Rose was shocked and nervous, unable to believe the results. The project was crucial for Cooper Group, given their superior proposal and pricing. Their failure could only mean one thing: the bidding was rigged.

Hannah rose and politely asked the officer, “You scored us five points less than Sawyer Group. Why?” All eyes were on her; her directness was unexpected. Most would have been embarrassed, but Hannah remained composed.

Martina sneered, "Well, someone can't accept the truth."

Hannah turned to Martina. "No," she said, "I simply want to understand. Knowing why we scored five points less than Sawyer Group will help us improve."

Martina scoffed, confident in Charles's victory.

Hannah asked the staff for an explanation. After a discussion, an official announced, "In the interest of fairness, we'll explain Cooper Group's five-point deduction. Both proposals were strong, nearly indistinguishable, especially in design. However, Sawyer Group's sales quota resulted in a score of 95 for Cooper Group and 100 for Sawyer Group."

Charles had manipulated the sales quota. The officer explained, "Cooper Group quoted 10 billion, while Sawyer Group quoted 9.9 billion. The 100 million difference cost you the points."

Hannah nodded and said to Lee, "We minimized profit in our quota. We weren't aiming to profit from this project. Sawyer Group's lower quota was surprising."

Lee stood, "We also had no intention of profiting. We minimized our construction investment. As Kensbury City residents, building this city is our duty."

Hannah smiled, accepting his explanation. After the bidding, she left with Rose and Wayne, noticing Wayne's quiet satisfaction.

Outside, the Sawyers were surrounded by reporters, already aware of the results. Hannah overheard Lee telling them, "We're surprised to win, especially against Cooper Group, the architectural pioneers. This success is truly pleasing and unexpected." His words subtly highlighted Cooper Group's defeat by a less experienced firm.

He continued, "It wasn't unexpected. We worked hard—days and weekends, unpaid. Our dedication paid off!" This implied Cooper Group's loss stemmed from insufficient effort.

He added, "Our quota is low. Our group is dedicated to public service, and this project is our contribution to the city…"

Hannah maintained a neutral expression. Rose, though usually composed, couldn't tolerate Lee's behavior any longer, but only left with Hannah.

In the car, Rose exclaimed, "What was he boasting about? It's just a bid! He needs to stop hurting others, even in victory!"

Hannah remained silent. Wayne, relieved, had initially feared Hannah due to his actions with Charles. He now felt he’d overestimated her.

Rose eventually stopped complaining, sensing Hannah's distress. Hannah returned to her office, Wayne to his.

Excited, Wayne immediately called Charles, "We won!"

Charles, already informed, was elated. "You deserve the credit. Without your plan, Hannah would have won again! Seeing her fail is incredibly satisfying! She'll struggle to explain this to the board."

Charles sneered, "It's not a big deal. I can help you win against Cooper Group if you cooperate."

"Seriously?" Wayne was thrilled.

Charles, condescending as always, felt invigorated despite his recent heartbreak over Hannah and Oscar.

"Sure," Charles said, "I'll handle things. Don't let your excitement make you suspicious."

"OK."

Charles hung up, smugly pleased by Hannah's defeat. After some hesitation, he called Hannah.