This way, she''d finally be able to get in touch with the VistaLink Technologies project.


    At the end of the day, Jarrod Silverstein was pulling strings for Sylvie Fielding- trying to carve out a spot for her.


    Alexander Sterling, of course, understood exactly what was at stake. VistaLink Technologies was working closely with the government this time, and the officials had a say in the decision-making process. Every move had to be considered carefully.


    But what he hadn''t expected was how quickly Jarrod would act.


    He''d already gotten Mr. Patrick to step in personally.


    "Of course, the VistaLink Technologies project is fairlyplex," Alexander said, sounding almost weary. "Solid manufacturers are our top priority, but..." He sighed quietly. "I just got a call from Mr. Harcourt at TerraGreen Solutions on my way here. He''s interested in working with us as well, which puts us in a bit of a bind." Elodie Thorne was caught off guard for a moment and fell into thoughtful silence.


    Ivan Harcourt?


    He''d thrown his hat in the ring, too?


    When it came to quality control in the Eldermere product line, there were really only two standouts: Nexus Analytics under the Silverstein Group, and, arguably, TerraGreen Solutions.


    Now Jarrod and Ivan werepeting head-to-head.


    Mr. Patrick nced at Jarrod. "TerraGreen Solutions isn''t a bad option either..."


    Jarrod looked up, unhurried andposed.


    He said mildly, "That''s all right. VistaLink Technologies needs the freedom to choose. Partnerships depend on both capability and timing, Mr. Sterling-there''s no need to feel pressured."


    He had no intention of getting into a tug-of-war with Ivan.


    Alexander, meanwhile, was quietly worried about Elodie.


    With Mr. Patrick advocating for Jarrod, and Ivan expressing interest, things wereplicated—a foster brother on one side, an ex-husband on the other. Elodie couldn''t be thrilled about either.


    Elodie nced at Alexander, calm and matter-of-fact. "No need to rush. Once the funding''s secured, we''ll take our time evaluating manufacturers and make a decision then."


    Alexander nodded slowly.


    Across the table, Maurice Nilsson watched the back-and-forth between Elodie and Alexander, bemused. He leaned toward Sylvie and Joseph Dcroix and


    muttered, "Neither of them has said a word about getting investors. Does VistaLink Technologies have some other way of raising capital?”


    Sylvie took a sip of her tea. "No idea. But I doubt it''s likely."


    "Yeah," Maurice agreed with a wry chuckle. "Without funding, the rest is just talk.


    They''ll have to bring it up eventually."


    Sylvie smiled silently, tacitly agreeing.


    She couldn''t help but wonder if she hadn''t shown up tonight, would Elodie have swallowed her pride and begged Jarrod to invest in VistaLink Technologies?


    Joseph, meanwhile, was studying Elodie with a thoughtful look.


    He had a different impression—the way Elodie and Alexander carried themselves didn''t seem like mere bravado.


    Business talk fizzled out after that; no one pushed any further.


    Elodie sat off to the side, taking a breather.


    Not long after, her phone buzzed.


    She checked the screen, and her expression instantly rxed.


    The message was from the real estate office-someone was interested in buying


    the condo she''d listed, the old marital home. The buyer hadn''t even tried to negotiate; they were satisfied with the price and willing to pay in full. If everything was good on her end, they could sign the contract right away.


    She hadn''t expected things to go so smoothly.


    Elodie replied immediately: [Perfect, thank you for handling everything.]


    She''d already arranged for a proxy and notarized the paperwork when she put the ce on the market, so the agents could handle the sale without her having to juggle it on top of her work.


    A response popped up quickly: [Of course, Ms. Thorne. You should receive the full payment within three business days.]


    A huge weight lifted off Elodie''s shoulders.


    Her mood, which had been pretty average for most of the night, suddenly soared.


    Even her usually reserved expression softened into a subtle smile.


    The funds for VistaLink Technologies were secured atst.


    Jarrod happened to be reaching for his coat just then and caught a glimpse of Elodie''s rare, upbeat demeanor. She''d always had gentle features, but her aloofness kept most people at a distance. It was almost unheard of to see her genuinely happy.


    He paused, narrowing his eyes a little.


    "You look like you''re in a great mood. Good news?"