Jarrod glanced sideways, his gaze thoughtful as he watched the scene unfold.

Even Sylvie couldn’t help but look over, confusion flickering across her face before her expression grew even more serious.

Elodie arrived with Mr. Charlie Sterling? Since when did Elodie have that kind of connection? More importantly, it was only nine in the morning-did Charlie go out of his way to pick her up, or had they come from the same place?

“Let’s go,” Jarrod said coolly, not giving the matter another thought.

Sylvie pressed her lips together but said nothing more. After learning the truth about Elodie’s investment from Seymour a few days ago, she should have realized why Elodie was suddenly being treated so differently. Even arriving together in the same car made sense now.

Elodie, meanwhile, hadn’t noticed the attention she was drawing. She and Charlie made their way upstairs, passing a few familiar faces along the way. Nearly all the major companies had already arrived, their representatives gathering in small clusters.

The attendees were being split into different groups, and inside the conference room, seats had been carefully arranged. As soon as people saw Charlie, a ripple of surprise spread through the room. Many had been looking forward to meeting him, and a setting like this was the perfect opportunity for some face-to-face conversation.

Alexander shrugged. “Let’s find our seats before things get too crowded.”

Elodie nodded, and together they located their places-name cards neatly displayed at each spot. As they sat down, the room across from them buzzed with renewed energy.

Jarrod had already claimed a seat directly opposite, with Sylvie at his side. People circled around, eager to greet them.

“Congratulations, President Fielding. I hope we’ll have the chance to work together soon.”

Sylvie handled the attention with practiced ease. “Of course,” she replied smoothly.

“I heard Neural Intelligence has hired some impressive talent. The future looks bright! President Fielding, you’re certainly making a name for yourself.”

Sylvie smiled at the compliment, casting a quick, almost involuntary glance at Jarrod; her tone softened a little. “Thank you, that’s very kind.”

Neural Intelligence had become something of a rising star lately, and with Jarrod’s support, more and more people were eager to extend an olive branch. Everyone wanted a piece of the company’s future.

All the CEOs in attendance were seasoned veterans-under normal circumstances, none would go out of their way for a brand-new company. But with Jarrod sitting beside Sylvie, the social calculus shifted, and enthusiasm ran high.

Alexander gave a quiet snort. “Under normal circumstances, Neural Intelligence wouldn’t even make the attendee list for a meeting like this. Jarrod’s only here to send a message: he’s the power behind Sylvie and her company.”

Elodie could easily guess as much herself. Soon enough, plenty of people would be vying to partner with Neural Intelligence. After all, Jarrod had invested-of course he wanted to see the company succeed.

She set her notebook on the table, glancing around as more people filtered in, exchanging pleasantries before settling into their seats. Without thinking, she looked up and met Jarrod’s gaze.

He rested one hand on the table, tapping his fingers in a slow, deliberate rhythm. When their eyes met, his gaze lingered, dark and unreadable. Then he gave a brief, nonchalant nod of acknowledgment.

Elodie pretended not to notice, her eyes cold as she turned away. She didn’t respond, didn’t engage.

Just then, Watts Aldridge entered the room. It only took a second for him to spot Elodie in the front row. A flash of amusement crossed his eyes, and he started to head her way-only to be intercepted by the conference coordinator.

“Mr. Aldridge, your seat is over here. Please, let me show you,” the coordinator said, hurrying over.

Watts glanced in the direction indicated-his seat was several rows ahead of Elodie’s. He paused, considering, then asked, “Would it be possible to switch seats?”

He knew how meticulously these events were organized; everyone’s seat was assigned in advance, each name card already in place. Negotiating a change wouldn’t be easy, but he thought it was worth a try.

The coordinator hesitated, but recognizing Watts’s status, nodded. “I’ll see what I can do. Where would you like to sit?”

Elodie took a moment to survey the room, mentally cataloguing which companies were present. She was deep in thought, working out VistaLink Technologies’ next moves, when someone approached her side.

Lost in her planning, she didn’t look up right away.

“Ms. Thorne, fancy meeting you here again,” came a low, amused voice.

Elodie turned, recognizing Watts. Only now did she recall that Watts had mentioned this tech summit to Alexander-of course he would be here.

“Hello,” Elodie said, inclining her head in greeting.