Chapter 465

Alexander's voice was calm as he extended the invitation.

"Would you care to join me?"

Victoria instinctively opened her mouth to decline.

The words "I'm not sure I'll be available" hovered on her lips.

But remembering how out of character that would sound, she caught herself mid-breath.

"Of course," she amended with forced brightness.

She moved toward the sitting area when a document on Alexander's desk caught her eye.

Her steps faltered.

Noticing her hesitation, Alexander picked up the file.

"NovaTech is developing a new large-scale model. This contains research on their Luminar programming language and two flagship projects."

His fingers tapped the cover.

"Fascinating work, really. They've made significant breakthroughs. You might find it educational."

In different circumstances, such an offer would have thrilled Victoria.

She would have eagerly accepted the materials, hungry for knowledge.

Now, her smile felt brittle.

She took the documents with stiff fingers.

"Thank you."

A thought struck her.

"But if we're only beginning to study NovaTech's technology now..."

She chose her words carefully.

"Won't the market have moved on by the time we develop something comparable? Technology evolves so rapidly these days."

"True," Alexander conceded.

"But we're not looking to replicate NovaTech. We aim to extract their core innovations and build upon them."

Victoria nodded mechanically.

"That makes sense."

Alexander's eyes lit with rare enthusiasm.

"What NovaTech has created isn't fleeting. Take Luminar - it took years for the industry to recognize its value."

He leaned forward.

"As for their recent projects? Even with today's rapid advancements, I estimate competitors will need at least three years to match them."

His admiration for NovaTech's accomplishments was palpable.

Victoria felt ice forming in her chest.

Alexander had always valued brilliance above all else.

If he ever discovered Isabella was behind Luminar's development...

Worse still, those two projects had launched shortly after Isabella joined NovaTech.

The timing suggested she'd led them personally...

Victoria's gaze flickered to Alexander, now engrossed in another file.

Her grip tightened on the documents until her knuckles whitened.

That evening at the Kensington estate, dinner began pleasantly enough.

Laughter and light conversation filled the dining room.

Then the television news featured a segment about NovaTech.

Victoria froze mid-bite.

On screen, Harrison Montgomery was being interviewed about his company's partnership with NovaTech.

"The collaboration has exceeded all expectations," he declared.

"Issues that plagued us for months were resolved within weeks. We've had numerous overseas firms express interest in working with NovaTech as well."

The mood at the table darkened instantly.

Since NovaTech had secured the smart city project the Kensingtons coveted, resentment toward the company had festered in both families.

Despite being in early development stages, NovaTech already had new partnerships forming.

Meanwhile, the Kensington Group and their tech division remained stagnant.

Reginald Kensington, already stressed about company matters, pushed his plate away with a clatter.

He massaged his temples, appetite gone.