Chapter 57

Brinley lifted her gaze and met Colin's eyes, her tone steady but edged with resolve. "Mr. Palmer, a racing project can't be judged by budget alone. Every fraction of added safety could mean the difference between life and death in a crisis."

With a few clicks, she displayed a chart on the screen and went on, "Here are last year's global racetrack accident statistics. Nearly eighty percent of severe crashes happened in that twenty percent safety gap."

Grayson leaned forward at once, his voice firm. "Mrs. Moore makes an excellent point. Safety is the line that can never be crossed in racing."

What followed turned into a sharp exchange between Brinley and Colin.

He dismissed her operational model as overly idealistic, and she countered with precise customer-flow predictions.

She exposed the hidden flaws in his drainage design, while he fired back with supplemental test data to defend it.

Austin positioned himself in the rear seats, quietly observing the sharp clash unfolding on stage. His hand tightened around his cup, and a shadow of displeasure lingered across his face.

He caught the way Brinley's fingers tapped against the table whenever she gathered her thoughts, a small unconscious rhythm that betrayed her nerves.

Colin, meanwhile, couldn't help but flick his gaze toward her before every rebuttal, his eyes carrying emotions too tangled to decipher.

When the judges moved into the final voting stage, the hall grew so still that the scratch of pens against paper cut through the silence.

One by one, the seven judges recorded their scores. By the time the staff began tallying them, cold sweat had already traced down Brinley's back. Colin leaned slightly toward her, his voice low enough for only her to hear. "I'm confident this project is mine."

Brinley's eyes stayed fixed on the sunlight streaming through the window. "Shut up."

The host broke the seal on the last envelope, and the room burst into gasps of surprise.

Brinley's total came to 92.5-narrowly beating Colin's 92. It came down to half a point, the thinnest margin possible.

"According to the scoring rules, safety weighed heavier than cost control. By the slimmest of margins,VantagePath Realty takes the win!" the host declared.

The hall burst into thunderous applause, the sound crashing over Brinley like a wave. For a heartbeat she stood frozen, unable to process it.

Corbin wrapped her in a jubilant hug, bouncing with unrestrained joy.

Brinley, however, felt as if her strength had drained away, her gaze drifting instinctively toward the judges'table.

Across the sea of people, Austin's eyes found hers. He smiled warmly, his expression carrying a tenderness that seemed to spill beyond words.

When she stepped down from the stage, Colin waited at the bottom of the stairs.

His suit was creased, his tie askew, and the polish he always carried had completely unraveled.

"Half a point," he muttered, tugging at the corner of his lips as though forcing a smile.

"Mr. Palmer," Brinley said softly, her eyes cool as they met his. "Your proposal was indeed meticulous.Unfortunately..."

"Unfortunately, I don't really understand racing." His voice broke in, the dim light in his eyes betraying a quiet defeat. "I thought commercial benefits were what mattered, but I forgot-the heart of this project is the track itself. Now I understand why we broke úp. When I thought stability was enough, I lost sight of what truly matters-that from the very start, love only survives on sincerity and honesty." The words struck Brinley like a sudden blow, and her expression frosted over.

Colin continued, "Brinley, we...

"Enough," she cut him off, her tone sharp and distant.

Colin parted his lips, ready to argue, but his gaze flicked past her shoulder. Seeing the figure behind her, he forced a thin, bitter smile instead. "Goodbye,Brinley."

He turned and walked toward the exit, every step weighted, his back bent as though the years had suddenly caught up with him.

"What's got you so lost in thought?" Austin's voice rose gently from behind.

Brinley pivoted to find him standing there, a bouquet of bright sunflowers cradled in his hands.

"It's nothing," she replied softly. Her fingers brushed his as she accepted the bouquet, and a wave of warmth passed between them. Somehow, the hollow inside her chest felt full. "Thank you."

"What exactly are you thanking me for?" he asked, brushing a loose strand of hair from her shoulder.

"For the flowers."

Austin dipped his head, studying her animated face before letting out a low chuckle. "That's all I get? Just words?"

Cradling the bouquet, Brinley's gaze grew complicated, shadows flickering behind her eyes. "As thanks,plan to buy you dinner tomorrow. Do you have time?"

"Of couurse, I'll make time for you." His laugh came easy, his eyes bright with amusement.

Brinley, however, looked away deliberately, refusing to meet the depth in his expression. "Pick a time and send it over. There's still a site survey I have to handle, so you go back without me."

Raising an eyebrow, he offered, "I'll drive you."

"There's no need. I need to bring Corbin and the others. I'm heading out now." Without waiting for a reply, Brinley motioned for her teammates and strode off, her steps brisker than she realized.

The bouquet remained clutched tightly against her chest, her mind circling back to the dinner invitation for tomorrow. She felt the urge to sidestep it entirely.

With the project finally wrapped up, it was the right moment to sit down for a serious conversation with Austin.

Yet the thought of sitting across from him, laying it all bare, stirred a reluctance she didn't want to acknowledge.

Austin's gaze followed Brinley until her figure was gone, the corners of his lips tightening into a faint, bitter grin.

"Mr. Moore, should we..." Miguel, hovering at his side, finally broke the silence. He had been waiting,restless, watching Austin stand rooted in place long after Brinley disappeared.

Finally, his eyes shifted aside, his expression settling once more into that rigid severity."We're going back to the company."

Meanwhile, once outside the hall, Brinley waved off her team with a bright smile, tellingthem to unwind and enjoy the victory.

It was the dedication of the entire team that allowed them to secure this project.

"Brinley, aren't you joining us for a meal?" Corbin asked.

"I'll pass. There's something else I need to take care of." With that, she offered them a gentle farewell before turning away, her steps carrying her alone toward the project site in the quiet stretch of the suburbs.