Chapter 260

The collaboration with Emmett Dunmore went off without a hitch.

Two days later, contracts were signed. With other commitments demanding his attention, Emmett left The Meridian headquarters.

Exhausted after a grueling half-day session, Camille Hartwell and Gabriel Ashcroft retreated to the conference room. They'd just settled with steaming cups of coffee when Selene Carver entered, dropping a towering stack of embossed invitations onto the table.

"Every year-end banquet invite we've received this week," she announced.

Thirty invitations at minimum. Everett Mercer's stood out immediately, alongside Tristan Rutherford's, Harrington Group's, and Vertex Dynamics's.

Flipping through, Camille's fingers paused. The Lancaster family had sent one too.

Not just Gabriel's name graced the Lancaster invitation—hers was printed right beside it. Gabriel lounged against the conference table, twirling the card between his fingers with a smirk. "Our little startup's making waves."

Truthfully, it wasn't The Meridian's charm drawing them—it was their two flagship projects and the NEXA system the Lancasters desperately wanted.

Desperate enough to include the woman they'd once dismissed.

What they didn't know? The tech they coveted hadn't come from Gabriel at all.

Amusement glinted in his eyes as he watched Camille sort through the pile.

Harrington Group, Vertex Dynamics—all had shrewdly included her name.

Only Tristan Rutherford had broken pattern, sending separate invitations.

Gabriel chuckled. "Tristan's got manners."

Camille said nothing. She'd met Tristan briefly when he'd asked if she studied under Graham Bellamy.

"Skip Harrington, Vertex Dynamics, and the Lancasters," Gabriel decided, fanning the cards. "We'll attend Beaumont Group's—they've been decent partners. The others? A polite gift will suffice."

Some, like the Lancasters, didn't even warrant that.

Clean breaks worked best.

"Agreed." Camille's thoughts mirrored his. Between core operations and studying Graham's materials, they had no time for pointless socializing.

The Meridian was hosting its own banquet, but invitations wouldn't go out for days—their schedules were packed.

With fiscal year-end approaching, Vertex Dynamics demanded follow-up. Next morning, Camille arrived there with Everett Ortiz's team.

Selene Lancaster passed them in the lobby. Neither woman acknowledged the other.

Mid-meeting, Camille felt eyes on her. She turned—and immediately looked away.

Tristan Lancaster had been watching.

He'd grown bored after two days in Lucerne. Curiosity about his sister's workplace brought him to Vertex Dynamics.

Spotting Camille, he assumed she worked there. Her dismissive glance intrigued him.

"What's their team handling?" he asked his guide.

"Different department. Likely language system maintenance."

Tristan considered observing, but their focus deterred him. "Where's my sister?"

"Ms. Lancaster's in Conference Room B."

He followed, finding Selene commanding a room of rapt executives.