"Just three days, but the total ytime never exceeds five hours."
Gwh spoke with unmistakable pride, and she wasn''t just talking about this particr racing game-she meant every game like it.
All the tricks she''d mastered came from her mom. That''s why she yed with such effortless ir.
The audience erupted in astonishment.
Gwh beamed, proud as ever.
Ailie, meanwhile, looked like her eyes might roll right out of her head.
Right then, a reporter suddenly piped up with a pointed question.
"Ms. Marchand, what exactly is your rtionship with Mr. Langford? And is this young Miss Gwh''s biological mother actually Miss Violet?"
The room fell eerily silent.
Everyone held their breath, waiting to see how Violet would respond.
But Violet didn''t look the least bit rattled. She gave no sign that Gwh was her daughter-or that she wasn''t. Instead, she crouched down in front of Gwh, right there before everyone, and pressed her forehead gently to the little girl''s. "Gwh and I aren''t mother and daughter, but we''re even closer than that. Besides, we make a pretty great team when ites to games."
Her yful answer neatly sidestepped the reporter''s trap. It sounded like an answer yet it wasn''t quite.
It wasn''t what people wanted, but there was no chink in her armor.
"All right, let''s get back to our game time," the host quickly chimed in, shooting a nce at Curtis in the audience.
At his cue, the topic returned to the event.
Gwh and Violet went back to their seats.
The gameunch continued for just ten more minutes before reaching its grand finale-the staff took their bows on stage.
"And now, I''m proud to announce the developer of this game-our programming genius, Violet Marchand."
Violet''s name shed on the giant screen, and another wave of astonished murmurs swept the crowd.
So Violet was the creator behind the game. Impressive didn''t even begin to cover
it.
In the audience, Oliver couldn''t help but steal another nce at Violet. He''d been too quick to judge; this woman wasn''t just the financial prodigy everyone in the business world was raving about-she was a tech star, too.
He looked over at McNeil, quietly grumbling to himself about how the Langford family seemed to get all the luck.
Ailie, seeing Violet''s name on the screen, nearly mmed her fist on the table in outrage.
Curtis''s expression froze for a moment-Ailie had insisted the game was Victoria''s work.
How could this be?
But then he remembered someone in the tech department did mention Violet had fixed a few bugs for them, and everyone saw it.
Thunderous apuse rolled through the room. Ailie clenched her jaw so hard it was a wonder she didn''t break a tooth.
How could Violet possibly be the developer? And worse, how could she be so shameless about it?
McNeil leaned toward Curtis, speaking in a low voice.
"If Violet''s really interested in this project, and the marketunch goes well, I''m ready to invest."
Nothing carried more weight than a promise like that. Between love, pride, and a lucrative deal, Curtis chose the money.
At the end of theunch, McNeil and Curtis signed the partnership contract right in front of journalists and gaming fans alike-sealing the deal for all to see.
The news sent Violet''s reputation soaring to new heights.
Soon, all of Starfall City was buzzing about the partnership between Quantum Core Technologies and the Langford Group.
Violet became the most sought-after woman in town—a legend in her own right.
"All right, let''s head to the track," Violet said, giving Gwh''s cheek an affectionate pinch.
McNeil drove the two of them, while Gwh''s face lit up with pure happiness. "Violet, did you really make that game we yed today? That''s amazing!"
Gwh was still bubbling with excitement-she hadn''t had nearly enough game time.
"Mhm. After I test-drive the car, I''ll y with you some more at home," Violet promised.
"Yay!" Gwh cheered.
Her joy was contagious, and as McNeil watched his daughter''s smile in the
rearview mirror, he thought to himself that this partnership was worth every penny.