Zane glanced toward the woman in the kitchen, then got up and walked to the bedroom, closing the door before answering. He said softly, "Ms. Gale, how have you been? I'm sorry I've been too busy with work to visit." Ione wasn't bothered by that. She knew how demanding his career was. "It's alright. I'm doing fine." She paused, then got straight to the point. "Darcy told me you two broke up?" Zane replied, "Darcy is the one insisting on the breakup!" Ione sighed, "That girl can be stubborn sometimes, a bit too rigid. I don't think she truly wants to break up. Once she cools down, she'll see sense. I'll talk to her." Zane immediately understood Ione's purpose. She was here to reassure him. In other words, Ione also believed Darcy didn't truly want to end things. The irritation in his chest instantly vanished. A cold smirk formed in Zane's heart. Everyone can see Darcy is just being unreasonable. Looks like her return is only a matter of time. In that case, why bother being angry she deleted his contact? Deleting was easy. Getting added back would be hard. Next time, he'd make her beg him! Zane thanked Ione a few times and hung up. Just then, Zora called his name from the living room. Zane opened the door and went out. "I felt a bit chilly, so I put on a sweater." "Oh? You're not running a fever, are you?" Zora stood on her tiptoes, pressing her forehead against his to check his temperature. She also touched his cheek with her hand."Seems normal. But... why is your face so red?" Zane turned his face away and coughed lightly. "Maybe it's stuffy in here. I'll open a window." Zora watched him flee like his tail was on fire, her red lips curving up. Standing by the window, Zane felt his heartbeat go off rhythm. Every time he was near Zora, he couldn't help but be drawn to her. At her mother's birthday party, the Moss family's intentions had been crystal clear. Neither side spelled it out, but both had basically acknowledged things between him and Zora. Zane looked up at the sky. The crisp air filled his lungs, clearing his mind. Objectively speaking, being with Zora was the best choice from every angle.So why couldn't he bring himself to let go of Darcy? Well, Darcy was the one demanding a breakup. If he started something with Zora now, it wouldn't count as cheating, right? ... Soon, the day of the FinTech Forum arrived. Organized by the Aethelburg city government, the forum gathered well-known fintech companies from across the country. Many big names in the field were attending. It was said that Alistair would also be there. Darcy rode with Jethro. On the way, she asked him, "I heard Prof. Reed is attending?" Jethro smiled, "Maybe. I'm not entirely sure." "Oh." Darcy lowered her eyes again. "Disappointed?" Jethro asked. "Not really. It's just been a while since I've seen Prof. Reed. If he's here, I wanted to say hello.""That's easy. I'll take you to his house another day." Darcy's eyes widened. "Wouldn't that be... inappropriate?" Jethro seemed unconcerned. "Why? I'll call you next time I visit. Let me tell you a secret. My uncle is actually... a bit henpecked." "What?" Darcy tried to picture the stern, traditional Alistair. It was hard to believe. The corner of her mouth curved up. She couldn't imagine it at all! Jethro glanced at her warm, gentle smile. It was like winter sunshine melting the cold. Soon, they arrived at the forum venue. After parking, Darcy followed Jethro toward the building. They showed their invitations, passed verification, and entered one after the other. But Jethro's reputation was too prominent. The Blackwood Group was Aethelburg's highest-valued conglomerate. The moment people saw him, a crowd gathered to shake his hand. Jethro was very humble. "As you all know, Blackwood's core businesses are finance and internet services. We're still newcomers in fintech. We're here today to learn from all of you. "Yes, we've established a fintech subsidiary, but its scale and products are still modest. I'm here to gain insights. "By the way, let me introduce someone. This is..." Jethro turned, intending to introduce Darcy to the others. After all, she was the CEO of Stratagem Tech. She would need to network in the industry. With his support, her rise would be swift. But Darcy wasn't beside him. She'd probably been squeezed out by the crowd of men. Jethro shook his head with a helpless smile. "My right-hand woman seems to have vanished. I'll introduce her to you all a bit later." Darcy had been just one step behind Jethro. But those men moved too fast, swarming around him in an instant. She could only watch from a distance, sighing inwardly.