Ella stood at the door for only a minute, allowing herself that brief moment of sadness before taking a deep breath and straightening her shoulders.Summoning her courage, she pushed open the door to the private room.

Inside, the businessmen were'drinking and exchanging pleasantries, but their attention quickly shifted to Ella as she entered.

She immediately switched to a warm, ingratiating smile. "I apologize for being late. I'll have to penalize myself with two drinks."

Without hesitation, Ella picked up a glass of whiskey from the table and downed it in one go.

The strong alcohol burned her throat, making her chest ache painfully.

Tears formed at the corners of her eyes and rolled down her smooth skin,making her look like a precious gem glistening against snow.

Ella tilted her head back to finish the drink, even as her throatconstricted from the alcohol's burn.

Then she immediately reached for another glass and emptied it as well.

She turned back to face the group.

The investment moguls exchanged glances, impressed by her boldness.

"We appreciate your enthusiasm, Ms. Brooks," One of them said.

Having finished her drinks, Ella moved straight to business.

She pulled out several documents outllning her business blueprint, along

with her and Jason's resumes, as well as the awards she'd received during her university years.

Madison Evans, a sharp-eyed CEO, smiled knowingly. "We're all business people here, and I'm a woman too. Looking at your impressive resume, Ms.Brooks, you could certainly be the golden hire at any major corporation.Why give up a promising career path to venture out on your own?"

Madison was a female investment mogul who had made her first fortune in stocks before aggressively expanding her investments.

After establishing herself in the investment world, she had launched her own business empire.

Now in her forties, she had navigated two decades of economic shifts.remained unmarried and childless, yet her achievements surpassed 99% of men in the industry.

She lowered her eyes, remaining silent.

Seeing her lack of response, the investors began shaking their heads.

"Ms. Brooks, our time is valuable. We can't afford to waste it here if you can't even articulate your thoughts properly. If you're unable to organize basic responses, you have no business trying to build a company."

"The business world has no place for naive girls."

The arrogant investor was already losing interest, fixing Ella with a dismissive stare.

Madison raised her hand to stop the man who was preparing to leave. "Let's not be hasty. Young people deserve a chance. This industry needs fresh blood."

"Madison, you're giving this woman too much credit. Sure, her resume looks impressive, but her work experience is blank, and she just quit Quantum Tech. With their generous compensation package, the fact that she couldn't stick it out there shows she lacks the mental fortitude for fast-paced companies."

"If we fund her startup, she'll probably start crying at the first sign of trouble."

The man finished his critique, and the others joined in the mockery.

"She is too indecisive for this business. Why waste our time on her?"

Just as he stood up to grab his bag and leave.

Ella raised her eyes and said pointedly, "Ms. Evans is a woman, too, so why is she a guest of honor here?"

Madison maintained a tolerant attitude, seemingly unbothered by the teasing remarks.

From her position of power, everyone else looked like insignificant ants.

Madison's eyebrow twitched with surprise, giving Ella an intrigued look.

"Gentlemen, I left Quantum Tech voluntarily because my ambitions didn't align with my position there. You might think I'm being unrealistic, but isn't business all about daring to dream and act?"

"As for my silence just now, I was considering something important. I've been controversial at my previous company due to certain romantic rumors that affected my standing there."

"If I didn't disclose this to you all, and you later discovered this deception

during background checks, it would create unnecessary conflicts in our future partnership."

Her words landed with conviction and sincerity.

The man who had stood up froze momentarily, embarrassed and angry at being put in his place. "Ella, you're here asking for our cooperation. What's with this superior attitude?".

Ella turned to him, her lips curving into a seductive smile. "You're absolutely right. What's dignity worth anyway? We're here to do business,and I should show proper respect."

"That's more like it."

Placated, the man settled back down.

Ella continued with this line of conversation, elegantly reaching for an expensive bottle of wine.

In the dim lighting, she couldn't make out the label clearly.

With graceful composure. Ella opened the bottle with a corkscrew and poured a glass. "Mr. Simmons, please forgive my unintentional offense.After all, Ms. Evans is sitting right here, and your sudden departure over someone as insignificant as me. What would she thinkof that?"

Cameron Simmons narrowed his eyes, staring coldly at Ella. "So you know my name."

"Everyone here is a prominent figure. I certainly did my homework before coming."

Ella offered a slight smile.

Cameron, finding her adaptability admirable, nodded slightly. "I'll give you credit for that clever mouth. Have a drink on me."

She poured herself another glass and drank it without hesitation.

Satisfied with this acknowledgment of his status. Cameron glanced at her."Let's see this business plan."

Ella produced a thick stack of documents, but feeling unsteady and light-headed,she presented them with both hands.

Cameron glanced at the circle of men with varying intentions, tapping lightly on the document's cover.

"Finish that bottle. You've only apologized to me-what about everyone else?"

Ella smiled and quickly agreed. "Yes,of course."

She bowed and grabbed the next bottle of wine.

This time, she didn't bother pouring it into a glass to sip slowly, but instead gulped it straight from the bottle.

Her slender figure and S-shaped curves were highlighted by her body-hugging dress that perfectly accentuated her rounded hips.

Austin, passing by the private room, caught an unintentional glimpse of that silhouette in the dappled light, swaying gracefully, exuding charm.

Austin ground his back teeth, feeling the edges with his tongue as a sudden craving for a cigarette came over him.

"Excellent! A few more bottles, and we'll sign."

"Madison, your instincts were right. She is quite something-uninhibited and interesting."

"Keep going, Ella. I see a bright future ahead for you!"