The Queen Returns—And She's Unforgiving

To sum it up in one line, Flying Seal Group's technology was strong enough that they could say, "Don't let the door hit you on the way out."

They just had lower odds during the bidding phase due to them going up against nationally renowned competitors, but Flying Seal Group had no weaknesses when it came to actual project execution. They didn't need Arrowpoint Solutions for anything technical.

Just the fact that they were offering Arrowpoint Solutions some minor participation in foundational tasks was already more than generous.

Tiffany's gaze was cold as she stared at Evelyn. "Ms. Reed, if you're going to blur the line between personal and professional, isn't that a little lacking in cooperative spirit?"

Evelyn sat back in her chair, one leg crossed over the other. Her refined, icy face betrayed no emotion. She didn't even bother entertaining the accusation.

She said flatly, "Arrowpoint Solutions has Mr. Grant backing them. I doubt a penalty fee will be much of a concern."

Finally, Lucas lifted his eyes to look at her. His gaze was unreadable-neither cold nor warm-but there was a subtle flicker of interest in his eyes as if her demeanor had once again caught his attention.

Evelyn, as always, paid him no mind.

In most joint bids, both parties specialized in different areas. They complemented each other-one couldn't function without the other.

But Flying Seal Group? Their only disadvantage had been at the bidding stage. Technically, they were self-sufficient.

When they signed the preliminary agreement with Arrowpoint Solutions, Flying Seal Group had already secured leadership status. That meant they had the authority to assign technical responsibilities however they saw fit.

If Arrowpoint Solutions disagreed or refused the allocation, they could walk away from the deal-but they'd have to accept full liability and pay a steep penalty.

From the start, Flying Seal Group had always held leadership of the project. They had made that clear in the bid proposal and the structure of responsibilities.

Flying Seal Group only needed access to TechNova Group's name and network through Arrowpoint Solutions to give them a better shot at winning the military bid. Now that the bid was secured, whether or not Arrowpoint Solutions agreed to Flying Seal Group's terms didn't matter anymore.

They could be replaced or tossed out entirely. Evelyn didn't feel bad about it.

Arrowpoint Solutions was the one who had poached from Flying Seal Group in the first place.

The fact that Flying Seal Group used them now to gain leverage wasn't an act of revenge; Evelyn called it balancing the scales.

It was the professional version of returning the favor. No one got to take from them without consequence.

Tiffany's expression finally shifted as she realized the truth. Flying Seal Group had never planned for a real collaboration. They had roped Arrowpoint Solutions in just enough to make them feel included, then boxed them into a corner.

Now, they were being forced to either accept the unequal terms or withdraw and accept full fault.

"Mr. Hill," Tiffany called out in a tight voice, no longer bothering to address Evelyn. "Isn't Flying Seal Group's approach a bit... underhanded?"

Sebastian gave a soft, theatrical sigh. "We're dealing with a military project here. There's no room for error. I'll only feel at ease if the tech is in our hands. If you're really that uncomfortable with it, then maybe this means we're not on the same page. We'll just terminate the deal."

Tiffany froze. She hadn't expected Flying Seal Group to be this cutthroat. And through it all, Lucas didn't look the least bit surprised or annoyed. He sipped his coffee with casual detachment as if everything was going exactly as expected.

Evelyn felt his gaze on her.

She lifted her eyes slightly and met his gaze. She saw those deep, calm eyes. He wasn't angry. In fact, his lips curved slightly as if he was amused. It was as if he had known from the beginning that this was how Flying Seal Group would play it.

Evelyn frowned subtly and looked away without a word.

Finally, Lucas spoke. His voice was calm and unshaken. "It doesn't matter." Tiffany turned to him in surprise.

But Lucas simply gave a vague smile and said coolly, "Since Mr. Hill and... Evie already had a plan in place, we'll go with it. It's for the greater good, after all."

Evelyn stilled when she heard Lucas call her "Evie". He hadn't called her that in ages. He had only done it maybe once or twice long ago. It was a nickname used only by people who were close to her.noveldrama

She frowned again but kept silent, not showing her reaction on her face.

Meanwhile, Tiffany pressed her lips together.