How a Dying Woman Rewrote Her Epilogue

"Me?" Elodie blinked, caught off guard.

Clifford's expression remained tinged with a certain awe. "A few days ago, we received some inside information-The Silverstein Group invested a massive sum a few years back to establish a company in Verdania. They've developed the technology and supply chain, and apparently, the facility just went online this year. Ms. Thorne, would you be able to... handle the negotiations on our behalf?"

Elodie was stunned.

Jarrod had a company like that in Verdania?

How had he never even hinted at something this monumental?

He'd started preparing for this years ago?

If he was investing in that kind of rare material, the market share and future profits would be astronomical. If he pulled it off and managed to bring it into the domestic market, he'd have the entire industry in a stranglehold.

Plus, he'd be able to dominate aerospace contracts, not just here but internationally. The long-term prospects were enormous.

The profits would be incalculable-enough to make any investor wild with envy.

But... with a market this lucrative, how could it be a secret? Of course, everyone knew about it. The problem was, research and development weren't easy. It took tens of millions just to get started, and the technical barriers were sky-high. Under international restrictions, the failure rate was almost absurdly high, and one mistake could mean losing a fortune.

It also took years of development before anything was market-ready.

No matter how you looked at it, the risks were staggering.

Very few investors had the nerve-or the resources-to gamble on such a niche, high-tech material that ordinary consumers would never even notice.

Even if the payoff was spectacular, the upfront costs and risks were enough to scare almost everyone away.

It was almost impossible to find venture capital with that kind of vision-willing to stake that much on something so specialized.

And then there was the question...

How had Jarrod managed to navigate all those bureaucratic and technical hurdles overseas?

"Ms. Thorne? Would you be able to help?" Clifford pressed gently.

He understood perfectly well: with Jarrod's company based in Verdania, if a deep partnership was established domestically, Verdania might retaliate and restrict Jarrod's exports, costing him a slice of the market.

Negotiation was essential-whether for partnership or for future pricing.

Elodie finally snapped out of her daze, her chest still tight with shock.

Jarrod really knew how to keep his cards close to his chest.

"I... I'll try to reach out to him."

If this breakthrough could be made at home, she'd be thrilled-ecstatic, even.

She just hadn't expected Jarrod to be the one opening the door. And even then, a deal might not be so easy.

She gave her answer, and the tensest part of the meeting finally eased.

The meeting wrapped up.noveldrama

Watts remained in his seat, eyes lowered, thoughts flickering across his face before resolving into a smile. "Mr. Silverstein is full of surprises. If this comes together, he'll be the linchpin of tech

innovation. The domestic

market—and even a chunk of the international one-would be his for the taking. The Silverstein Group might just be stepping up to a new level, all because of one bold investment."

The only reason this hadn't turned into a feeding frenzy was because the bar for entry was so impossibly high. Otherwise, every major investor would be tearing each other apart to get a piece of it.

The sheer scale of the potential profits was almost frightening.

Someone came over to speak to Watts; he nodded to Elodie before heading out.

Elodie was about to leave herself.

Lily watched her, biting her lip before blurting out, "Elodie, let's keep things fair. May the best person win."

Whether it was about befriending Watts or professional rivalry, the meaning was clear.

Elodie glanced at her, understanding the younger woman's sudden declaration of war.

"No need. He's all yours."

Lily's eyes widened. "I don't need your charity!"

Elodie had no patience for this childish tug-of-war. She simply turned and walked out.

As for that little tin of candy...

She left it where it was, untouched.

After wrapping things up, she made her way to the car, deep in thought. This was no small matter-Jarrod was a businessman, after all, and any partnership would require factful negotiation. There was no way upper management could simply force his hand.

She hesitated, then finally dialed Jarrod's number.

He picked up quickly. Elodie thought back to Clifford's request, weighed her

words, and asked, "Do you have a moment? Could we meet up?"

His voice was steady, but he threw her own words back at her: "Are we still keeping to that 'less contact, less face-to-face' rule of yours?"