Lauren initially felt unhappy seeing Freya and Johnny seated near the front, but her mood brightened upon noticing Raven seated ahead. Raven, aware of Freya and Johnny's presence, pretended not to see Freya as she followed Matteo. Freya and Johnny observed this, but remained unconcerned. However, the surrounding attendees whispered enviously, commenting on the opportunity for those in the front row to speak with Mr. Nolan.

Freya and Johnny exchanged a glance. Johnny leaned in, whispering, "Don't worry, even if she gets the chance to talk to Mr. Nolan, she'll never catch his eye." He had already assessed Raven's capabilities upon their first meeting. Freya countered, "What if she's hiding her true abilities?" Johnny remained silent. The possibility weighed on his mind.

As he pondered this, the host took the stage. After a lengthy introduction, the host announced Mr. Nolan. Nolan, despite his worldwide fame, was relatively young—in his early forties—tall, slim, and wearing rimless glasses. His arrival was met with thunderous applause. Standing at the podium, his gaze swept the audience with an indifferent expression, silencing the room. He began his speech, thanking the organizers. He briefly summarized and affirmed the exhibition's items before taking audience questions. The question-and-answer session lasted about half an hour.

With the conference continuing, Nolan walked to a prepared seat in the front row's center. The prominent figures already seated stood to greet him, eliciting envious glances from those seated further back, particularly some of the technical staff. Matteo, seated beside Raven, stood as Nolan approached. Matteo extended his hand, greeting Nolan warmly. Nolan, reciprocating with a cool expression, shook hands. The two had met years before. Raven, too, greeted Nolan, introducing herself. Nolan acknowledged her, shaking hands with several others before sitting.

Matteo sat to Nolan's right, while someone to his left engaged him in conversation. Nolan responded briefly, but the interaction was largely one-sided. Raven, observing this, leaned over and asked Matteo, "Did you and Mr. Nolan have a falling out?" Matteo simply smiled and replied, "No." Confused, Raven pressed, "Then why...?" The opportunity to speak with Nolan was rare, yet Matteo seemed uninterested. Raven hadn't asked to switch seats, considering that Nolan was conversing with an influential business figure and not wanting to interrupt. She ultimately decided against asking.

Matteo finally revealed, "He doesn't think highly of me."