Yvette looked at him, eyes downcast. Her voice hoarse, she rubbed her temples. "Middle-aged rebellion in men is really scary," she thought. "If Jeremiah ever gets like that, I'll just give him a good slap. That'll save a lot of trouble." She glanced at Howard, who looked thrilled. "Howard," she said, "I usually keep to myself; I don't really know the rules of this circle."

Howard's eyes clearly said, "I don't believe you."

Yvette paused. "If that's the case," she thought, "I'll just be straightforward." Calmly, she said, "Howard, I'm above the rules. No rules can hold me back."

Howard was momentarily speechless. 'Ms. Zeller is bold and proud,' he thought. 'In business, I make the rules. I lead capital market trends; I understand and agree with her.' He put aside his dreams of being the big boss. His midlife rebellion had failed.

They talked for another hour. Afterward, Howard walked out of the villa, energized. Liam, seeing him emerge, quickly exited the car; he'd almost fallen asleep waiting.

Liam bowed slightly. "Mr. Yates, you're out."

"Okay," Howard said, "let's go back to the company. Remember to schedule lunch with Rashad from the biochem lab for tomorrow."

Liam nodded repeatedly. In the car, he kept glancing at Howard through the rearview mirror. Howard's good mood reassured him. His anxiety eased.

Howard noticed Liam's glances. 'Is something on my face?' he wondered. 'Why is this kid staring?'

He closed his document and looked up, catching Liam peeking. Their eyes met. The atmosphere was awkward.

Howard's expression turned serious. "You've glanced at me at least ten times. Is something wrong with me?"

Liam shook his head, gripping the steering wheel. 'More awkward than being caught by the boss?' he thought. 'I'm mortified.'

"Mr. Yates," Liam said quickly, "you seem especially happy since leaving the villa."

Howard, unperturbed, glanced at the anxious Liam. "It's nothing," he said calmly. "I just learned something unexpected."

Howard was known for his poker face. Except with Yvette, getting a smile was nearly impossible.

Liam couldn't imagine what could make Howard so happy. It wasn't money; it had to be Yvette.

The next day, at the national new energy press conference, major media outlets from around the world were present, vying for the best positions. Clusia's successful new energy development marked a new era, surpassing Mysonna's technology. The world's attention was focused on this event.

James, formally dressed, attended; he only appeared at significant events.

In the lounge, Marcus helped Jay straighten his tie. "What's going on?" he asked, his voice low. "You've been distracted all morning. What are you thinking about?"

Jay looked up. The height difference was striking. 'What did this guy eat to grow so tall?' he thought. 'Maybe I should drink more milk. It's never too late to grow!'

"It's nothing," Jay said. "I just feel weird that Siren isn't here. Without her, we might still be on the wrong path. On a day like this, she should be here with us."

Marcus was silent for a moment. "Jay," he suggested, "do you think Siren's absence is just because she's lazy?"

The pleasant atmosphere evaporated. Jay, no longer sad, twisted Marcus's arm.

Marcus hissed. Jay reluctantly nodded. "Okay, you might be right."

Seeing Jay's mood improve, Marcus chuckled. 'This guy gets caught up in the details,' he thought. 'Another theory: Yvette doesn't care about the Siren identity, or she doesn't need the fame, status, and wealth.'

At 11:00 a.m., the press conference began. Core members from the national physics lab and top government leaders attended. Jay and Marcus, one in black, one in white, sat beside James. Marcus, already somewhat famous due to an old viral photo, drew much media attention, along with James.

The conference proceeded smoothly until James's speech. Despite his age, his posture was impeccable. He spoke forcefully for thirty minutes.

Then came the Q&A. Mysonna's top media representative, a keen-eyed man in his forties, was first. "Dean James," he asked, "you mentioned that someone named Siren was crucial to this project's success. Why is this person absent? Could you elaborate?"

Jay and Marcus exchanged a look. Yvette's secrecy had been the right call. 'How many talents has Mysonna stolen from our country?' they thought. 'They're masters at manipulating public opinion.'

James smiled politely. 'Trying to blow things out of proportion?' he thought. He picked up the microphone and looked at the reporter.