Emma clenched her teeth unwillingly. An hour later? Wouldn’t that make them look inferior? But compared to being completely denied entry… They had no choice. Ronan quickly forced out a smile. “Thank you, Miss Cristina,” he said politely. Cristina only nodded lightly. Then she turned toward Olivia again. “Miss Olivia, please follow me.” This time, nobody dared question anything anymore. Not even Emma. The entire Nelson family could only stand there silently while watching Cristina personally lead Olivia and Conor through the VIP entrance. Carl stood stiffly near the entrance. His face looked extremely ugly. Just now, everyone had ignored him completely. Even worse— Cristina had walked right past him like he didn’t exist. Carl clenched his fists tightly. How could Conor suddenly know people from DragonTech? It made no sense. Right then— Buzz! Buzz! His phone suddenly rang. Carl quickly looked at the screen. “Dad?” He immediately answere

Nick’s eyes widened slightly. “The Nelson family?” he repeated quietly. He looked genuinely surprised. “King… their total assets are only a little over ten million.” He lowered his voice even more. “The companies on the top-tier list are all giants.” “Most of them are worth over five hundred million.” Nick hesitated for a second before continuing honestly. “If we suddenly place the Nelson family beside them…” “It may actually harm them instead.” Conor thought about it for a moment. Then he shrugged casually. “Fine.” “Then don’t put them on the top-tier list.” Nick secretly let out a breath of relief. But then Conor added calmly, “Just give them entry-level partnership.” Nick blinked. “Entry-level?” Conor nodded lazily. “That’s enough.” “Any cooperation project from DragonTech is already more than enough for a family like theirs.” He handed the folder back casually. “One small project could multiply their wealth several times.” Nick immedi

Olivia’s mind was still spinning. Ten million dollars in annual orders. DragonTech partnership. Everything felt unreal. She turned toward Conor almost instinctively. Her beautiful eyes were shining brightly now. “We did it!” she blurted out happily. Before she could even think— She suddenly jumped forward and hugged him tightly. Conor blinked slightly in surprise. The soft scent of her perfume filled his air for a second. Nearby guests looked over immediately. Olivia herself froze the next moment. Realizing what she had just done, her face instantly turned red. She quickly stepped back awkwardly. “I-I…” she stammered. Then she lowered her head slightly, looking embarrassed. Conor only smiled faintly and said nothing. But right then— “What are you doing?!” A furious voice suddenly exploded nearby. Ronan. He had just arrived with Carl and Emma. The moment Ronan saw Olivia hugging Conor in public, his old face darkened completely. “Olivia!”

Carl’s head snapped toward the stage, his composure shattering. “That’s impossible!” he barked, his voice cutting through the applause like a blade. “There’s been a mistake—there has to be!” A few nearby guests flinched at his outburst. On stage, the host maintained his professional smile. “There is no mistake, sir. The final confirmed partner is the Nelson family.” Carl took a step forward, his fists clenched tightly at his sides. “No. No, that’s not right! The Norman family was already—this was already decided!” “Decided?” a nearby executive murmured under his breath. “By who?” Carl ignored him, his eyes darting wildly before landing on Conor. And then— He saw it. That faint smile. Small. Controlled. But unmistakably there. Something inside Carl snapped. “You—!” he pointed sharply at Conor, his voice trembling with fury. “You did this!” Conor didn’t move. Didn’t even bother to hide the slight curve of his lips. “What are you talking about?” he replied

Smug and satisfied. “Now that,” carl said leisurely, “sounds more like the Mr. Nelson I know.” Ronan didn’t react to the remark, though his expression stiffened slightly. Carl took a step closer, clearly enjoying the moment. “I was wondering how long it would take you to come to your senses,” he added, his tone dripping with condescension. Emma hesitated, then quickly followed suit. “…We may have been too hasty,” she said, offering a small, polite smile. “After all, the Norman family’s position has never been something to underestimate.” Carl glanced at her, amused. “At least someone here understands reality.” Ronan forced a faint smile, though there was tension beneath it. “Given the circumstances,” he said carefully, “it would be unwise for any of us to jump to conclusions.” Carl let out a low chuckle. “Exactly.” He clasped his hands behind his back, posture relaxed once more. “DragonTech made their choice,” he said. “Good for them.” Then his eyes flicke