Lilian nodded. "Understood, Grandpa." "As for you two," Harlan's voice was like ice as he looked at Zane and Zora. "Watch your tongues from now on. Or you'll know exactly what happens." Zane lowered his head. "Yes, Grandpa." He took Zora's hand, his expression blank, and turned mechanically towards the changing room. Seeing him so numb and rigid, as if all vitality had been drained, Zora grew worried. She reached up to touch his cheek. "Zane, are you okay? Does it hurt? Your grandpa is so unreasonable. It was just a minor thing! How could he hit you?" Zane slapped her hand away, glaring at her. "You've ruined everything. My mom and I have spent over a decade treading carefully in the Vance family, trying to earn Grandpa's trust. And you've destroyed it all in one moment."He closed his eyes, his voice trembling. "SummitCore was on the verge of an IPO. I finally had a shot at getting into Vance Group. And now your little stunt wrecked everything. Happy now, Zora?" Zora stood frozen. She had just been angry. How could it have spiraled into such a catastrophe? It couldn't be true. He had to be exaggerating. He had to be. Darcy was led to a private meeting room. The person who brought her in only said that a Vance wanted to see her and asked her to wait. Assuming it was Viktor, Darcy sat down and idly scrolled through her phone. A news alert made her fingers still. She took a screenshot and sent it to Cindy, "Is this the 'big gift' you mentioned?" Cindy, probably also bored, replied instantly, "!!!""No, I hadn't given the order yet! Who beat me to it? That was fast!" Darcy was even more intrigued. Who else was digging into Zora's background? While she pondered, Lilian entered. Darcy had only ever seen her from a distance. This was her first close encounter. During her relationship with Zane, the only Vance family member she'd met was Viktor. She knew Harlan and Lilian disliked Zane and Olena. Lilian, in particular, seemed to harbor a deep-seated resentment toward them, which naturally extended to Darcy. From Zane's occasional bitter complaints, she'd learned he wanted a position in the Vance Group, but Lilian consistently blocked it, preventing him and his mother from gaining any foothold in the family business. Harlan, compensating for Lilian's own mother's early death and caring a lot about pedigree, tacitly supported her stance. Back then, Darcy knew little about Lilian, and most of her impressions were filtered through Zane. After the breakup, she'd sometimes see Lilian in newspapers or financial news. Freed from the lens of "Zane's girlfriend," Darcy had developed a sense of respect and admiration for Lilian. In a family where the father clearly favored sons, Lilian had proven her capabilities, managing the Vance Group with such efficiency that even her critics were silenced. She was a role model. "Ms. Gale, I'm Lilian Vance." Lilian extended her hand first. Darcy shook it. "Ms. Vance. A pleasure." They sat. Darcy expected Lilian to address the stage incident immediately. But she didn't. Instead, Lilian adopted the demeanor of a professional executive. "I've heard a great deal about your work, Ms. Gale. I'm particularly interested in the products you've developed. Our Vance Group has several affiliated funds, and we'd like to try your company's systems. Do you have any recommendations?" Darcy was taken aback. A business proposal? Now? And SummitCore—Zane's company, her brother's company—had similar products. Wasn't this a bit too blatant a snub? Lilian crossed her arms, a slight smile playing on her lips. "The Vance Group only partners with the best in the industry. We don't leave side doors open for family and friends." The statement was both a compliment to Stratagem Tech and a subtle dismissal of SummitCore. Darcy went with the flow, engaging in a detailed discussion about their offerings. Twenty minutes later, they exchanged business cards and shook hands again. At the door, Darcy paused and turned back, perplexed. "Ms. Vance, is there nothing else you want to discuss?" Lilian raised an eyebrow. "Such as?" Darcy hesitated. "The matter on stage earlier—" "What about it?" Lilian's tone was smooth. "The emcee clarified it was a joke. Is there any issue with that?" The response left Darcy momentarily speechless, unable to decipher her true intent. Is she telling me to keep quiet, or not? Dealing with people from these circles is exhausting. Compared with them, Jethro's downright easygoing. Regardless, Lilian had initiated a potential business conversation. Darcy knew better than to be ungrateful. She nodded in agreement. "No issue at all." Just as Darcy concluded the message was indeed to stay silent, Lilian spoke again. "Ms. Gale, don't hold back on my account. Do whatever you want. Say whatever you want. That's your call."