Once the security check wasplete, the three of them were allowed to proceed. Noreen was there on business to see Seth, who had been managing Ascendancy Group''s affairs while Bianca was on leave. That was the only reason she was at Aurelion Group.


    Upstairs, a secretary named Gillian informed them that Mr. Harcourt was handling an urgent matter and asked if they could wait. Noreen nced at her watch. She had a thirty-minute buffer, so she agreed. Gillian led them to a conference room and brought them tea.


    In the room next door, Ethan was tearfully recounting his recent hardships to Seth. Listening to his story, it was hard not to feel a shred of pity. His wife had left him, he could no longer afford his son''s private school, and his elderly father had fallen ill with no money for treatment, now waiting to die in a public hospital. It was no wonder Ethan had caused a scene. He truly had nowhere else to turn.


    "Here''s what I''ll do," Seth finally said, his voice even. "I willpensate you a certain amount from my personal funds. For the rest, you can sell TechVenture to cover your debts."


    It was happening again. Seth was paying to clean up Bianca''s mess. Noreen wasn''t surprised. In his world, Bianca was worth any price.


    Ethan wasn''t satisfied. “Mr. Harcourt, with your resources, you could easily bail out TechVenture. Please, just help me one more time. I''m begging you."


    Seth''s tone turned sharp, devoid of any warmth. "If you hadn''te here today and publicly humiliated Director Lowell, I might have considered it."


    "But now, that''s off the table."


    "You can refuse my offer, in which case you''ll get nothing from me."


    "You can also try to call that press conference. See who shows up. See which media outlet dares to report your story."


    "Go ahead. Try me."


    "Let''s see who breaks first."


    Silence fell in the adjacent room. Through the ss partition, Sophia could feet the chilling intensity. Mr Harcourt was ruthless. It was a stark reminder that a man in his position didn''t get there by luck. His methods were decisive and absolute, leaving his opponents no room to maneuver, no chance to even


    struggle. Making an enemy of him


    was a fool''s errand.


    Crushed under the weight of Seth''s authority, Ethan predictably buckled and epted the terms.


    A momentter, Gillian knocked on their door. "Ms. Gilmore, Mr. Harcourt is ready for you now."


    Noreen closed herptop and stood, leading Sophia and Colby to the other room. In the hallway, they passed a dejected Ethan, his face a mask of utter defeat.


    "Mr. Harcourt, Ms. Gilmore is here."


    Seth had alreadyposed himself, rising to shake her hand. "My apologies for the wait, Ms. Gilmore."


    "It''s fine," Noreen replied coolly. She sat down andunched directly into business wasting no time on pleasantries, in this regard, Seth was his old self, matching her professional efficiency.


    Halfway through their discussion, the phone on the table vibrated.


    In the past, Seth would have


    silenced it immediately. He despised


    interruptions during work. Noreen remembered the time she had


    suffered a miscarriage from alcohol


    poisoning; a frantic Sophia had called him, but he was in a meg about a subsidiary''s IPO and had rejected the call without a second thought. In the end, Noreen had


    signed the surgical consent form herself, telling Sophia not to bother him again.


    But now, he picked up the phone.


    His voice, once cold and professional, softened instantly. "I''m almost done here."


    ***<fn8495> Newest update provided by FindN()vel</fn8495>