Of course, Darcy believed Jethro wouldn't lie to her. But what if he didn't know? Cindy swallowed hard. "You're saying... she might have gone abroad, had the baby alone, and raised it?" Seriously? The whole "secret heir" trope is happening in real life?! Darcy nodded slowly. "We can't rule it out." Even Cindy hesitated. Back then, her brother and Annie had been inseparable. It was possible they'd crossed that line. But her brother wasn't some reckless teenager. Even if he had truly lost control and slept with her, he'd never have been stupid enough to use no protection at all. "Darcy, don't jump to conclusions. Let's wait until my brother gets back. Let him explain everything, okay?" "Okay." Reassured by Cindy, Darcy managed to calm her turbulent thoughts and refocus on work. The AI model developed in collaboration with Alistair's team was finally ready for production deployment, thanks to the combined efforts of Darcy, Zephyr, and several senior engineers. In the afternoon, Darcy received more good news. "The city is hosting its annual FinTech Innovation Challenge. A city official reached out personally to invite Stratagem Tech to participate. It's the second year. Last year's winner not only got a three-million-dollar cash prize but also secured tens of millions of dollar venture capital funding through government introductions, plus a roster of premium clients." Zephyr understood immediately. "We don't necessarily need the funding, though it's nice. But high-quality, government-vetted clients? That's invaluable." "Exactly. With official backing, the credibility is sky-high. And these aren't one-off projects. A successful partnership could last for years." "Good thinking. As always."But Zephyr saw a potential problem. He frowned. "You saw Jasper's attitude in that meeting—he's cautious about investing in AI. I'm afraid he'll block us from entering." Darcy sighed in agreement. She couldn't understand Jasper's logic. The AI model was ready. Integrating it with their existing products would perfectly meet client demands. Yet he dismissed it, insisting on developing an entirely new product line from scratch. It was a massive, unnecessary waste of resources. She rested her chin on her hand. "Why is he taking the hardest possible route? Is it just because he dislikes me?" Zephyr thought for a moment. "Actually... it's not about you." Oh? Darcy looked at him, puzzled. "Jasper wants to prove something to the family. That he's not inferior to Jethro, that he can achieve what Jethro can. That's why he refuses to simply follow the established annual plan. He wants his own mark."Darcy pressed her lips together. "There's a feud between them?" "Not exactly a feud. We all played together as kids; things were fine. But around adolescence, Jasper started drifting apart. After high school, the subtle competition became obvious. He wanted to outdo Jethro in everything. Then... the incident happened, and he left the country with his mother. We all thought he'd come back more mature, past all that. But... it seems the opposite." If anything, the obsession seemed worse. Darcy nodded, understanding dawning. So the root cause wasn't her. But why was Jasper so fixated on competing with Jethro? What did he gain by "winning"? Even if he did nothing, he'd still live a life of incredible privilege. The logic of the ultra-wealthy truly escapes me. Leaving work, Darcy looked out at the torrential downpour and was grateful she'd driven.As she stepped out of the elevator into the underground parking garage, she froze. A man stood dripping wet by her car. Darcy's heart leaped. She hurried over. "What happened? Did you walk here in the rain?" Jethro seized her wrist, his eyes bloodshot. "Darcy, there is no child. There could never be a child between her and me." Darcy was silent for a moment. Then she pulled a packet of tissues from her bag and began gently wiping the rainwater from his face. "Darcy." His voice trembled, "I swear, we never—" "I believe you." They spoke simultaneously. Jethro's eyes lit up with desperate hope. "You... you do?" Darcy gave a small, weary smile. "Isn't that good? Should I say I don't believe you instead?""No! That's not what I meant." He looked even more panicked, wanting to pull her into a hug but afraid of soaking her. "Let's just get you to your place first. You need dry clothes, and then we can talk properly." The tight knot of anxiety in Jethro's chest finally loosened. She was willing to listen. She truly believed him. He could breathe again. "Ah, my car is stuck in traffic a few blocks over. I'm gonna need you to drive us," he said, rubbing his nose, embarrassed.