Vanessa leaned against the table, trembling uncontrobly. All her pride and scheming seemedughable and pathetic in the face ofn''s cold, calcted n.


    "Hah!n, you''re truly ruthless," Vanessa muttered, a look of defiance on her face. Her eyes fell on the contract in front of her, and she snatched it up, ready to rip it to shreds.


    But just as she was about to tear it, something urred to her. She began to frantically flip through the pages, her eyes searching eagerly. Finally, her finger stopped on a use marked in bold.


    ''Confidentiality use: All contents of this contract shall not be disclosed, published, or disyed to any third party by the First Party without the written consent of the Second Party. Any vition will be considered a breach of contract, for which the First Party will be held legally responsible and mustpensate the Second Party for losses incurred.''


    A twisted hatred ignited in Vanessa''s eyes.


    She grabbed the contract and stormed out of the conference room. She was going to confrontn and make him pay for his breach.


    Vanessa stopped a passing nurse. "Excuse me, where isn?"


    The nurse, startled, pointed in a direction. "Mr. Goodwin just went back to his office."


    A crazed look shed in Vanessa''s eyes as she hurried towardn''s office.


    Just then, she spotted him in the public lounge.


    n." Vanessa rushed up to him and mmed the contract down in front of him. "You vited the confidentiality use of this contract. You are not allowed to disclose its contents to any third party without my permission, but you just showed it to Eleanor. That''s a breach of contract."


    She stared at him, expecting to see a hint of panic or apology on his handsome face.


    However,n remainedposed, a coldness creeping into his sharp features. He raised an eyebrow. "I think you need to reread the terms."


    "What do you mean? What other tricks are you trying to pull?" Vanessa was beginning to develop aplex about this man; every word and action felt like a part of somerger calction against her.


    opened it, his long fingers pointing to the definition of the First Party. "Read carefully. The First Party. this contract is not me as an


    ve


    individual, but Masand


    Vanessa''s breath hitched. She suddenly felt intellectually outmatched by him.


    She had seen that use, but at the


    time, she hadn''t paid it much mind.


    Andn''s behavior over the years


    had lulled her into a false sense of security. Eleanor had been kept in the dark and no one around him


    seemed aware of their deal not exer


    Dr. Smith. It had all clouded her


    judgment.


    She had been too confident, thinking her position as the sole global donor was


    invincible. Now, she was the one who looked like a fool.


    A cold light glinted inn''s eyes, and he exuded a calm, collected confidence. "Eleanor is now a corez researcher in myb, currently this


    leading the project rted re


    very donation As such, she has a right to be informed about the project''s partners-namély, you-and the terms of our cooperation. This is perfectly in line with the contract and does not constitute a breach."


    He then stood up, looking down at the frozen Vanessa with a frigid tone. "If you have any objections, you can have yourwyers contact me. I will not shirk any of my responsibilities."


    Vanessa''s face went pale again. The contract slipped from her hand and fluttered to the floor like a piece of waste paper.


    So, this too had been part of his calctions all along.


    She looked up at his deep-set eyes and his refined, handsome features, which suddenly seemed so foreign. Perhaps his performance over the years had trapped her in acent way of thinking, making her forget how cold and ruthless this man truly was.


    So, for the past ten years, then who would grant her every wish had probably never been the real him. He was just a charactern had meticulously yed to achieve his goals.