Chapter <b>190 </b>


    Nancy continued gracefully, “I wonder if I might have the honor of joining you. I’ve spent years studying in Merinia. I could offer Faye Tech some technical support.”


    She was volunteering herself.


    After all, building a project from the ground up wasn’t a simple affair. It required cooperation across multiple fields.


    While funding was key, the core issue was having a reliable,petent team with clear leadership.


    That was when Ariel finally cast her a calm nce.


    A good partner was important, of course. But talented professionals weren’t hard to find in this country. She wasn’t desperate enough to settle for Nancy joining the team.


    Chad understood Ariel’s thinking immediately. He gave her a quick look.


    Noticing that she made noment, he responded, “We’re still in the early stages of nning. If we need any technical expertise, we’ll definitely keep you in mind, Ms. Stanton.”


    A textbook polite refusal.


    Nancy didn’t seem bothered. Instead, she smiled with confidence. “Of course. I just wanted to show my sincerity. Mr. Hockney, you’re wee to consider me.”


    Such a poised and courteous reply.


    Zach couldn’t help but admire Nancy’s confidence.


    But…


    He narrowed his eyes slightly. He was almost certain he hadn’t imagined it.


    Chad had looked at Ariel first, as if waiting for her input.


    Zach never expected Chad to be such a hopeless romantic. He’d gone so far as to subtly reject Nancy just because of Ariel’s personal opinion.


    Zach was disappointed.


    Ariel clearly had a talent for stringing men along.


    Sensing a gaze, Ariel looked over.


    Her eyes met Zach’s. He was leaningzily in his seat, lips curled in a subtle smirk.


    Ariel turned her head away indifferently. She had no time to guess at his intentions. Also, she waspletely uninterested.


    Zach didn’t miss the chill in her gaze. His hand paused mid–tea sip. There was a flicker of surprise in his eyes.


    So this was how Chad had gotten hooked. Ariel clearly knew how to y the game of ying hard to get. She probably understood all too well how to trigger a man’s urge to conquer.


    Ariel didn’t know what Zach was thinking. But just as she withdrew her gaze, she noticed Jayson watching her casually.


    His expression was unreadable.


    Ariel could guess, though. He was probably annoyed that Chad didn’t take Nancy up on her offer.


    Not that it mattered to her.


    She calmly looked away.


    Just then, Serena walked up from the side, greeted everyone, and said, “We’ve invited leaders from various fields today to set an example for the students and offer some professional insights. There’s one speaking slot left. Is anyone interested?”


    Chad raised an eyebrow. He turned slightly toward Ariel and murmured, “Do you want to go up and say a few words?”


    When it came to professional expertise, Ariel was certainly more than qualified. She could break downplex ideas into something digestible for the students.


    “Me?” Ariel raised a brow and was about to decline.


    But Frederick chimed in, “Of course it should be Ms. Stanton. She’s an Arcadia Tech PhD. Academic credentials like that speak for themselves.”


    “I agree,” Zach added. “Ms. Stanton would be a great choice.”


    Nancy, after all, was enrolled in abined master’s and PhD program in aerospace, closely connected to national projects. She made an ideal role model for the students.


    Nancy looked at everyone in surprise. Smiling, she asked, “Everyone’s choosing me?”


    “Who else could it be?” Frederick said encouragingly. “We all studied finance. Mr. Hockney will speak on his project and products. As for the other person, with just a regr bachelor’s degree, she doesn’t really have the presence for the stage. You’re the only one who can step up.”


    Everyone knew who the “other person” meant.


    Chad looked displeased.


    The chance to speak on stage was open for discussion, but they’d already made up their minds.


    Ariel didn’t care about petty matters like this. As long as Chad was speaking on behalf of Faye Technologies, the rest didn’t concern her.


    “Okay, I’ll go.” Nancy epted the offer.


    She then looked at Jayson and asked, “What do you think, Jayson?”


    Serena looked between the two with interest. Smiling, she made a suggestion. “Mr. Larkin, why don’t you join Ms. Stanton on stage? You two are such a stunning pair. It will be a real treat for the audience.” 2


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