When their business partner pulled out and voided the contract, leaving a mess of ruined reputation and loose ends, it was enough to make even an idealist like her feel hopeless.


    You could say it was a devastating blow.


    "It''s all right. If you''re not ready to let this go, we can take it as far as you want," Alexander said, ncing at Elodie. He was clearly considering her feelings.


    But Elodie shook her head, seeing right through his concern. "Alex, who is she to me? Why should I even bother fighting Sylvie? If I made a big deal out of this just because she walked away from the project, wouldn''t that just make Jarrod think I can''t move on from him, and that''s why I''m targeting Sylvie?"


    Besides―


    At the end of the day, Sylvie''s biggest mistake was making that defamatory statement and getting caught up in Terrence and Seymour''s infringement on VistaLink Technologies'' patents. She was misled-she''s only guilty by association. Even if Jarrod stayed out of it, Sylvie could hire top-notchwyers herself, and she''d still have a good shot at winning.


    The real cost for Sylvie was her reputation.


    That''s the way the adult world works: it''s all about weighing pros and cons.


    Even when Verdant University revoked her admission, and Professor Abbott publicly stated she was no longer his student, it was still about protecting interests, nothing more.


    It''s not like Elodie ever set out to ruin Sylvie personally. She only got involved because VistaLink Technologies'' reputation was at stake. Seeking justice was just


    a way to safeguard thepany''s interests.


    Sylvie herself? Elodie never really cared about her.


    This wasn''t some childish game where Sylvie had to be locked up for a year or two. What would that even aplish? Maybe it''d bruise Sylvie''s ego for the moment, but what about after that?


    When Sylvie got out, Jarrod would be waiting for her with his gleaming tech empire, Neural Intelligence.


    If Jarrod could hand over Nexus Analytics to Sylvie, it was clear just how deep his feelings ran.


    "So that''s settled," Elodie said briskly, making her decision without hesitation.


    She had no intention of wasting her time, energy, or health dragging out Sylvie''s case. With Jarrod''s legal team from The Silverstein Group ready to swoop in, there was a good chance Sylvie could walk away with a clean te anyway. Why fight a battle she couldn''t win?


    Now that VistaLink Technologies had Nexus Analytics as their manufacturing partner, they''d leapfrogged years of development. With both software and hardware at their disposal, their biggest weakness was gone. Neural Intelligence couldn''tpete with them anymore.


    Opportunities to put a dent in Jarrod''s ns didn''te around often.


    She''d gone from being a shareholder to running the show.


    Alexander poured them both some tea, pushing her cup across the table before musing aloud, "Isn''t it funny? When we used to work with Nexus Analytics, everyone treated Sylvie like the future Mrs. Silverstein. And now... you''re about to be their boss."


    That was a far cry from the days when Sylvie was just tagging along.


    Esmeralda caught his drift and grinned. "Bet that''ll drive her up the wall."


    Neural Intelligence cost a few hundred million to start up, but Nexus Analytics was


    pulling in billions in annual revenue. There was noparison.


    "But still," Alexander muttered, "Why


    didn''t Jarrod just have The Silverstein Group defend Sylvie? Why hand over Nexus Analytics? The man''s a businessman through and through."


    Elodie frowned, a bit puzzled herself. "Maybe he just wanted to end the circus fast. The longer this drags on, the worse it gets for Sylvie."


    "Carrot and stick-he''s tried every trick in the book." Alexander still couldn''t figure Jarrod out. "He really found a way to leave everyone speechless."


    Was he being generous to his ex-wife, or was it just that he couldn''t say no to his girlfriend?


    Elodie fell silent, lost in thought.


    This whole affair was an opening. There was something else she needed to discuss with Jarrod.


    As dusk settled, Elodie scrolled through her contacts, searching for the number Jarrod had called her from the other day. She dialed.


    He picked up immediately.


    "Made up your mind?" His voice was patient-almost unnaturally so.


    Elodie didn''t bother with pleasantries. "Mr. Silverstein, with a gesture this grand,


    I''d be a fool not to get out of the way of your love story."


    With annual profits north of seven billion, she''d have to be crazy to say no.


    But if Jarred thought handing Nexus Analytics to Sylvie would spare her, he might be surprised to find out that the luxury could make her life on the outside even harder than a year or two behind bars.


    "You want something else, don''t you?" Jarrod didn''t take her bait, his tone calm


    and certain. He knew her too well.


    Elodie set her pen down and spoke, her voice unwavering. "I want the Selma painting you bought at the Raleigh Warwick exhibition."