No one said anything aloud, but everyone seemed to understand—and, surprisingly, no one seemed to mind the dynamic between Victoria and Curtis.


    The main reason was simple: recently, Victoria''s work ethic had impressed everyone. She was nothing like the rumors painted her to be.


    ording to office gossip, Victoria was just a pretty face, coasting by under Mr. Garcia''s protection—a total lightweight.


    The private dining room was warm, the radiators humming quietly in the corner. Coats had been shed and draped over the backs of chairs. Victoria wore a cream- colored sweater, a delicate crystal ne glinting at her throat, catching the light.


    Curtis noticed the ne but didn''t say a word. He couldn''t remember ever seeing Victoria wear jewelry before. He recalled once calling her driver to pick her up; he hadn''t heard any rumors from Ailie about a separationtely. Could it be that she''d patched things up with her husband?


    The thought left Curtis with an odd, ufortable feeling.


    Victoria, oblivious, shifted over to make room for him beside her.


    "I just heard about your team''s dinner tonight and happened to be passing by. Mind if I join you?" Curtis smiled at the group, making it clear who he was here to see. "Dinner''s on me."


    Everyone got the message, but yed along.


    "Thank you, Mr. Garcia. We''ll take you up on that, then," someone replied, and the group turned their attention to the menu, eagerly ordering their favorites. Ailie let out a sigh of relief-she''d nearly had a heart attack earlier, thinking about the bonus at stake. Twenty thousand dors-two months'' sry and bonuses bundled together.


    Victoria had nned to use the dinner as a chance to discuss some internal programming issues with the team. But with Curtis here, it didn''t seem wise to poke around; she didn''t want to make him suspicious.


    "Ailie, keep an eye on the EmilyTech Solutions project," Curtis said, unaware that Victoria had been the one to make the crucial introductions for the deal. He didn''t want thepany''s future tied solely to the Langford Group. If Quantum Core Technologies was well-funded enough, they wouldn''t need outside help for their game development anyway.


    "Of course, leave it to me," Ailie replied with a quick nce at Victoria, who neither reacted nor tried to take any credit.


    Ailie understood that Victoria must have her reasons for not telling Curtis about her involvement, so she kept quiet.


    When McNeil and Violet arrived, Curtis was peeling shrimp and neatly cing the tender pieces on Victoria''s te, one by one, with a care that made others nce over in envy.


    Victoria, unable to refuse, simply kept her head down and ate.


    "Sorry we''rete. Mr. Garcia. Ms. Ailie. I see everyone''s here," Violet said as she swept in, her tone polite but brisk. "Something came up at the office, but as soon as I finished, I rushed over."


    Violet was the head of the tech department, and naturally, George had invited her. She hadn''t originally nned toe until she heard Victoria would be there. Victoria had been spending more and more time with the programmers, and Violet was always watching, determined not to miss a single development. After all, as their boss, every bit of the department''s achievement would reflect on her.


    And Violet knew exactly how valuable this "cake" could be. She wasn''t about to let someone else take a bite.


    McNeil''s gaze flicked over the little mountain of peeled shrimp on Victoria''s te. Curtis was still at it, quietly making sure every dish Victoria liked ended up in front of her.


    Victoria didn''t want to spoil Curtis''s good mood, so she yed along, doing her best to finish everything.


    But with Violet''s arrival, the room seemed to drop a few degrees. The easy chatter faded, reced by a stiffer, more formal atmosphere.


    Victoria kept her eyes on her te, eating in silence.


    McNeil took a seat beside Violet, directly across from Victoria and Curtis. Ailie, who''d been eating heartily a moment before, suddenly lost her appetite.


    After a round of polite greetings, Violet''s sharp eyes caught on the ne around Victoria''s neck. For a moment, she froze.


    That ne was unmistakable-Allian''s signature design, a one-of-a-kind piece named after the designer himself. Last time Violet saw it, it was draped around the neck of a wealthy socialite in Starfall City.


    Violet had set her sights on that ne for months, even pulling strings and asking Marcus to track it down for her, hoping he could leverage every connection he had to get it.


    She''d heard the socialite had sold it for three times its original price-to a man whose name she wouldn''t reveal. Violet had guessed it was Marcus who''d bought it. She''d waited patiently, assuming he''d give it to her-after all, Marcus had always nursed a quiet crush on her, and Violet was an expert at reading men''s intentions.


    And with a price tag starting at nine million dors, Violet knew she couldn''t afford it herself. McNeil sometimes gifted her expensive gowns or custom-made dresses, but those couldn''t be cashed in. Despite her role as VP at Quantum Core Technologies, her annual sry wasn''t much higher than a department manager''s with bonuses.


    If Marcus had bought the ne, and now it was around Victoria''s neck, that could only mean one thing—it had been a gift for Victoria.


    Victoria looked up. "It wasn''t something I bought. It was a gift from a friend."


    Violet''s face changed instantly.


    "A friend that generous? That''s quite a gift-nine million dors for a ne, Ms. Turner. You must have some very special friends."