Ariel couldn’t be bothered to gauge Nancy’s reaction. She dn’t spare her a glance.
Veyo Solutions reacted quickly by reaching out to Vireon Technologies. However, having a partnership was completely different from having full control over the technology.
Things might look stable on the surface, but in truth, they wouldn’t gain much from it. It was just barely enough for them to stay afloat in the tide of innovation.
It would all depend on whether the people Jayson brought in could actually come up with something new.
Ariel wasn’t worried.
She knew the caliber of her flight control system. Even if Jayson injected Veyo Solutions with fresh talent, trying to develop a brand–new system that could rival hers in two years was impossible.
All he had really done was speed up the timeline.
That morning, Ariel spoke to Lesley and decided to delay her next round of chemotherapy.
She had been physically and mentally drained these past few days. Pushing through the side effects right now would only wreck her.
Lesley agreed that she should take some time to recover and suggested that Ariel try a different set of targeted drugs.
With that sorted, Ariel checked the time.
A few days ago, Samson had asked her out for a meeting over lunch. They had scheduled it for today.
Yeager Group wanted to get a deeper understanding of Faye Technologies. Since Chad had a scheduling conflict, Ariel decided to bring Janice along instead. After all, Janice was also part of Faye Technologies‘ leadership. It wouldn’t hurt for her to hear Samson’s pitch firsthand.
Samson had booked a high–end restaurant.
When Ariel and Janice arrived at the private room, Samson was already on his feet to greet them. But they weren’t the only ones there.
A striking woman with sharp features and an intimidating presence sat inside.
Ariel turned to Samson with a calm smile. “Mr. Pryce, this is Ms. Janice Swanson from Faye Tech. She’ll be joining us today. I hope that’s alright.”
Samson shrugged casually. “Of course.”
Ariel looked toward the woman. “That is…”
Kristen stood and extended her hand to Ariel. Her sharp yet elegant gaze carried the composure of someone seasoned by experience.
“You must be Ms. Walker from Faye Tech. I’m Kristen Ulmer from Yeager Group.”
A flicker of surprise crossed Ariel’s eyes.
Kristen Ulmer? That was the legendary figure behind Yeager Group.
1/2
Chapter 357
+25 BONUS
She was nearly 50 now, but time hadn’t left a single mark on her face.
It was no small feat to get face time with Kristen.
Even Janice was stunned. She immediately stepped forward to greet her. “Ms. Ulmer, it’s an honor. I’ve heard so much about you.”
Kristen smiled and motioned for them to sit. “No need to be so formal. I’ve been truly impressed by your company’s recent work. I wanted to hear your thoughts in person.”
Samson gave the order to bring out the food.
When he turned to Ariel, his tone softened. “Ms. Ulmer’s really taken an interest in your new flight control system. She’s hoping to hear directly from you, Ms. Walker
Ariel nodded.
She admired Kristen as well, so she began to speak calmly and steadily.
Samson stayed quiet.
While they waited for the food, he quietly poured Ariel a glass of water and set it by her hand, careful not to break her focus.
Naturally, he took care of Janice, too.
There were only three women in the room. Whether out of courtesy or subtle intention, he couldn’t afford to be too obvious and risk making anyone uncomfortable.
Ariel spoke with clarity and poise. Kristen’s lips slowly curled into a smile. A glint of appreciation flashed through her eyes.
Eventually, Kristen asked, “Was this system developed by your full team at Faye Tech, or was it more of a personal project? Or do you have some hidden genius on your staff we’ve never heard of?”
