This round of bidding ultimately went to YodaVision.


    Locket Tech failing to secure the project was more or less within the expectations of both the Lockets and the Shaws. Still, seeing so many major corporationspeting, only for YodaVision to emerge victorious, left a bitter taste nheless.


    Losing the bid was disappointing, of course. But they had other worries beyond that.


    For instance, the project Locket Tech had been developing with Trevor''s help had once again hit a bottleneck. Continuing R&D meant more funding, and that had once again be a problem.


    Not just Locket Tech, but InnovaTech was also facing the same situation.


    If cash flow couldn''t keep up, all the projects currently in progress would be affected. But right now, they simply didn''t have that kind of capital.


    Celeste knew nothing about what had been happening between Trevor and Wynn. After winning the bid, she was so busy that she even worked overtime on Saturday. On Sunday, when she finally had a day off, Jordyn showed up at the Rodriguez residence early in the morning.


    Celeste had been exhausted the day before and woke upte. However, Jordyn didn''t wake her. Instead, she waited obediently in her room.


    When Celeste finally opened her eyes, Jordyn immediately burrowed into her arms. "Mom, you''re awake! Are you hungry? Dad''s downstairs. He wants to talk to you."


    Celeste had still been groggy from sleep, but those words cleared her head instantly.


    Jordyn''s arrival had been sudden.


    None of the other Rodriguez family members were home.


    About ten minutester, Celeste went downstairs and saw Trevor sitting in the living room, drinking tea.


    When he saw her, he greeted her calmly, as if nothing were amiss. "You''re up."


    With Jordyn present, Celeste simply nodded without saying much, then instructed the servant to prepare something for her to eat.


    While doing so, she noticed Trevor''s


    gaze lingering on her. Before she


    could say anything, he spoke again,


    "I heard Yoda Vision on the


    government project a couple of days ago. Congrattions."


    The Locket family had also participated in the bidding, and they had lost, yet he was congratting her?


    Celeste couldn''t tell whether his congrattions were sincere.


    After sitting down across from him, she replied calmly, "Thank you."


    Only then did she ask, "Jordyn said you wanted to talk to me?"


    "I have a friend who''s quite interested in you," Trevor said.


    "He has a project he''d like to coborate on-with both Fleming Group and


    YodaVision. Would you be interested in having a meal together to learn more about


    it?"


    Perhaps knowing that alone


    wouldn''t be enough to persuade her,


    he added, "He''s worked with tech


    giants all over the world. Through


    him, you might get ess to


    Overseas Ardevelopments


    not yet aware of as well


    as


    world-ss talent and cutting-edge innovation."


    To be honest, YodaVision wasn''t short on projects right now.


    But-


    For apany positioned at the forefront of technological innovation, maintaining long-term,petitiveness meant building aposite advantage that others couldn''t easily replicate.


    In that regard, YodaVision still had gaps.


    After a brief pause, Celeste asked, "When?"


    "He just arrived in Baumond yesterday. We''re having lunch together. Want toe along?"


    "Alright."


    It was already past ten, and she hadn''t even had breakfast yet. She said, "Send me the address. I''ll—"


    Before she could finish, Trevor looked at her and said, "I''ll wait for you."


    Celeste paused, then replied evenly, "No need. I''ll go on my own."