"I pick Mindwave."


    Sofia let out a quiet breath, relief flickering across her face. She shot Reese a look-one Reese couldn''t quite read.


    Dominic''s brows furrowed. "Mr. Wiles, can you share your reasoning?"


    Zach''s voice was icy. "I think Mindwave fits the market better. It has a wider range of applications."


    The color drained from Reese''s face. Her hands started to shake.


    No investment for Emotis meant Dominic would never let her stay at the institute.


    Sympathetic nces circled the room, allnding on Reese. Everyone knew her project had more potential than Mindwave, but Zach clearly had his own agenda.


    Zach didn''t spare her another look. He stood and walked out, heading for Dominic''s office to iron out the investment details.


    "I told you. Some people just don''t have it," L sneered,ing up beside Reese. "You''ve been out of the game too long. The industry''s moved on without you.


    "My advice? Go home and be the rich wife. Competing with Sofia for funding? Please.


    "She''s the Ratcliff heir''s girlfriend, she''s talented, and you think you canpete? Get real."


    "L," Sofia cut in, frowning. "Don''t say that. Mr. Ratcliff and I are just friends." "Let''s go. Mindwave still needs a lot of work."


    People filed out, leaving Reese alone in the empty meeting room. She closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them, the defeat gone, reced by pure determination.


    She wasn''t about to give up. She''d finally broken through the technical bottleneck, and even Dominic had acknowledged Emotis'' value. She needed to talk to Zach and get the truth: Why did he choose Mindwave?


    Reese hurried out and caught up to him in the hallway.


    "Mr. Wiles, can we talk?"


    Zach signaled the others to move ahead, then turned to face her as she caught her breath.


    "What is it?"


    Reese steadied herself, voice calm. "I want to know why you really picked Mindwave."


    Zach nced at his watch. "I already exined—"


    "That was just an excuse, and we both know it." Reese met his eyes. "Emotis actually listens to users and ounts for emotion. It''s a much better fit for the market than Mindwave. If you were really thinking about applications, Emotis would be the obvious choice. I want the real reason."


    "The real reason?" Zach''s lips twisted in a mocking smile. "I just don''t believe someone who uses people to climb thedder can design something like this. The whole project''s tainted from the start. Is that good enough for you?"


    Reese''s hands balled into fists. "No. That''s not good enough."


    "This is business. If you''re throwing out my project for personal reasons, that''s not fair."


    "Fair?" Zach raised a brow. "You''re giving yourself way too much credit, Reese. I''m the investor. I make the call. If you want fairness, maybe your husband can invest in you instead."


    Reese held his gaze, then suddenly smiled. "So this is payback for me breaking up with you?"


    "Yeah. It is." Zach didn''t bother to hide it anymore. "I want to see you struggle, Reese. I want to watch you fight and fail."


    Her nails dug into her palm, but she didn''t flinch. "If you want revenge, fine. But not like this.


    "If you keep pushing, I''ll tell everyone about us," Reese said, voice low. "You really want Tara to get a reputation for stealing my boyfriend?"


    “When she made her rtionship official online, I wasn''t even married to Sebastian yet.


    "Or do you want the world to know she was seeing someone else at the time?"


    Zach''s expression hardened. “Are you threatening me?"


    "Not at all." Reese''s voice was steady. "I''m just negotiating, Mr. Wiles.


    "Iron Financial just got back into the domestic market. You don''t need to let something personal ruin your chances here."


    Zach stared at her for a moment, then let out a harshugh. "Fine. You win. Follow me."


    Reese let out a slow breath, knowing he''d finally caved, and followed him to Dominic''s office.


    "I''ve changed my mind," Zach announced. "Emotis has potential. I''ll invest in both projects."


    Dominic looked at him, surprised by the sudden turn.


    "But," Zach added, pointing at Reese, "I don''t want her name anywhere in the credits."


    Reese pressed her lips together but didn''t protest. As long as she got the funding and could stay at the institute, that was enough.


    Dominic gave her a long, meaningful look. When she stayed silent, he nodded. Paperwork signed, Zach left the office, still simmering over Reese''s defiance. "Boss?" his assistant said, picking up on his mood.


    "Look into Reese," Zach said coldly. "I want to know everything about her-her connection to the institute, who she''s been dealing with all these years."


    The assistant paused, then nodded. "Yes, sir."