?Chapter 351:


    Watching all this unfold, Lance quickly stepped forward. He grabbed a cup, filled it with coffee, and held it out to her with both hands. “Elliana, would you like some coffee?”


    Taking the cup from him, Elliana brought it to her lips and took a slow, deliberate sip.


    Every person in the room had their eyes locked on her, gazes full of awe, as though they were witnessing something divine. After all, she wasn’t just anyone—she was River. The most revered name in the entire field of AI. For everyone present, this was a rare moment. Most of them never expected to meet her in person, let alone discover her true identity.


    Standing at the front of the group, Dillen and Alonso exchanged looks of pride. Compared to the others, their bond with River felt more personal.


    Elliana epted the admiration without fuss, and with an easy smile, she looked toward Lance.


    Seeing Elliana raise her head to speak to him, Lance quickly adjusted his posture, eager to listen attentively.


    “Lance, even though we don’t get on well, we still need to keep work and personal matters separate, don’t you agree?” Elliana said, her voice steady andposed.


    Lance quickly nodded, responding, “Yes, Elliana. You’re absolutely right.”


    Lance couldn’t help but feel grateful that Elliana was being so professional. If she had taken things personally, he probably never would’ve had a shot at securing her expertise in AI development in the first ce. But what she said next hit him like a punch.


    Elliana said without hesitation, “I don’t usually take jobs like this, and when I do, I stick to my rules. If I fail, I won’t charge you a single cent. But if I seed, the fee is set—one billion for the Seek project.”


    One billion? The sound of shocked gasps rippled through the room. Emmanuel’s jaw dropped, and he wiped his forehead with a nervous hand.


    Lance gazed at her, his voice cautious as he said, “Elliana, I know exactly that your expertise as River is top-notch, and I also understand how serious the ws in this project are, but don’t you think one billion is a little excessive?”


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    “If you think my price is too high, then feel free to find someone else,” Elliana replied without the slightest pause.


    That left Lancepletely stunned. He knew better than anyone that aside from River, there wasn’t another person out there who could fix their technical problem. Now he was stuck between two impossible choices—either agree to pay Elliana a billion and salvage the twenty-billion-dor project, or refuse and watch the Seek project fall apart. In that moment, the answer became painfully clear. Anyone in his shoes would choose to pay her.


    Trying onest time, Lance begged, “Elliana, we’ve already poured twenty billion into this project and haven’t seen a single return. Our funding is stretched thin. Can you at least offer us a discount—for the family’s sake?”


    “For the family’s sake?” Elliana looked at him with a teasing smile. “Alright, I’ll give you a family discount—twenty percent off.”


    That small reduction meant the price tag stood at eight hundred million. Even with the discount, the amount was staggering.


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