Just then, Curtis spoke up.


    "It was my idea to have her work in Investments. With Victoria''s abilities, she''d easily fit in with the Tech Department, but I believe we should respect personal preference. Ms. Turner, the choice is yours. There''s no need to go against your own wishes."


    His wordsnded like a p in Violet''s face. She looked visibly unsettled, convinced Curtis was tantly favoring Victoria-even to the point of disregarding thepany''s best interests.


    Yulia, trying to smooth things over, stood up with a smile and reached for Victoria''s arm. "Vicky, everyone''s watching-why not join us for dinner? We''re all family here, and you''re not a kid anymore. Business is business, but let''s not bring personal feelings into it."


    The executives from all threepanies fixed their eyes on Victoria, each trying to figure out what made her tick.


    Ailie could have stepped in to pull Victoria away, but this was a public setting— causing a scene would only make things harder for Victoria.


    "Victoria?" Ailie''s voice was soft, as if waiting for her decision.


    "You there you seem close with Vicky. Why don''t you join us too?" Mr. Harper from Quantum Core Technologies, whose status in the room was the most modest, quickly offered up his seat, shifting to another table.


    Marian barely lifted her gaze, her tone indifferent. "Just sit down. It''s not like we don''t know each other."


    Ailie took Victoria''s hand and sat down anyway-she was curious to see what tricks these people might pull.


    Marian turned her attention to Violet. "Violet, I heard you got promoted to Vice President. I haven''t had the chance to congratte you yet. Yourpany''s new game is a hit, but I heard someone deliberately sabotaged it and your cousin''s husband lost a fortune because of it."


    "Honestly, Violet, you''re generous to a fault. You know the troublemaker is right under your nose, and yet you haven''t fired her. Sometimes you give people a chance, and they don''t even appreciate it—they start thinking they''re something special."


    Ailie couldn''t stand the jabs any longer. "Yeah, well, who''s giving whom a chance here? Mr. Garcia, Quantum Core Technologies is part of the Garcia family, right? Yet there''s always someone jumping in to throw shade at our own people. And as for you-whicheverpany you''re from-unless you''ve got some special connection to Mr. Garcia, do you really think it''s your ce to speak?"


    Marian had hoped to use the crowd to ridicule Victoria, maybe even get her kicked out of Quantum Core Technologies altogether. She truly couldn''t understand how someone like Victoria-who seemed to attract dislike wherever she went-had the nerve to show up at her soon-to-be ex-husband''s friend''spany.


    She''d already heard from Edith that Victoria, frustrated by Violet''s rtionship with McNeil, had tried to make a scene several times without sess. Now she''d run off to McNeil''s friend''spany, apparently hoping to mimic Violet''s image as an independent woman and win McNeil back.


    At this point, the entire Miller family sided with Violet. They were eager for McNeil to divorce Victoria and marry Violet''s cousin. That way, Yulia would have the Langford Group as a powerful ally, and marrying Simms would be a done deal.


    Now, the only obstacle left was Victoria. Violet imed she and McNeil were already working on their divorce, but there''d been no news. Marian figured Victoria was simply clinging on and refusing to let go.


    And really, who could me her? The once-privileged Turner heiress had fallen on hard times, only totch onto the influential Langford family. Anyone in her shoes would fight to stay.


    Curtis took a sip of wine, hiding a faint smile behind the ss. "No, she''s not."


    Marian''s face hardened. "I''m the heiress of Golden Era Enterprises. Why would I need to cozy up to a second-ratepany like Quantum Core Technologies? What a joke."


    Her words made everyone''s expressions shift-even Violet''s face darkened, and she stole a nce at Curtis.


    Truth was, no one in the room-least of all Marian, and not even Simms-would dare call Quantum Core a second-ratepany. In the past two years, Quantum Core had be a powerhouse in tech, and anyone who met Curtis addressed him as Mr. Garcia with due respect.


    Otherwise, why would the Langford Group and Golden Era Enterprises be so eager to invest-willing to risk losses just for a stake? McNeil wasn''t a fool; no businessman would invest billions just out of loyalty to a friend. The real draw was the mysterious team under Curtis''smand, capable of things no other techpany could even dream of.


    McNeil had shown up with billions in cash, practically begging to invest. Quantum Core didn''t need to curry favor with the Langford Group-Marian was only seeing the surface, having no clue about the tangled business deals beneath.


    So, the mood around the table turned sour. Even McNeil''s face fell, while Marian remained oblivious.


    Ailie shot back, "Oh, the heiress of Golden Era, huh? Funny, because as far as I know, the Golden Era heiress''sst name is Turner. And you your name isn''t even Miller, is it?"


    At that, Mr. Pierce quickly excused himself to another table, sensing that things were about to get ugly and wanting no part in the fallout.


    Marian''s cheeks flushed bright red, words failing her for the first time.


    Curtis, secretly pleased, let his gaze wander between Victoria and Simms. Ailie''sment about the Golden Era heiress struck a chord-Victoria''sst name was Turner, and she''d arrived today in a Rolls-Royce, clear evidence of her privileged background.


    Could it all be a coincidence? Was it possible that Victoria and Simms were rted somehow?


    He didn''t dare jump to conclusions, but the thought nagged at him. And it wasn''t


    just Victoria and Simms-there was something strange about the way Victoria and McNeil interacted. McNeil never paid this much attention to any ordinary employee.