Chapter 360
“Let’s not bring up the past, all right? We’re here to discuss a partnership. After dinner, I’d appreciate it if you could show us somewhere more suitable to have a proper conversation,” Victoria said, her tone measured.
She was worried Stein might push McNeil too far. If that happened, there was no telling what McNeil might do.
Stein was nothing like McNeil. As a military man, Stein lived by rules and discipline, while McNeil was a cutthroat businessman who played by no one’s rules but his own.
Stein operated out in the open; McNeil preferred the shadows. Who knew what tricks McNeil might have up his sleeve for Stein?
Even the shrewdest minds can slip up once in a while.
Stein’s current position was enviable, but enemies circled, waiting for a single misstep to bring him down.
If anyone found a critical weakness and exploited it, the consequences would be disastrous.
Seeing Victoria didn’t want to dwell on the past, Stein let it drop. He’d delivered his warning; McNeil would get the message.
But jealousy had already clouded McNeil’s judgment. Even a simple exchange of glances between Stein and Victoria looked, to him, like secret flirtation.
Rage simmered in his chest. For a moment, he almost called the whole thing off and stormed back to Starfall City.
But this partnership wasn’t something he could just walk away from on a whim.
Their project with the military was a massive undertaking-he couldn’t just back out because he felt like it.
McNeil drained his glass in one go.
After that, the conversation between the three grew sparse.
Stein would toss Victoria the occasional harmless comment. McNeil, meanwhile, barely touched his food and didn’t say another word, just pushing the vegetables around his plate with his fork.
Each time Stein and Victoria spoke, McNeil felt as if insects were gnawing at his heart.
But he couldn’t very well leave in the middle of dinner. He had to sit there, swallowing his irritation while the other two laughed and chatted as if he didn’t exist.
Dinner dragged on for an hour and a half. McNeil kept up a cool, unbothered facade, but his clenched jaw told the truth.
But this was Stein’s territory-nobody cared what McNeil was feeling.
Afterwards, Stein led Victoria and McNeil to a formal meeting room, with a stately flag hanging behind his desk.
Stein pulled out the contracts, and Victoria produced the research files from her company.
Truthfully, these files were more the fruit of V&S Group’s tech department’s hard work than anything brought from Quantum Core Technologies.
She was selling the company, not the expertise. Back when V&S Group first ran into trouble, Victoria had already transferred all her senior engineers to EmilyTech Solutions, where her aunt served as CEO.
She had no intention of letting her people keep propping up Violet at V&S Group.
And now, with the hundreds of millions McNeil had given her, she could recruit whatever talent she needed from across the country.
Stein had brought a few researchers of his own. Everyone sat down to hash out the details.
McNeil sat off to the side, silent, unable to contribute even if he wanted to.
Hours passed as they pored over the minutiae of the project-tedious, exhausting work. Fortunately, Victoria was more than up to the task.
No matter what questions Stein’s team threw at her, she handled each one with poise.
McNeil watched them the entire time, his gaze lingering on Victoria’s focused face.
He’d always known Victoria was her own person-never the type to fit neatly into anyone’s plans.
He’d met women like that before, years ago. But after he’d made his fortune, Victoria’s brilliance seemed to fade, like a star lost in the moon’s shadow.
He hadn’t seen her shine like this in years-not until tonight. The determination in her eyes took him by surprise.
After another two hours, night had fallen outside, and Stein’s team was finally starting to tire.
“Let’s call it a night. How long are you planning to stay?” Stein asked, addressing both Victoria and McNeil.
“A week,” Victoria replied.
Stein nodded. “I’ll do my best to wrap up the project review in three days. That way, the rest of your time can be spent exploring the city. I’d be happy to show you around.”
“Thank you, Stein,” Victoria said politely.
“No need,” McNeil interjected, his tone stiff. “We’ve got pressing business back in Starfall City. Once the contracts are signed, we’ll be flying straight home. We wouldn’t want to trouble you.”
Stein wasn’t buying it. “If you’re busy, you’re free to leave earlier. Vicky can stay.”
McNeil’s expression darkened. “She’s here with me, and she’ll leave with me. She’s my wife. No husband leaves his wife behind, no matter the situation. And no matter how much Mr. Campbell tries to act the gentleman, you’re still a man. Inviting another man’s wife out in front of her husband-that’s not exactly honorable behavior for a military officer.”
Stein met his gaze with a cold smirk. “You still haven’t figured out the truth about me and Vicky, and you clearly don’t trust your own wife. What gives you the right to accuse others?”
“Vicky’s an adult. She’s got her own choices to make. Just because you’re her husband on paper doesn’t mean you get to dictate her every move. I’m sure Mr. Langford understands the law better than I do.”