Chapter 146
"Of course I'm going to tell him," William raised an eyebrow, "I not only want Atticus to know that we at Star Tech have the capability to spot these issues, but I also want him—and everyone present today—to understand clearly that you, Grace, are not anyone's accessory, not anyone's assistant, but a technical expert who earns her keep through real skills."
"You're my partner, an indispensable core member of Star Tech," he looked at me, his eyes becoming serious and full of ambition, "Grace, you know me—my ambition has never been small. This little Aviation Administration cooperation project is just the beginning."
"I want Star Tech to not only become Aviation Administration's most trusted technical partner, but also to secure key government support projects. In the commercial sector, we need to reach the top too. Ideally, one day, we'll be able to go head-to-head with certain arrogant giants in this field, maybe even replace them."
I knew about William's ambition.
From the day we decided to start Star Tech together, I knew.
He didn't just want to achieve results—he wanted to stand at the top of the industry, looking down on everyone.
This ambition was also one of the driving forces that kept me moving forward.
I met his gaze, my voice clear and firm, "I know. I've always known. So I'll do everything I can to deliver the best results."
"I not only want Star Tech to become Aviation Administration's favorite and the government's target for support, but I also want it to truly stand at the top in enterprise services."
I spoke the goal I'd kept buried deep in my heart, one that was almost arrogant, "Ideally, to knock out George's company."
William's eyes suddenly lit up, like ignited stars.
He gave me a thumbs up. Everything was understood without words.
After a while, Atticus's assistant came over with an invitation, saying Mr. Morgan was asking Mr. Jones and Ms. Brown to his office for a detailed discussion.
William and I exchanged glances, then stood up and followed the assistant.
On the way, I thought to myself, what's Atticus up to this time?
Would he continue targeting me?
Or would he be embarrassed and angry because William just pointed out flaws in their system?
However, when we walked into Atticus's office, what greeted us wasn't the cold face or difficulties I'd expected.
Atticus was already waiting there, his face no longer showing that dismissive attitude or deliberate distance from before.
He even took the initiative to stand up from behind his desk and came forward.
What surprised me even more was that he personally walked over to the coffee machine, operated it skillfully, and soon two cups of richly aromatic freshly ground coffee were brought over.
He placed one cup steadily on the coffee table in front of me.
Then he handed the other cup to William.
"Mr. Jones, Ms. Brown, please sit," Atticus's voice was calm, even carrying a rare politeness, "Regarding those technical points Mr. Jones mentioned earlier, I immediately had our technical director verify them. Initial checks confirm that the risks you pointed out do exist. Thank you very much for your professional correction—this has helped us avoid potential major problems in future investments."
He paused, his gaze turning to me, his eyes complex but with less prejudice than before and more scrutiny, "I was blind before. This cup of coffee is a small personal apology."
When Atticus personally brought the coffee to me, I was indeed a bit surprised.
After all, not long ago, he was using that dismissive attitude, implying I wasn't qualified to look at the proposal.
This sudden apology of his carried a sense of ambiguous sincerity.
But I quickly recovered, nodded politely, my voice calm, "Thank you, Mr. Morgan."
Atticus sat down on the sofa across from William and me, his expression returning to business-like composure, and began formally discussing the possibility of project cooperation with William.
"Mr. Jones, to be honest, we've heard about that new satellite orbit risk avoidance system Aviation Administration has been using recently," Atticus leaned forward slightly, his tone probing, "I heard it's working very well, with extremely high data accuracy, and the backend's automatic calibration and fault tolerance mechanisms are excellent too. Everyone in the industry has been asking which company did it. I didn't expect it to be Star Tech's work."
"I wonder, which technical expert at your company led this? I'd really like to meet them if there's a chance, to learn from them."
After hearing this, William showed a knowing smile. He didn't answer immediately, but naturally turned his head to look at me sitting beside him, his eyes full of undisguised trust and pride.
"The person Mr. Morgan is asking about is our Star Tech backbone and the core person in charge of this project," he raised his hand, gesturing in my direction, "It's Grace, Ms. Brown."
I quietly picked up my coffee cup and took a small sip.
The bitter, rich flavor spread across my tongue as my gaze calmly settled on Atticus's face, observing his reaction.
Sure enough, a flash of unmistakable shock crossed Atticus's eyes, even carrying a hint of absurdity. His expression management almost lost control for a moment, as if he'd heard something completely far-fetched.
But he quickly forced himself back to normal, even pulling his lips upward, his tone carrying a barely noticeable mockery, "Really? Ms. Brown is that capable?"
I could almost hear the unspoken second half of his sentence.
How is that possible?
Sure enough, his next words completely exposed his true thoughts, "Mr. Jones, honestly, I think we're quite alike—both making it on our own without family help, both ambitious. I thought people like us would be the most clear-headed, not held back by romantic entanglements that affect our judgment. I didn't expect you to be deceived, Mr. Jones."
William's brow immediately furrowed, his face darkening, "Mr. Morgan, what do you mean by that? I hope our conversation can be built on professionalism and mutual respect."
Seeing William genuinely angry, Atticus seemed to realize his words had gone too far and quickly explained, "Mr. Jones, don't misunderstand, I don't mean anything else, it's just..."
He turned his gaze to me again, his eyes complex, with a self-righteous air, "Ms. Brown and I go way back. When she married George, I even attended their wedding."
"I know her background better than anyone. She went to an ordinary college, barely worked after graduation, and after marrying into the Smith family, she was a housewife for six years, revolving around the stove and kids."
"Mr. Jones, you're saying she can write core code that Aviation Administration is using? That's simply impossible."
"I know you probably sympathize with Ms. Brown's situation and want to help her out, give her a respectable job and title, but those of us in business, especially in tech, value real skills. Whether someone has the ability or not shows when they demonstrate it."
"You're entrusting such an important project to someone with no relevant experience and an average educational background—aren't you making a joke of your own reputation? If it goes wrong, Star Tech's hard-earned reputation could..."
"Atticus!" William finally couldn't hold back, sharply raising his voice, his face livid, looking like he was about to slam the table.
But at that moment, I gently pulled William's arm.
William looked back at me, anger still in his eyes, but also questioning.
I shook my head at him, signaling him to stay calm.
Then I slowly stood up, my gaze ice-cold, staring straight at Atticus across from us, whose expression also didn't look great.
My voice wasn't loud, but like an ice-tempered blade, clearly cutting through the false courtesy in the office, "Mr. Morgan, you're blind yourself, and you still have the nerve to criticize and lecture others here?"
Atticus was stunned by my such direct and blunt rebuke, his face showing both astonishment and anger.
I didn't give him a chance to speak, continuing coldly, "Do you really know me? What you know is just the wife George described as beneath notice, the housewife who only cooks and cleans according to people like Terry."
"What can Terry's foul mouth say besides slander and rumors?"
"If you want to target me, if you don't like me, you can come at me directly. Why beat around the bush, taking your anger out on William, insinuating things about his judgment and professional integrity?"
I took a small step forward, my presence unyielding, "William and I are colleagues, business partners, and friends who can trust each other."
"Our relationship is completely clean and aboveboard. Without any evidence, you dare to spread rumors here and slander our reputations?"
"Is this the upbringing and style of the Morgan family? I thought it was some century-old prestigious family, but turns out it's no different from street thugs."
Atticus's face completely darkened.