Chapter 31

It was the first time Alexia had ever asked about Waylon's past.

With a composed expression and that calm air he always carried, Waylon simply replied, "If we're talking about the results, yes-l've been alright."①

It felt like they silently agreed not to bring up those missing seven years.

"I didn't just learn the waltz for fun," Alexia said with a casual shrug. "I'm guessing you've forgotten the bet,though."

Back then, she had followed Waylon relentlessly from one competition to another. Always trying to catch up. Sometimes winning, often losing, but never backing down.

The waltz? That had been a penalty. A playful one,maybe, but it mattered. She'd lost a bet back then,

and the price was simple-she had to be his partner for his formal dance event.

But that dance never happened.

That year, a lot happened within the Mason family,and because of their reckless youth, they ended up going their separate ways.

Just when Alexia thought he wouldn't say a word,Waylon unexpectedly pulled her into his arms. She felt weightless, like a feather caught on the wind.

His arm wrapped around her waist as he lowered his gaze to meet hers."I remember."

The way he looked at her-focused, unwavering-made her heart skip a beat. His chiseled features were striking, but it was that quiet intensity in his gaze that stole her breath.

By the time the dance came to a close,the hall was filled with applause.

Just then, a deep voice rang out from behind them.

"Mr. Mason, it's been a long time!"

They turned to see a middle-aged man dressed in a pristine white suit. He had clearly been watching from a distance and only approached now that the music had stopped.

Waylon's expression cooled ever so slightly as he recognized the man. "Mr. Walsh. It has been a while."

"Yes, yes. The last time was... five years ago? In Aelholt, wasn't it? I must say, you've only become more impressive with time." Johann Walsh chuckled as he stepped forward, rubbing his hands together in an almost nervous gesture. His eyes shifted toward Alexia, and that initial politeness gave way to open admiration. "This young lady beside you is breathtaking. My own date tonight doesn't come close."

Waylon's gaze darkened the moment he caught Johann eyeing Alexia a bit too boldly. His voice turned frosty. "Do you have a reason for staring?"

Johann chuckled, caught off guard."Ahno offense meant. Just a bit of harmless admiration. Honestly,talking business with you is always difficult, Mr.Mason. Maybe I should've tried my luck with the lady first-might've had better odds."

Alexia smiled coolly. "Then you'd be making a mistake. Business and friendship don't mix when it comes to Waylon. If you want to work with him,sincerity's the only way in."

Johann's smile faltered. He looked at her more closely now, realizing this wasn't someone to be underestimated.

Waylon noticed the change in Johann's demeanor and raised a brow. "So then, what exactly brings you here tonight?"

Johann straightened his tie, trying to regain composure. "On behalf of Blackcurrant Group, I'm here to explore potential collaborations. From what I've seen, your company's shifted its focus to bioengineering in recent years, with quite a few major initiatives underway. We're extremely interested.After all, the future lies in biotech, and our firm is globally recognized for that. Especially our latest initiative, the Daylight Project-it's all about advancing human welfare. There's plenty of synergy between us,I believe."

As soon as he finished, Alexia let out a light laugh,clearly amused.

Johann's confidence wavered under her stare.Frowning, he asked, "May I ask what you find so funny?"

Alexia didn't soften the blow. "Over the past few years, Goldedge has seen multiple outbreaks-new viruses showing up one after another. Preliminary findings pointed to human-made biochemical tampering. And though the reports were conveniently buried, guess whose name kept popping up?Blackcurrant Group. So tell me, have you really turned things around in just two years?"

Johann's heart thudded uneasily. The hit had landed.

His tone sharpened as he leaned in. "That's slander.

Whether there's evidence or not, technology is neutral-it's how it's used that matters. If you let unproven gossip cloud your judgment, you'll only slow your own advancement."

Alexia's eyes gleamed with cool defiance. "Don't get it twisted. I'm not against biotech, and I'm not throwing baseless shade at your company. I'm pointing at you. As someone in charge, you either overlooked or enabled everything that happened in Goldedge. That's not unfortunate-that's incompetence. If you can't even control your own team, what makes you think we'd trust you here?A company buried in scandals pretending to serve humanity? Please. Save the PR for someone gullible."

Johann's face changed the second her words hit home. He clearly hadn't expected Alexia to be so blunt, but since she was, there was no point in pretending. "This world runs on power. There are leaders, and there are followers. Technology is just another weapon to keep the upper hand. I'm sure Mr.Mason knows that better than anyone."