Chapter 439:

They were equally matched in their field. Weren't they meant to be together? Yolanda balled her hands into fists, gritting her teeth. She couldn't let things end like this. That night, she buttered up her father, and they had a heartfelt conversation.

"I'm sorry, Dad," Yolanda whined, looking remorseful. "I shouldn't have treated Mom that way."

Her admission softened Dorian's heart, as she'd expected. Despite this, he understood the seriousness of the Caden situation.

"My dear, you should look for someone else," Dorian said. "There are others far better than Caden."

Yolanda bit her lip until it blanched and nodded. "I understand, Dad." Then, casually, she asked, "Caden handed over Lina's chip. How will that affect him?"

Dorian harrumphed, clearly unhappy. "He spent nearly two years and a boatload of money and effort on its development. Getting the project approved alone took over half a year. Imagine throwing all that away—what a great loss."

Yolanda's heart ached with jealousy. Caden had thrown it all away—for Alicia.

"But didn't he create Lina for his mother?" Yolanda murmured. "Perhaps he's found another emotional anchor, so he no longer relies on a cold, emotionless robot. It's a pity, though. Once Lina is modified and launched, Caden would have been at the top of the game."

This made Yolanda wonder: was Caden's position now threatened by relinquishing the chip's ownership? If he continued his research, he'd have to invest exorbitant resources again. What if she found a way to hinder him?

It became painfully clear that kindness wouldn't win Caden's attention. But as his enemy, he'd have no choice but to focus on her. Yolanda's lips slowly curled into a cunning smile.

After Dorian left, she retrieved a long-unused phone number. A cool, magnetic voice answered.

"Miss Moss?"

Yolanda smiled. "Mr. Hampton. Are you interested in meeting?"

Corey's ties with the Moss family were complex. While he and Caden shared similar abilities, they were vastly different. Caden was naturally talented, achieving success easily. Corey, however, had climbed the ranks through sheer determination. Only in recent years, under Dorian's guidance, had Corey earned a place beside Caden.

Rumors about him and Yolanda added to the intrigue. Despite being hushed, Yolanda knew of Corey's feelings. She'd even caught him investigating her. Now, with Yolanda's call, Corey couldn't refuse. He arranged to meet her the following day.