Chapter 132

"Brinley, just tell me what you need from me. If there's something I can do, l'll help however I can," Daphne said with her usual straightforwardness. She'd never been one for playing games. Her loyalty to friends was the real deal.

Brinley hid her anticipation behind a warm, composed smile."Isn't your brother's company about to hold a bidding event? Coincidentally, my company has developed a product that might be just what they're looking for."

Pouring Daphne a fresh cup of coffee, Brinley adopted an easy, almost knowing tone. "Do you have any advice? If we wanted to pitch to your brother's company, what should we be ready for?"

Her tone sounded casual, but the intent was obvious-she was hoping Daphne would open a door for her.

Daphne gave a sheepish chuckle, a little embarrassed. "I wish I could help, but honestly, I don't know much about his business. He keeps me out of company stuff. I am afraid I can't be of any help."

"I see." Brinley's gracious smile never wavered, though a faint pang of disappointment tightened her chest."No worries. I'll find another way."

Brinley steeled herself..This bid was hers for the taking-she wouldn't leave it to chance.

Daphne's eyes suddenly brightened, as if a new idea sparked to life. "You know, I actually have a pretty good sense of what my brother looks for. When you've got your proposal ready, run it by me first."

A grateful smile broke across Brinley's face, her spiritš lifting. "You're a lifesaver, Daphne. I can't thank you enough."

This was the opening Brinley had been waiting for. She remembered that night at the gala, how Miles had suggested working together. But when she'd reached out later, he'd coldly redirected her, insisting that everything go through official channels of the bidding. She wasn't about to repeat the same mistake-if she wanted to lock this in, she'd have to use Daphne's influence. Daphne's smile grew warmer.11Come on, don't get all formal on me. Besides, my brother's actually passionate about female safety products. If he knows you're a friend of mine, your proposal will definitely get a real look."

Brinley lifted her cup with a bright clink against Daphne's. "Then I'Il happily accept your help. Here's hoping everything goes our way."

But she knew optimism alone wasn't enough. If she wanted results, she'd have to take on the competition herself. Nova Tech was the biggest threat in their path-a rival also gunning for dominance in the women's safety market.

Brinley's gaze sharpened as she considered her next move.

···

Three days had slipped by since Nova Tech finished settling into its new office space, yet all projects had screeched to a halt. No one had any tasks to work on.

Worse, both of Nova Tech's key leaders-Hannah and Felix-had seemingly vanished.

Day after day, the office buzzed with the same tension. With no direction and no assignments, employees started to whisper anxiously. Had the company relocated only to go under? The uneasy speculation only grew louder.

Evan Sawyer,a programmer, sat frozen in front of his phone. He stared at his banking app, his balance stuck at a meager $187.65. He didn't snap out of it until a coworker gave him a sharp nudge and suggested grabbing lunch.

Meanwhile,Hannah and Felix were still hustling, knocking on supplier doors with fresh business cards and a fake company name-anything to avoid Nova Tech's tarnished reputation.

But their cover didn't fool anyone. Word had clearly gotten around in the supplier circles-many recognized them immediately.

A handful agreed to chat anyway, but the conversations led nowhere. The moment they/ pressed for real information, the answer was always the same, delivered with a wary glance. "Don't ask questions youshouldn't be asking."

Setbacks piled up and morale sank, but Hannah refused to retreat. After hashing out a plan with Felix, she made a radical decision-she packed her things and set up camp right inside one of their suppliers'factories.

Every morning, she plunged headlong into the factory's daily grind, making a point to cross paths with Martin Clay, the factory owner, at every turn. Her relentless presence was impossible to ignore.

After days of this, Martin, exhausted by her sheer tenacity, finally caved. With a weary sigh, he tossed her a lead just to be rid of her. "You want to know who's coming after Nova Tech? Try Cerulean Bay. That's where your answers are."