Sophia Sullivan drove back along the mountain road.
As she headed toward The Underground City, she called the director of MDH Pharmaceutical Research Institute.
The tires rolled over the pavement with a faint hum.
"So the drug is still in the trial phase?" Sophia asked. "How much longer will it take?"
The director's cautious voice came through the receiver.
"Ms. Sullivan, Alzheimer's research does take time. We've made preliminary progress, but the medication still needs refinement to ensure safety and efficacy."
Sophia understood the difficulty.
She couldn't risk using an unproven treatment on the elderly woman.
After a brief exchange, she ended the call.
Her car entered The Underground City district.
The warehouse housing the server was surrounded by a maze of alleys and crowded vehicles.
Sophia parked farther away and walked toward the building.
Across the street, a massive digital billboard caught her attention.
It displayed rotating covers and promotional slogans for several comic books.
—"Noah Valentine, the genius artist, presents his stunning new work!"
A group of young girls enthusiastically promoted the comics with megaphones.
A crowd of fans had gathered, buzzing with excitement.
"Noah is the hottest artist right now!"
"I went to his signing event—he's so young and handsome, and his style is unique!"
Sophia usually avoided crowds.
But something about the art style on the billboard felt familiar.
She approached the booth and picked up a comic to flip through.
As she turned the pages, her expression darkened.
The cold aura radiating from her made nearby people instinctively step back.
Many of the storyboards and plotlines were clearly lifted from drafts she had created years ago in Italy.
Her fingertip traced the author's name—Noah Valentine.
A cold smile curved her lips.
What a coincidence.
The person behind this pen name was the same male editor she had once worked with.
"Is this artist really that popular?" Sophia asked a girl beside her.
The girl blinked, then nodded eagerly.
"Yes! Noah is huge right now! He's holding another signing event at the Trade Center next week. You should go if you're a fan!"
Sophia set the comic down gently.
"Next week..."
She wasn't in a hurry.
She would definitely make time for this "grand event."
"Do you know Noah?" the girl asked curiously.
Sophia smiled meaningfully.
"No."
If he had dared to steal her work behind her back, he must have assumed she would never find out.
No wonder.
Three years ago, after dealing with the mafia in Italy, she had vanished without a trace.
He must have thought he could use her discarded drafts without consequence.
He probably never imagined they would cross paths again in this city.
In the past, she would have stormed straight to his doorstep for justice.
But now, repairing the server took priority.
——
After finishing the server maintenance, Sophia returned home.
Hot water washed away her exhaustion.
She sank into the soft bedding with a quiet sigh.
"Rusty."
Having stayed away from technical work for three years, handling the server had been more challenging than expected.
It took longer than she'd planned.
Moonlight filtered through the curtains, casting dappled patterns on the floor.
Sophia gazed at the silver glow.
To treat Mrs. Sullivan's Alzheimer's, she needed to overcome one major obstacle—
Ethan Sullivan.
She had to earn his trust quickly.
Enough to take his grandmother abroad for treatment.
And then there was Breeze Perfumes.
She needed to investigate every detail about the company, leaving no stone unturned.
After a moment of thought, she sent Ethan a message.
[Mr. Sullivan, is our previous discussion about company collaboration still valid?]
Ethan replied almost instantly.
[Of course. I always keep my word.]
Both of them knew exactly what this referred to.
[Also, if you agree, I can increase the equity ratio.]
[No need. 30% is sufficient.]
Ethan's status showed "typing" for a long time.
Finally, his reply was formal and precise.
[The company has a dedicated lab. Your schedule is flexible—just one day per month on-site.]
[Thank you.]
Ethan stared at those two simple words.
For some reason, he could almost picture the faint smile on her lips.
Unconsciously, the corner of his own mouth lifted slightly.
The butler passed silently behind the sofa.
Watching his employer lost in thought over a phone screen, he couldn't help but mutter to himself.
How could two words be so captivating?