The Queen Returns—And She's Unforgiving

Back at the venue, Jeremy couldn't hold back his curiosity any longer. "Ms. Reed, how old are you this year? Where did you do your postgraduate studies?"

Evelyn smiled mildly. "I just turned 25. I didn't do a postgraduate program, and I don't have a mentor."

If she hadn't gotten married back then, she would have proudly said that Graham had taken her on as his student.

Hearing her answer, Jeremy was genuinely stunned.

He had assumed someone with her depth of knowledge must've gone through an accelerated master's and PhD program. Her understanding of complex concepts wasn't just sharp-it was profound. Beyond the fundamentals, her insights had depth and nuance, and some of her views even made him pause and rethink.

Sebastian, watching from the side, noticed every subtle shift in Jeremy's expression.

He raised his brow and smiled. "She's our best engineer at Flying Seal Group, Mr. Harmon. I hope we'll have more chances in the future to exchange ideas on the technical side."

Jeremy nodded, still amazed. "That would be great. Flying Seal Group is really full of hidden talent. Truly remarkable."

This bidding event was turning out to be very interesting.noveldrama

Evelyn gave a slight, composed smile.

The formal bidding process soon began.

It was layered and complex, starting with the unsealing of bids, followed by a comprehensive evaluation by the panel. Finally came the announcement of the winning bidder.

When it was officially confirmed that Flying Seal Group had won, Evelyn exhaled, the pressure in her chest finally easing. This partnership with the military wasn't just a contract-it was a landmark moment.

Flying Seal Group would leap forward, solidifying their position in the domestic market.

She had once thought that only after her confidentiality agreement expired could she lead Flying Seal Group into this tier. After all, despite Justine's investment and Sebastian's leadership, the company had only been around for less than four years. Evelyn hadn't even been with them from the start.

In the national tech landscape, Flying Seal Group wasn't yet first-tier. That meant they often had to wait to be chosen rather than do the choosing.

But now, without having to wait for her NDA to expire, they had already secured this government-level opportunity.

In the current brutal tech landscape, where companies fought tooth and nail for recognition, this was a rare head start.

Once the project succeeded, Flying Seal Group would officially enter the first tier. And from that point forward, they'd never again be boxed in by limited choices.

Sebastian couldn't help but let out a breath. "As long as we land it, that's all that matters."

He looked at Evelyn, a touch emotional. "If you had joined me and Justy from the beginning, Flying Seal Group would've taken over the global market by now."

But thankfully, it wasn't too late. With Evelyn leading this project to perfection, they'd earn worldwide recognition all the same.

After the bidding event ended, Sebastian arranged a follow-up meeting with Lucas and Tiffany at a nearby café.

Once they arrived, Lucas gave Evelyn a glance. "Congratulations."

Sebastian let out a dry chuckle. "Mr. Grant, we can walk through the next steps.

I'd especially like both of you to take a close look at the penalty clauses. Best if no one becomes deadweight in this partnership."

He glanced briefly at Tiffany.

Tiffany picked up the new contract draft and quickly spotted the revised project responsibilities. Her brows immediately furrowed together.

She said sharply, "Mr. Hill, in this allocation, Flying Seal Group has only assigned Arrowpoint Solutions to testing and basic tech support. Isn't that a bit excessive? Where's the spirit of equal collaboration? According to our previous agreement, we were supposed to co-develop the technologies, with each side working to their strengths."

Technically, the plan had been to divide the technology fairly, do joint R&D, and promote equal collaboration. But Flying Seal Group wasn't even giving them the chance anymore.

Before the decision to submit a joint bid, both parties had signed a clear agreement that outlined the responsibilities and structure. Flying Seal Group would lead the project while Arrowpoint Solutions would take on a significant portion of the R&D in areas where each side had expertise.

Normally, that kind of clause meant the lead party would manage direction and oversight, but there was still an understanding of shared development.

No one had expected that once the bid was won, the so-called "tech collaboration" would turn into Arrowpoint Solutions being handed scraps. They were barely involved in any of the core development. It was like the high-end drone was already designed and built, and they were just being asked to tighten a screw at the end. And somehow, that counted as "participation".

How was that any different from being a glorified assistant? It made Tiffany feel completely disrespected.

If it had truly been joint R&D, Arrowpoint Solutions would've held real weight on the technical side when the project launched. But if Flying Seal Group weren't willing to compromise, then Arrowpoint Solutions would be nothing more than a footnote. And the value of their involvement? A fraction of what it should've been.

Evelyn closed the contract folder and looked up, her tone cool and firm, leaving no room for argument. "Arrowpoint Solutions approached us. Ms. Moore, are you clear on where you stand in all this? Or are you planning to stall progress again, like what happened with NovaTech Group after we gave you the lead authority?

"You mentioned dividing up areas of technical strength. The agreement does state a collaborative effort, but let's be clear. Flying Seal Group has no technical weaknesses. We're fully capable of managing this project end-to-end. There are no areas that we don't specialize in.

"If you're not happy with the arrangement, the contract clearly outlines your option -you can walk away and assume full responsibility."