The other two nodded along. "Yes, exactly. We'll be on time next time." Only Zephyr remained silent, walking straight to a seat beside Cindy. Jenna shot him a glare, but he ignored her. She opened her mouth to call him out when Jasper cut her off. "Enough. Now that everyone's here, let's begin." His heavy gaze swept the room and landed on Darcy's steady stare. He chose to ignore it and began, "Today's agenda is to finalize our R&D focus for the second half of the year. Mr. Mason, let's start with your thoughts." Suddenly put on the spot, Wade pushed his glasses up, looking lost. At that moment, Jenna shot him a sharp, meaningful look, reminding him of their discussion the night before.Wade hadn't forgotten. He stammered, "I... I think our current product line is a bit narrow. We should consider developing a completely new product to expand our business channels. For instance, some of our private equity clients have expressed interest in collaborating, but we lack a suitable offering for them." A smile touched Jasper's lips. This aligned perfectly with his own thinking. He wasn't a tyrant; he'd called the meeting to gather opinions before deciding. It was gratifying to find someone on the same page. The other two tech leads echoed Wade's sentiment, advocating for a brand-new product to broaden their market reach. Jasper felt a wave of relief. He wasn't a tech expert and had no prior work experience. The Blackwood family's trust funds alone were enough for generations of luxury. Working was never a must. He'd only taken this role to prove something to Annie. It took him by surprise—he'd only been on the job for a couple of weeks, and he'd grasped the essentials of running a business. Maybe managing a company isn't so hard after all. My cousin isn't the only capable man in the family. At that thought, his smile widened. Just then, Darcy spoke up from across the table, her brow furrowed. "Mr. Blackwood, I have a different perspective. The annual R&D plan was set at the beginning of the year. The original strategy was to integrate AI trials into our existing product suite. As you know, AI is a major trend. Several clients are eager to explore locally deployable AI solutions to boost performance. I still firmly believe our H2 focus should be on AI integration, creating a unique hybrid offering. Furthermore, we have an established partnership with Prof. Reed's team at Quest University, giving us a natural advantage in AI development. "As for developing brand-new products, I don't think we need to rush it. We need a more detailed market analysis first. Our current clients are all from contracts signed within the past year. Our priority should be ensuring successful delivery and maintaining stable operations before considering a major, resource-heavy new development. That's my position." As soon as she finished, Cindy immediately raised her hand. "I agree with Darcy." Jasper frowned, displeased by the opposition. His eyes then shifted to Zephyr. With three in favor of his idea and two against, Zephyr's opinion became crucial. If Zephyr backed him, he could shrug off the weaker dissent. All eyes in the room turned to Zephyr. He leisurely adjusted his shirt cuff, a slight arch to his brow. "I agree with Ms. Gale." Jasper's face darkened instantly. "Fine. Let's adjourn for today. We'll revisit this another time." Jenna swayed after him as he stalked out. The three tech leads who had sided with Jasper shifted uncomfortably, unable to meet Darcy's eyes. They had all agreed to the original annual plan, yet they'd flipped sides at the meeting. Darcy didn't hold it against them. She offered an understanding smile. They had families to feed. Survival instincts were strong. When only Darcy, Cindy, and Zephyr remained in the room, Cindy flashed a victory sign. "Three to three. A tie!" But thinking of Jasper's stormy exit, she sighed, "That kid, Jasper—learning all the wrong things. He's picked up being fake now." She turned her head without thinking—and caught the man beside her lifting her mug for a sip. Cindy froze. Her cheeks went red. She stammered, "Th—that's my mug!" Zephyr's look said, "I know, so what?" Cindy pinched his arm, whispering fiercely, "Have you forgotten? We're supposed to be keeping our marriage a secret!" Zephyr silently set the mug down.Cindy exhaled in relief, only to turn and meet Darcy's intensely curious gaze. Her heart skipped a beat. She desperately changed the subject. "So, um... what's for lunch? I totally forgot." Zephyr seamlessly picked up the thread. "Salad bowl. You said you were dieting." His words hung in the air, plunging the room into a deeper, profound silence. Darcy's eyes widened, darting between the two of them. She ventured, hesitantly, "You two...?"