Chapter 223 The Race
Reese refused to allow herself to be consumed by her thoughts; she had pressing matters to attend to. Upon returning to the sanctuary of her room, she promptly retreated to the bathroom and dialed Calvin's number.Calvin's voice echoed through the receiver, "Reese, what's the situation? Do you have any instructions?""Delve into Prospera Ventures," Reese instructed, her voice steady and firm. "I need a detailed account of the conversation between Malcolm and Adam."Calvin’s voice rippled with confusion, "And how exactly am I supposed to uncover that information?""Find a way," Reese retorted, her tone laced with an urgency that Calvin found unsettling.Sensing Reese's heightened anxiety, Calvin couldn't help but inquire, "Reese, hold your horses. Did Malcolm stumble onto something?""Uncertain," Reese admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "But I suspect he might be onto something."A nagging feeling of unease washed over Reese, as she was convinced there had been a slip-up somewhere. The question that gnawed at her was, when had Malcolm started suspecting her? She didn't want to risk probing him for information, lest she accidentally revealed her own hand.Calvin seemed to grasp the gravity of the situation. "Understood, Reese," he confirmed."Furthermore, I need an update on the robotics project immediately," Reese continued. "I fear that if word gets out, we might lose our lead."Until recently, the robotics project had been a closely guarded secret. However, the situation had changed, and now even Malcolm was privy to the details. Reese couldn't help but wonder if Malcolm was secretly discussing the project with Adam.Could it be possible that Malcolm was aware of Reese's takeover of his project and was now plotting his revenge? His plans were never as straightforward as they appeared. By the time Reese realized, she could very well be the one ensnared.Despite the looming uncertainty, Reese, who relished taking the initiative and never backed down, wouldn't have it any other way. A smirk played on her lips at the thought of the intriguing game that lay ahead."Ensure the project is handled by tomorrow," Reese instructed Calvin. "I can't be directly involved at the moment. Get Louis on it—his injury should be healed by now.""Don't worry, I'll handle it as swiftly as possible," Calvin assured her, acutely aware that another blunder could cost him his job.After ending the call, Reese immersed herself in her computer, pouring over details about the robotics project. She had been preparing for this for a long time but had hit roadblocks, partly because she couldn't use her true identity in negotiations, which undermined her authority.If her identity were exposed, it would attract unwanted complications. She preferred to keep it under wraps whenever possible.Unbeknownst to her, Malcolm also had his eyes on the robotics project, but his intentions were purely for Reese's benefit. Next month was her birthday, and he was planning a stunning surprise—the robotics project would surely delight his wife.Meanwhile, Justin was gathering information about robots, though the results were less than ideal. Few dared to venture into this new and risky field—only those with the right connections and resources.After an exhaustive search with mediocre results, Justin suggested to Malcolm, "Perhaps we should consider a different approach to obtain the information we need."If they continued on this path, progress was unlikely. Malcolm set his laptop aside, squinting at the screen before he closed it. The information he found was sparse."Alright, you take a crack at it.""Understood, but it might take some time," Justin warned, fully aware of Malcolm's high expectations for efficiency."I need that data on my desk by tomorrow morning at the latest," Malcolm commanded, his voice leaving no room for negotiation.Justin didn't dare object. Regardless of the impossibility of the task, he was determined to deliver."Understood."What Malcolm didn't realize was that all the intel on robotics was with Reese. She was the one who had initially stumbled upon this project and naturally had the most comprehensive access to the initial data.In essence, both were racking their brains over the project, racing to take control, with speed and preparedness being key.While Malcolm didn't return to his room that evening, Reese was engrossed in her own. Despite her preoccupation with the robotics project, she could effortlessly switch gears if Malcolm walked in; he wouldn't detect a hint of her duplicity.Both were workaholics, utterly focused and undisturbed. Reese's dedication took her well into the wee hours, stopping only at five in the morning.With everything else already taken care of, all that was left was to wait for Calvin's update.Reese's eyes, heavy with fatigue, had barely closed when the clock struck six and Calvin's call came through."Reese."The tone of Calvin's voice sent a wave of foreboding crashing over her."Didn't go well?""No, it's not that. It seems someone’s beaten us to the punch. They've moved faster, and I don’t know how, but they've managed to get their hands on more comprehensive data than us. It appears they'll have the project signed by nine this morning."Reese felt a chill as if doused with cold water. Never had she imagined being bested in her area of expertise. Her brow furrowed with displeasure."Who's behind this?"Calvin hesitated, unsure how to respond."I... I haven't figured it out."As Reese processed his reply, her thoughts instantly turned to one person: Malcolm. He too had been holed up in his study all night. Could it be such a cruel twist of fate that their paths were aligned, their competition rooted so close by?Pressing a hand to her forehead, Reese couldn't help but let out a weary sigh."How could this be?"Calvin, still somewhat bewildered, felt a twinge of guilt. Reese had placed high hopes in him, and in the end, he hadn't been able to provide the answer Reese was hoping for.But what exactly did Reese mean earlier?Without hesitation, he asked, "Reese, are you saying you know who's behind this?""It's almost certain, it has to be Malcolm."He remembered how Malcolm had gone into Adam's office, and the two businessmen hadn't emerged for a good while. In there, they wouldn't just be gossiping, so it had to be about a business deal of sorts.
That meant Malcolm had played tit for tat, intercepting her project—the man was ruthless...
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