucian didn't seem bothered. Instead, he stood up and poured her a glass of water. "I'm surprised to see you here. Given how much you dislike the happy couple, I wouldn't have thought you'd subject yourself to this." Darcy took the glass. "Thank you." The current Lucian was a paradox to her. Ever since learning he was Zora's accomplice, her only strategy had been to keep her distance. So, she offered a flimsy excuse. "Networking. Meeting potential clients." It was a poor justification, but she couldn't think of a better one on the spot. Lucian paused, knowing she was brushing him off.He chuckled, playing along. "Always the professional, Ms. Gale. All the Aethelburg elites are here—prime time to pitch. "By the way, I heard Stratagem Tech just landed Aethelburg Bank as a big client. Didn't get the chance to congratulate you." Darcy's hand, holding the water glass, stilled. She frowned. "The contract isn't signed yet, and the bank hasn't made any public announcement. How did you know about our collaboration?" Lucian fell silent for a beat, then lightly tapped his own temple. "Slipped my mind. I had dinner with Mr. Winston's assistant a few days ago. They mentioned it and told me to keep it quiet. I slipped. Don't worry—only I know. I didn't tell anyone." Darcy was skeptical, believing him only halfway. Lucian's grip on his own glass tightened imperceptibly. He was a man who planned every move, and Darcy's guarded demeanor tonight was glaringly obvious.What's going on? Things were fine before. Why is she suddenly so wary? Has she figured something out? Connecting the dots with the ongoing investigation into Zora overseas, he guessed the trail had likely led back to him. Ah. That explains it. A lazy, knowing smile spread across Lucian's lips. He leaned in slightly, lowering his voice. "Ms. Gale, you have nothing to fear from me. I would never stand against you." Darcy's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean by that?" Lucian swirled the liquid in his glass, his smile turning contemplative. "Do you know where I'm from?" Darcy shook her head, puzzled by the sudden shift in topic. Lucian seemed to drift into memory. "A small town in a nowhere county. My family was poor. Both my parents fell ill when I was young. We survived on the charity of my uncle in the big city. So, I learned very early that education was my only way out. I studied like a man possessed. My grades got me into a decent university. For four years, I studied, took on every part-time job and side hustle I could find, and scraped together enough to study abroad. That's how I became who I am today." Darcy was more confused than ever but nodded out of politeness. "That's impressive." Lucian's expression turned serious. "I'm telling you this because, Darcy, we are the same. We come from ordinary backgrounds. No resources, no connections. The only way up is to push ourselves to the absolute limit." Just then, the bride and groom made their entrance. Lucian's eyes followed the cheering crowd toward them, his gaze turning shadowy and sharp. "Unlike some people who are born with everything, yet let their vanity drive them to snatch the little that ordinary people have left. Not because they need it, but simply because they can't stand the idea of someone else having it."Darcy had rarely heard Lucian speak of his past, and she had never seen him show such raw emotion. This side of him was startling. He's a complete puzzle. Noticing her prolonged silence, Lucian offered an apologetic smile. "Sorry. Didn't mean to spook you. Bottom line—we're the same. I would never hurt you." Darcy lowered her gaze. "Okay. I get it." Then the mood slipped back to what it was. They made small talk with half-truths, each guarding their own agenda. Eventually, Ione gently tugged on Darcy's sleeve. "Darcy, who is this young man sitting next to you?" Darcy made the introduction. "This is Lucian Yorke. He's—uh—an industry friend." Lucian immediately stood up and gave Ione a respectful nod. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Gale. Please, call me Lucian."Ione smiled warmly, "Hello, Lucian." Her eyes darted between Lucian and her daughter. Then she leaned closer to Darcy, whispering into her ear, "Is this Lucian also pursuing you? He's not as handsome as Hugo. Let's pass on this one."