Goodbye, Mr. Regret

Vince's gaze drifted away, finally settling on Timothy. "Here, take it," he said, handing over the envelope. "Consider it a token of thanks for your help-nothing more."

Two years ago, when Timothy refused to partner up, Vince simply built the station but never connected the battery packs. He'd always known that if he used batteries from the Zimmerman Group, it would be the same as burning the bridge with Timothy for good-something he had no intention of doing.

In the years since, Timothy kept his distance, which gave Vince valuable breathing room.

Business was a fickle game. Over those two years, Vince threw himself into refining the car's design, perfecting the interiors, and shaping the brand's image. Even if the battery market slipped beyond his reach, he'd made sure the company could still stand its ground.

His mother's final days had left him increasingly nostalgic for his sister. She'd vanished years ago, and after two decades, tracking her down seemed almost impossible.

Timothy, on the other hand, had TS Cloud-a top-tier international database, originally developed for commercial use. But with its powerful capabilities, it could be leveraged in countless fields. When it came to tracking missing persons, it was second to none.

Timothy had spent the past two years linking TS Cloud to various government systems, making life easier for everyone.

Now, Timothy's cool, composed eyes flicked toward Jessica, lingering for a moment. "Since you're here," he said, "why don't you answer for me should we take on this project or not?"

Even Vince, who'd seen his share of high-stakes meetings, was taken aback. Why would Timothy let a complete stranger answer such a question for him?

for Kane and

in the least. They'd already heard before coming in: the woman in

And she was stunning.

fell to her waist. There was a gentle grace about her, something that

made

it-this woman was even more

innocence. Long, curling lashes framed her gaze, clear and

just slightly at the corners,

the type

pressed her

the lounge, she'd made a point of saying Timothy hadn't introduced Jessica to

seemed

sense of resentment began to gnaw

Timothy a cool, indifferent look. There was

might seem gentle and refined, but every word, every gesture was calculated -to push her into a corner, to make sure she couldn't get the money, and eventually force her back