His father's final implication was crystal clear. With Darcy's current reputation and track record, Viktor was confident he could have persuaded Harlan to approve the marriage. And with a woman of her caliber by his side, his eventual entry into the Vance Group would have been a triumph, silencing all doubters. Everything he and his mother had ever wanted would be within reach. But it was all a what-if. Regret was useless now. Zane knew with a cold certainty that he had burned that bridge long ago. He flicked the cigarette butt out the window, his gaze clearing as he stared ahead. He started the car. Fine. I don't need Darcy. I'll make Grandpa see my worth on my own. Once SummitCore Tech goes public, all the glory and recognition will be mine. He drove straight to the SummitCore Tech building. Parking, he headed inside. In the elevator, he noticed several unfamiliar faces—people who clearly didn't recognize him and made no effort to acknowledge him. Frowning, Zane stepped out with them on the second floor, the R&D department. He decided to follow, curious to see which department they belonged to and who was managing them with such lax discipline. What he saw stunned him. The entire R&D floor was a sea of strangers. From project leads down to junior developers, every single face was new. When did this happen? Why wasn't I informed? Just then, a familiar figure walked by. Zane stopped him. "Mr. Kovacs? Who are all these new people? Were the old teams reassigned to client sites?" Ezra Kovacs looked startled, then sighed, "Mr. Vance, you didn't know? A huge chunk of the team has left in the past few months. These are all new hires." He added gloomily, "In two weeks, I'll be leaving too." Zane was taken aback. "Why? Are you being poached? Is the compensation package not competitive?" Ezra was blunt. "It's not that. We're human, not machines. We can't live at the office. My wife is pregnant and having a hard time. I need to be with her. I can't work seven days a week, 24/7 on projects anymore." "Who's asking for 24/7?" Zane demanded. "Dr. Moss. I mean, Ms. Moss. She said she calls the shots now." Zane was speechless. He vaguely remembered telling Zora to handle things. And because of his injury lately, he'd been resting at home, leaving the company entirely in Zora's hands.So why didn't she tell him something this big? Didn't she know R&D talent was the key reason SummitCore Tech could succeed? Leaving the R&D floor in a simmering rage, Zane headed for Zora's office, only to find it empty. He looked over at Lucian's desk—also vacant. He pressed his tongue against his cheek, grinding his teeth. Is this how they're running my company? Furious, he returned to the top floor and instructed Rex to have HR bring him the attrition data for the last three months. Rex let out a silent, relieved sigh. Thank God—you finally realized what's wrong here. Good news! He quickly called HR, instructing them to prepare the reports and charts and bring them to the CEO's office immediately.The data was readily available; HR conducted monthly turnover analyses. Half an hour later, the HR manager left the executive suite, looking pale. Inside, Zane stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, his sharp gaze fixed on the city below, struggling to process what he'd just seen. A knock interrupted his thoughts. Rex entered. "Mr. Vance, I've reached Dr. Moss. She's on her way and will be here shortly." Meanwhile, in a discreet café not far from the office, Zora and Lucian sat enjoying a leisurely coffee. Lucian stretched his long legs, giving her a lazy sidelong glance. "Aren't you going back? He'll get suspicious." Zora smirked, utterly unconcerned. "The final stock option transfer agreement is signed. I'm the majority shareholder now." Lucian's smile was hard to read.He traced the rim of his cup with a finger. "You have what you wanted. Time to set me free?" She looked at him, surprised. "You're leaving?" He took a slow sip of his coffee, his expression tinged with what seemed like genuine resentment. "I never wanted to come back. I only did it because you forced my hand. Now that your goal is achieved, there's no reason for me to stay." His words sounded heartfelt. Zora, riding high on her success, didn't suspect a thing. Everything was proceeding smoothly, just waiting for the right moment. Lucian's presence was no longer essential. Considering this, she nodded. "Fine. You decide when to submit your resignation."