Chapter 227

Hazel’s POV

That evening, I met Fred at a restaurant.

I arrived early and sat by the window, holding a glass of water, my head lowered as if lost in thought. When Fred walked in and saw me like this, his footsteps paused. He walked over, sat opposite me, and frowned.

“Ms. Hughes, what’s wrong? You don’t look so good. Did something happen?”

I put down the glass and looked up, forcing a smile. I didn't hide anything and said honestly, “The company has run into some problems.”

“Several partners suddenly withdrew their investment, preferring to pay the breach fees just to leave. I’ve investigated, and they’ve all gone to OmniFront Labs.”

My voice dropped, “The supply chain at Skyline Innovations is in chaos. I’m in a very passive position right now.”

Hearing this, Fred’s brow furrowed even deeper. He didn't ask for the specific reasons or try to assign blame, but instead reached a conclusion directly, his tone tinged with indignation, “It must be Vivian playing tricks behind the scenes. That woman is deeply calculating; she looks calm on the surface, but who knows what she’s doing in the shadows. Your partners must have been poached by her.”

As he spoke, he picked up his coffee and took a large gulp, as if trying to extinguish the fire in his heart.

I bowed my head and didn't speak.

Fred put down his cup and looked at me, his tone softening, “Have you tried finding Dylan? He can’t just stand by and watch when something this big happens.”

“Besides, Skyline Innovations was originally a gift from him. Since there are problems, he naturally has to take responsibility.”

My finger traced the surface of the table, “I’ve called several times, but no one answers. I went to the company to see him, and they said he wasn’t there, that he was busy receiving overseas clients and his itinerary was confidential.”

I looked up at him, “I don’t know what’s going on either. Maybe… he’s really just too busy lately.”

Fred looked at me, his eyes filled with deeper sympathy. “He…” He seemed to want to say something, but fearing he might hurt me, he changed his words, “Don’t worry, I’ll find a way. You can’t carry this alone.”

Fred’s voice was very low, as if he were comforting me or murmuring to himself.

I looked at him, genuine gratitude flowing in my eyes, “Thank you, Fred. I really don’t know what I would do without you.”

Fred waved his hand, “It’s a small favor, don’t mention it.”

We chatted for a while longer before leaving. When we walked out of the restaurant, the night wind blew, carrying the chill of early autumn. I wrapped my coat tightly around me and stood at the entrance, watching the traffic on the street.

Fred stood beside me, and we were both silent for a moment.

I suddenly smiled, “OmniFront Labs is the talk of the business world right now. Even the government is supporting Vivian. It seems that in the future, OmniFront Labs won’t be something a small company like mine can contend with.”

Fred gave a cold snort, his tone full of disdain, “So what if Vivian has ability? Her character is crooked; her company won’t last long.”

“Look at the things she’s done—stealing projects; which one was done in the light?”

He looked at me with a serious tone, “Don’t feel inferior. Take your time. You are much better than her; you just lack a little time. One day, you will do better than her.”

I looked at him with complex emotions and said thank you.

We said our goodbyes at the restaurant entrance, and Fred personally saw me into the car.

A few days later, Fred brought good news. He had helped me secure a partnership. Although it wasn’t as big as the previous contract, it was enough to help me tide over the immediate crisis.

I thanked him repeatedly over the phone, my voice filled with uncontrollable excitement.

Fred chuckled, “I told you it was a small matter. Don't take it to heart. If you have trouble in the future, just come to me directly; no need to be a stranger.”

“Okay.” The corners of my mouth curled up slightly.

Vivian’s POV

The establishment of Sentience BioTech started off with a bang, with reports of success pouring in. Within a short period, institutions and companies seeking cooperation came in droves, and the threshold of my office was nearly worn down. My assistant, Quinn, was so busy she couldn't catch her breath; just screening the avalanche of proposals took all her energy.

That month, the Forbes rich list was updated, and my name was prominently listed.

Although the ranking wasn’t at the very top, the title of “Youngest Woman to Make the List in History” was enough to trigger a storm in the business world of Oceancrest City. On the day the news broke, the atmosphere inside OmniFront Labs was electric; Quinn brought in several bouquets of flowers to place in front of my office, and Jensen was spamming exclamation marks in the group chat, his excitement clear for all to see.

I simply sat behind my desk, glancing calmly at the push notification on my phone, then locked the screen and placed the phone facedown on the table.

I had no time to bask in these empty titles. My gaze was already fixed on the next battlefield—Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Today, I had an appointment with a legendary entrepreneur in the Eldoria AI field, Lawrence Parker. His company, Cinder Innovations, possessed deep technical expertise in AI algorithms and big data processing. I wanted to develop AI robots; OmniFront Labs could handle the hardware support, but for software algorithms, I had to partner with top experts.

Lawrence was the best choice.

The meeting place was a private club in the eastern part of Oceancrest City, with a quiet environment and excellent privacy.

I arrived ten minutes ahead of schedule. Guided by a waiter, I walked through a corridor covered with thick carpets toward the private room. When I turned the corner, I unexpectedly bumped into Fred and Hazel.

The moment Fred saw me, his eyes turned cold.

He didn't speak, and I ignored him, we passed each other by. Hazel’s gaze lingered on my face for a moment, her lips moving, but in the end, not a single sound came out.

Walking into the room, Lawrence was already waiting.

He was over fifty, with a kind face. Seeing me enter, he stood up immediately, reaching out with a kind smile, “Ms. Wilson, I’ve heard much about you.”

“Mr. Parker, a pleasure.”

After the pleasantries, we sat down by the coffee table. After the waiter served the coffee and withdrew, Lawrence didn’t rush to talk business, instead bringing up my appearance on the Forbes list, his words filled with admiration. I handled it appropriately and soon steered the conversation toward the AI field.