Howard arrived at Skyland ten minutes early. What a coincidence. He owned several villas there and occasionally stayed, but not often. The security guard grinned as soon as he saw the car. "Welcome home, sir," he greeted warmly.

Howard acknowledged him with a slight nod from inside the car. "Thanks for your hard work," he added appreciatively.

The young guard's heart leaped. He thought, The people in Skyland are quite classy. I rarely have trouble, but this is the first time someone has actively acknowledged me. He remembered another regular, a beautiful girl who rode a scooter. She sometimes stopped to chat, even eyeing his lunchbox the other day, prompting him to buy an extra one. They'd ended up having lunch together in the security booth. She seemed to enjoy the meal.

He assumed she was a maid for one of the families. Otherwise, why the scooter? he mused. Her employers must be stingy. It's a shame for someone so pretty and charming. He'd worked at Skyland for years and considered her the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen there.

Lost in thought, he only snapped back to reality when Howard's car was already driving away.

In front of Villa 3, number 401, Howard adjusted his suit. Turning to Liam, he asked, "So, how does it look? Anything amiss?"

Liam's eyebrow twitched slightly. With professional composure, he replied, "Mr. Yates, your outfit is impeccable."

Howard had already asked three times during the drive. Liam's throat felt dry. How could there be any problems? he thought. A custom-made, handcrafted suit costing $150,000, cufflinks from a Sotheby's auction worth $1.5 million, and globally limited-edition shoes—only five pairs existed. The extravagance felt almost overwhelming. Why does Mr. Yates still think something's wrong?

Howard had already briefed Liam about the meeting with Yvette. He told Liam to wait in the car and went to knock on the door himself.

Liam watched Howard's back and sighed. Who is this Yvette? He's never taken meetings with presidents or world leaders this seriously!

This villa, a gift from James, was Yvette's first visit. Refined and sophisticated, the interior leaned towards Clusian aesthetics, with rosewood furniture and James's personal collection of rare, genuine antiques displayed throughout.

Howard recognized them immediately. When did Ms. Zeller develop an interest in antiques? he wondered. He was an avid collector of authentic pieces and instantly identified the genuine articles. What a grand gesture!

Changing into slippers, Howard carefully examined a horse sculpture beside the couch. His gaze lingered. He looked up at Yvette, nestled on the sofa. "Hello, Ms. Zeller," he began, "this horse dates from between 620 and 680 AD. If I'm not mistaken, it's worth at least $20 million. Such pieces are exceptionally rare, even at auction."

Antiques were a passion of Howard's. He sat down and asked, "Where did you acquire this, Ms. Zeller?"

Yvette glanced at the sculpture and gave a deep "hmm." Her voice was calm. "A grandfather gave it to me."

Howard was momentarily speechless. Of course, it had to be the young boss. Such charisma! I wonder where this grandfather is...and if he needs a grandson?

Yvette lounged on the sofa, swirling the water in her glass. Ah, nothing beats Samantha's drinks, she thought, remembering the bartender from the previous night. Perhaps another drink with her?

Howard withdrew his gaze from the sculpture and looked at Yvette. "Ms. Zeller, I've made progress on Rashad's project. I've met him twice and laid out my conditions. If InnoCrest Technologies invests, we need someone in the lab. Rashad is cautious and wants to think it over."

Yvette rubbed her wrist, raising an eyebrow. Her eyes turned cold. "Double the offer," she said casually. "He'll agree. Trust me."

Howard doubted Rashad would yield so easily. Why does Ms. Zeller insist on access to the biochem lab? he wondered. What is there that she's willing to spend a fortune on? What could a national-level lab possibly possess that she needs so desperately?

He sighed. He'd always cared for Yvette like a younger family member. Money meant little to InnoCrest Technologies; it was Yvette that mattered. Even knowing he was being intrusive, he had to ask. "Ms. Zeller, why are you so determined to get into Rashad's biochem lab?"

Yvette's gaze was cold and fierce, her voice unnervingly calm. "The truth, the answer, lies only in Rashad's lab."

For Yvette, killing Rashad would be effortless. But she wouldn't let him die easily. She was determined to discover what Lilian had endured in that lab. She would send Rashad to hell in the most brutal way, breaking him emotionally before he died, making him suffer as Lilian had.

Howard saw the cold indifference in Yvette's demeanor and knew he shouldn't press further. He gazed at her, a changed person. After a moment, he said, "Ms. Zeller, don't worry. Whatever you want, I'll cooperate fully. I'll contact Rashad immediately upon my return, double the offer, and update you."

Yvette looked down, then back up. The fierce expression softened. Seeing his worry, she said calmly, "Howard, it's just a little game with an annoying bug. No need to worry."

Howard managed a strained smile. How can I not worry? Is Ms. Zeller really planning to confront Rashad? Even as InnoCrest's chairman, going up against a national-level authority is extremely difficult!

InnoCrest doesn't matter; it's Ms. Zeller's creation. But nothing must happen to her.

He thought, No, I need to place an order on the Black Gold site. When she faces Rashad, Ms. Zeller, a young girl, will need backup. He'd heard Black Gold employed the world's top assassin, with a flawless record. He'd pay whatever it cost. If the top assassin wasn't available, the second or third best would do.

He took a sip of water before asking, "Ms. Zeller, do you know about the Black Gold website?"