They reached their floor.

Elodie and Alexander stepped out of the elevator one after the other.

After they left, Mr. Black and President Brown exchanged glances with the few others still inside.

Unable to hold back, Mr. Black murmured, “Did you notice how much Mr. Sterling values Ms. Thorne? It’s almost as if they’re equals, not superior and subordinate. He actually seems proud of her.”

Haywood, the engineer standing beside him, nodded. “She really knows her stuff. Honestly, talking to her feels like I’m out of my depth-she’s operating on a whole different level.”

Mr. Black was even more taken aback. Haywood was one of their most seasoned engineers. Clearly, VistaLink Technologies was full of hidden talent.

There was a welcome reception scheduled for the first day.

Representatives from each group would mingle and introduce themselves, and Mr. Charlie Sterling would be making an appearance as well.

After unpacking, Elodie changed into a long, belted coat-relaxed yet polished- just as Alexander knocked to escort her downstairs.

The hotel had reserved one of the medium-sized ballrooms for the event.

As they walked in, Alexander leaned closer and murmured, “The old man will be here soon. He’ll probably quiz you about what you’ve been reading lately.”

Elodie couldn’t help feeling a little nervous.

Between her work with VistaLink Technologies and her studies, she’d been pushing herself hard. Getting into a top-tier graduate program wasn’t easy—no matter her experience with military projects, she still had to put in the hours and effort to keep getting better.

Just as they were speaking, Mr. Black and Haywood from The Delacroix Group approached.

Haywood, a man in his forties, immediately brightened at the sight of Elodie. He came over to greet her. “Ms. Thorne.”

After their earlier technical discussions, Haywood had been hoping for a chance to dive deeper into some of the tougher engineering issues. He had the sense that Elodie might have valuable insights.

“Ms. Thorne, could I pick your brain about the current technical bottlenecks in autonomous navigation and Al for drones?” His gaze was earnest.

Elodie was a little surprised by his enthusiasm, but nodded. “Of course. Go ahead.”

Haywood got right to the point. “Right now, we’re running into real challenges with the precision of our sensors. What’s your take on that?”

Elodie paused, considering how best to articulate her thoughts.

Meanwhile, Naylor entered from the doorway just in time to catch Haywood’s question. He frowned-why was Haywood seeking Elodie’s opinion on something so technical?

Glancing at Alexander, who was standing just a couple of steps away from Elodie, Naylor quickly put the pieces together. Haywood must have assumed that anyone working closely with Alexander had to be highly capable.

Naylor shrugged inwardly, then walked over, clinking glasses with Alexander before turning to Haywood. “Mr. Haywood, I’m afraid Mr. Sterling is the star of the evening-he’ll be in high demand and probably not free for a deep dive. But I can introduce you to someone even more specialized.”

Elodie shot Naylor a cold look.

Naylor simply pointed across the room. “Are you familiar with Ms. Fielding? When it comes to academic credentials in this field, she’s second only to Mr. Sterling. Why not talk to her?”

Elodie followed his gaze.

As she expected, she spotted Sylvie on Jarrod’s arm. With Jarrod by her side, several company executives and engineers had already gravitated toward them. Some of the technical staff had launched straight into professional discussion with Sylvie.

Sylvie handled it all with easy confidence and grace, speaking fluently and holding everyone’s attention. Jarrod stood beside her, exuding a calm, almost lazy charm, creating a space where she could shine.

Sylvie had naturally become the center of attention.

Watching the scene, Elodie slipped away to the refreshment table.

Clearly, the technical conversation had been cut short-there was no point in trying to continue it now. She decided to help herself to a bite to eat and let someone else have the spotlight for a while.