Down in the lobby, Cindy snapped her fingers. "I'm in a great mood today! I'm treating you guys to a feast!" Cade's eyes lit up. "Heck yeah! A feast!" Darcy laughed. She's cute. The three walked out of the building, chatting and laughing, then paused. "Jethro! What are you doing here?" Cindy exclaimed, surprised. The man not far away stood with one hand in his pocket, still in that black suit that screamed self-restraint. Darcy found it odd. Didn't he say he wasn't coming? Jethro smiled slightly, his eyes narrowing a fraction. "Bids just closed, and you three look this happy. Kinda gives me the wrong idea." "Wrong idea?" Cindy spread her arms and hugged her brother. "Nope, not that. We won the bid!" Jethro paused, his eyebrows rising as he looked past his sister's shoulder. "For real?" "For real, Mr. Blackwood—we actually won!" Cade was hyped. Just then, Cindy stepped back from her brother's hug. Cade, caught up in the moment, instinctively hugged Jethro. "Mr. Blackwood, this is the first project we won without relying on you! I'm so excited!" Jethro was stunned. Well, this was his first time hugging a male colleague, too. He patted Cade's shoulder. "Good work." Two of the three team members had already hugged the boss. Standing there, Darcy thought for a second. Should she also go in for a hug? It was just business etiquette, after all. Thinking this, Darcy opened her arms and stepped forward for a hug. "Mr. Blackwood, mission accomplished!"Jethro's eyes widened sharply. His back stiffened. It took him a good moment before he dared to lift his arms for a tentative, light hug. His voice was low and husky. If one listened closely, a slight tremor could be heard. "You've worked hard these past weeks." In an unseen spot, his ears were turning bright red. "It was nothing. All part of the job." Darcy lowered her arms and politely stepped back. Jethro's Adam's apple bobbed visibly. His ears grew redder, burning hot. He played it cool and rubbed his earlobe, as if to cool it down. "Mm. Let's go. My treat." The four turned and got into the car. Meanwhile, Zane, Zora, and Kaia stood in the lobby on the first floor. His hands, hanging by his sides in his suit pants, were clenched into tight fists. He had witnessed the entire scene of Darcy hugging Jethro.Kaia covered her mouth in shock. Darcy and Jethro? How was that possible? Forget whether a rich heir like Jethro would ever go for a woman from an ordinary background like Darcy— What about Darcy herself? Wasn't she head over heels for Zane? What on earth was going on? She needed to find time to visit the Gale household and ask Darcy face-to-face. The thought of Darcy having connections with the Blackwoods made Kaia's heart sour with envy. Darcy was probably just a salesperson at Stratagem Tech, right? A mere salesperson, daring to seduce the Blackwood heir? Darcy really had no shame! In the car, Zane remained silent, his eyes frosted over.Zora clenched her teeth inwardly, turning to look out the window. He still can't let go of Darcy! But now wasn't the time for jealousy. The most urgent matter was convincing Darcy to return. Otherwise, with the R&D team pressing her, her true lack of expertise would be exposed. Thinking this, Zora took a breath and turned to Zane. She asked softly, "Zane, do you want Ms. Gale to return to SummitCore?" Screech— A red light ahead. The car jerked to a stop. "Zora, sorry. I didn't mean to." Zane rubbed his temples. Damn it. How could he be so preoccupied with Darcy that he ignored Zora sitting right beside him? Objectively, Zora was superior to Darcy in every way.Zora didn't hold it against him, showing magnanimity. "It's alright. I've thought of a way to get Darcy to come back." "What way?" "Darcy signed a non-compete agreement while employed. Now she's joined a competitor without the company's permission. We have the right to sue her and demand compensation." She smiled and added, "I've checked. The compensation can go up to three million dollars. Darcy can't possibly afford that." A sharp glint appeared in Zane's eyes. "As long as we show the agreement to her, she'll have to come back." He said "show," but he meant "threaten." He phrased it elegantly. "You're brilliant," Zane said, loosening his tie and letting out a long sigh, a smile curving his lips. ... Darcy returned home after dinner with her colleagues. Opening the door, she saw Kaia sitting on the sofa with Ione. Her expression remained neutral as she entered, changing into house slippers at the entryway. "Mom, I'm back. Have you had dinner yet?" The housekeeper was off today, so her mother was alone. Darcy was concerned. Ione came over to help her hang up her coat. "Yes, I have. Why are you back so late? Working overtime again?" "No, dinner with coworkers." Darcy headed to the bathroom. "I'm gonna wash up." She didn't say a single word to Kaia the entire time, didn't even look at her, just like their encounter outside earlier. A twinge of discomfort pricked Kaia's heart. After coming out of the bathroom, Ione brought a plate of cut fruit from the kitchen. "Darcy, Kaia, come have some fruit."