In the private room.
Vincent Grant was also watching the confident, poised woman in the livestream. His eyes were dark, and his lips were pressed into a tight line.
"Well, well, why is President Grant suddenly so interested in Miss Shaw?"
"It couldn’t be that you’re holding a grudge because your companies went head-to-head and you lost, could it?"
A few young scions walked in, teasing him.
Vincent Grant and Sophia Shaw’s marriage had been handled very discreetly. Coupled with the fact that Vincent never ntioned his wife in public, many people were unaware of their relationship.
"She’s my wife," Vincent Grant said.
Everyone was speechless.
They exchanged glances.
Their expressions were odd.
Jenson Forrest walked in. The corner of his refined mouth twitched, and a hint of sarcasm touched his features.
Joanna Sherman, who entered last, swayed unsteadily. As everyone’s piercing gazes landed on her, she silently clenched her fists.
For the past year, she and Vincent Grant had appeared everywhere as a couple. By not refuting the speculation about their relationship, she had led everyone to believe she was the one by his side.
The n gave a few awkward laughs, letting the subject drop.
Joanna Sherman, who had been about to walk toward Vincent Grant, petulantly changed direction and sat down next to Jenson Forrest instead.
She asked, "Jenson, didn’t you say you were interested in satellites before? Why don’t you co work with us at Zenith?"
Buying the rocket last ti had cost twenty billion, draining the Grant Group. Zenith was in desperate need of a cash infusion.
Joanna Sherman was confident that, given Jenson Forrest’s friendship with her and Vincent Grant, he wouldn’t refuse the offer.
"This is our project proposal. Take a look." She confidently handed him a thick booklet.
The booklet was immaculate—exquisite and comprehensive from cover to cover.
Joanna Sherman used it to prove to Jenson Forrest that she was professional and ticulous.
Jenson Forrest only glanced at it without taking it. "Sorry, my satellite has already launched."
"Already launched?" Joanna Sherman looked astonished.
Even Vincent Grant, who had been watching the livestream from across the room, looked up at Jenson Forrest.
"So soon?" Joanna Sherman couldn’t believe it.
When Jenson Forrest had first ntioned getting into satellites, she had assud it was just a passing thought.
She had also been certain that if he ever decided to go through with it, he would definitely co to her.
Jenson Forrest smiled. "I bought an existing satellite and had soone modify it."
"Launching a satellite overseas costs hundreds of millions. You... where did you get the money?"
Although Jenson Forrest’s business was large, his previous ventures had thin profit margins.
Besides, buying a satellite is a huge expense.
"It wasn’t overseas."
Those three words sent the entire room into silence for several seconds.
"You guys probably don’t know, but Jenson’s company, SwiftShift Corporation, is now ranked third among communications companies," an insider quickly chid in.
"With just this one satellite, he easily crushed the other private companies. Only two long-standing state-owned enterprises can compete with him."
The man looked at Jenson Forrest with admiration. "Jenson really has a good eye. Not only did he pick the right industry with communications, but he also picked the right rocket launch company."
"Lead Aerospace had that successful five-satellite launch, and Jenson only spent a few tens of millions to get his satellite into orbit, saving hundreds of millions!"
"With this move, his net worth imdiately surpassed Vincent’s. He’s now the undisputed number one in our group."
Joanna Sherman’s eyes widened. "SwiftShift... it’s-it’s yours?"
Of course she knew of SwiftShift’s existence, she just hadn’t known its connection to Jenson Forrest!
Only after he finished did the man realize that praising Lead Aerospace sounded like he was putting Joanna Sherman down, so he quickly shut his mouth.
But his words were like slaps to Joanna Sherman’s face, making her see stars.
They also made her hate Sophia Shaw even more.
"How co you never ntioned it?" Vincent Grant turned off the livestream and asked Jenson Forrest.
The representative for SwiftShift was William Forrest, and Vincent Grant had always known of his relationship with Jenson Forrest. But he never expected that William Forrest’s business actually belonged to Jenson.
For years, Jenson Forrest had always looked up to Vincent Grant, consulting him on any business venture.
This ti, he hadn’t.
Jenson Forrest pressed his lips together slightly, saying nothing.
The others looked at Joanna Sherman, then back at Jenson Forrest.
Frankly, if they had to choose, they would choose Lead Aerospace too.
Not only were the launch costs lower, but it was also safer.
You don’t send a satellite into orbit just to watch it explode!
"You just trust Sophia Shaw that much?" Joanna Sherman suddenly beca agitated. "She’s so good at hiding her identity, she never even told Vincent Grant!"
The fact that Jenson Forrest had chosen Sophia Shaw felt like a thousand ants gnawing at her heart, and she couldn’t tell if it was pain or rage.
Jenson Forrest’s expression remained serene, but a faint, sarcastic smile had appeared on his lips as he looked at Vincent Grant. "Excellence can’t be hidden. It’s just that Vincent wasn’t paying attention."
The few scions who had stayed quiet all pressed their lips together in silent agreent with Jenson Forrest.
’It’s not like she was hiding evidence of a cri; it’s impossible to be completely airtight.’
’Besides, she’s been at Lead Aerospace for over half a year, and she beca the chief engineer right after she joined.’
’The people at Lead Aerospace can’t be so blind as to promote just anyone to that position.’
Although no one said it out loud, their eyes didn’t lie.
The discomfort in Joanna Sherman’s chest now felt like a hedgehog rolling around inside her. She pressed her clenched fists hard against the sofa beneath her to keep her face from twisting in a way that would betray her composure.
Soone snorted with laughter. "It’s really sothing else. A husband doesn’t even know what his own wife does after all these years, yet an outsider sees her excellence after just a few interactions."
The one who said this was none other than Justin Hughes’s cousin, Stanley Hughes.
Stanley Hughes had never been on the sa side as Vincent Grant and Jenson Forrest, and they rarely associated with each other.
Joanna Sherman was the one who had invited him tonight.
His words seed casual, but they exposed a great deal.
Vincent Grant’s gaze, dark and heavy, fell on Jenson Forrest.
Jenson Forrest calmly t his gaze, not flinching, not wavering, not looking away.
After a mont, he nonchalantly withdrew his gaze. "Sorry, I have sothing else to attend to. I’ll be leaving."
Seeing Jenson Forrest leave, the others lost their desire to stay and began making excuses to depart as well.
Joanna Sherman had intended to use Jenson Forrest to persuade everyone to join Zenith’s rocket project, but her plan had backfired.
The hatred in her heart festered for a long ti before she spoke, her voice cold and hard.
"No one is as ruthless as Sophia Shaw. To get revenge on , she was even willing to give up her identity as a rocket genius."
"But what did I do wrong? I couldn’t decide the romantic entanglents of the previous generation. She’s just as extre as her mother!"
Joanna Sherman thought that by bringing up the past, Vincent Grant would surely feel guilty and say sothing.
But she waited a long ti and got no reaction.
The frustration in her chest deepened, and she clenched her jaw again and again.
She stood up and strode out of the private room.
Joanna Sherman returned to the base that very night.
As she walked, she made a call. "Notify everyone. I want all engineers in a eting, right now!"
The assistant sounded troubled. "Ms. Sherman, it’s already very late. Besides, they’ve been working around the clock for several days..."
"So what!" Joanna Sherman was like a ball of fire, her mind consud by a single thought: ’I have to beat Sophia Shaw! I have to beat her!’
’I will never allow anyone to use that woman to mock again!’
She roared, "Imdiately! Right now!"
After hanging up, she strode quickly toward the work area.
Just as she reached the entrance to the base, soone stepped out to block her path.
"Joanna!"
Joanna Sherman looked closely and saw it was Chad Jennings. Her face filled with impatience. "Dad, what are you doing here? I’m very busy. We can talk later."
"We can’t talk later." Chad Jennings grabbed Joanna Sherman and refused to let go.
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