Even Bianca let out a smallugh, agreeing that Lillian''s idea waspletely unrealistic.


    When they walked into the stock exchange, Noreen was on the phone.


    It was the underwriter.


    "Are you sure?" Noreen asked.


    After getting a firm confirmation, a smile spread across her face. "Okay, I understand. Thank you for all your hard work during this time. I appreciate it."


    Bianca saw the tant smile on Noreen''s face and frowned subtly.


    She then forced a smile of her own, looping her arm through Seth''s. "Seth, let''s go over there. It''s too noisy here."


    Seth agreed.


    At 10:58, Jude called Seth to ask about the status of PerseTech.


    "Still waiting for the results," Seth told him.


    "I hope it goes through. My dad''s been glued to hisputer, he must have refreshed the page a hundred times."


    At this point, Jude''s hope for PerseTech''s sessful IPO wasn''t about making money. He just wanted Seymour to hear the good news and get better soon.


    At 10:59, Bianca received a call from her underwriter.


    Lillian urged her, "Answer it, answer it! It must be good news, I can''t wait any longer!"


    Biancaughed at her. "Why are you so impatient?"


    Nearby, Yvonne was perfectly calm. "Don''t we already know the oue?"


    She paused, then nced at an empty seat and frowned. "Why is your father taking


    so long in the restroom? He''s going to miss the announcement."


    Bianca answered the underwriter''s call, her joy palpable. "Mr. Galloway, are the results out?"


    Whatever was said on the other end, Bianca''s smile froze instantly.


    The exchange''s clock tower chimed the hour.


    On the prominent announcement board in the center of the hall, two IPO approval notices appeared.


    The first one read:


    *Approval Notice: The initial public offering ofmon stock for InnoCore has been approved.*


    Cheers erupted from Noreen and her team.


    Carman was so excited he gave Noreen a tight hug.


    "Noreen, we did it!"


    Others embraced each other, their faces beaming with the joy of sess.


    Lillian wished she could cover her ears. "So loud!"


    At the same time, she grumbled about the announcement board not switching to the second notice yet.


    Bianca, still on the phone, let her hand drop to her side.


    Her face was ashen.


    As if all her strength had been drained, she copsed back into her chair.


    The surrounding noise seemed toe from behind a thick pane of frosted ss, muffled and indistinct.


    All the color drained from her vision, leaving only a bleak, gray world.


    Yvonne frowned, about to ask what was wrong.


    The announcement screen scrolled.


    Lillian shouted eagerly, "It''s our turn, it''s our turn!"


    As the words left her mouth, her expression froze.


    Her eyes widened in disbelief as she


    stared at the board, asking in


    stared at th


    confusion Aether Entertainment


    Group? Whatpany is that? I''ve


    never heard of them."


    Before she could get an answer, a second, even louder cheer erupted from Noreen''s group.


    Scott raised his clenched fists above his head and shouted with emotion, "Thank you, Ms Gilmore! Without


    Ms. Gilmore, The Chronos Gallery wouldn''t be where it is today! Thank you!"


    Ovee with emotion, the man who had remained stoic even at his lowest point now had tears in his eyes.


    He ended up holding Noreen''s hand, thanking her incoherently over and over.


    Lillian, a beat toote, finally processed it and cried out in


    disbelief Aether Entertainme


    Group is Noreen''spany too?"


    "How is that possible?!"