Cody looked calm but observant, his hands in his pockets, his posture firm yet not aggressive,


    Linda, on the other hand, exuded her usual poised confidence, her sharp eyes assessing the situation before a single word was spoken.


    Nora''s expression remained neutral, though inwardly, her thoughts moved quickly.


    Arnold owned multiplepanies, many of which Cody managed.


    If Cody was here, it likely had something to do with one of Arnold''s business ventures. And Linda-well, Linda''s involvement always came withyers of personal and professional motives intertwined.


    Leo shot Nora a nce, a silent question in his gaze. Should they engage? Nora gave the slightest nod. They had no


    reason to avoid this.


    "Beta Cody." Leo greeted evenly as they approached. "Linda."


    Cody nodded, his expression unreadable, but Linda''s lips curled into a practiced smile. "Leo. Nora," she said smoothly. "We were hoping to discuss a potential coboration."


    "Then let''s discuss it inside," Nora replied, her voice cool but professional.


    The four of them entered the building, their footsteps echoing slightly against the sleek floors.


    The receptionist greeted them with a polite nod before ushering them toward one of the conference


    rooms.


    Inside, the atmosphere remained civil, but there was an unspoken tension beneath the surface.


    Cody, who was usuallyposed, seemed uncharacteristically affected. His gaze lingered on Nora longer than necessary, studying her as if seeing her for the first time.


    "You''ve changed a lot," he murmured, almost to himself.


    Nora met his eyes, unfazed. "People change," she replied simply, her tone neither defensive nor inviting further discussion.


    Linda''s reaction was more subtle.


    When she saw Nora, her expression flickered for the briefest second before settling into unreadable neutrality. There was no overt hostility, but something lurked beneath her exterior-a restrained sharpness, a calction.


    Pleasantries were exchanged with the smooth professionalism expected in business dealings. Then, the real discussion began.


    Cody and Leo quickly went over key points, exchanging documents as they outlined potential terms. 97.3%


    Linda, sitting beside Cody, slid her own proposal across the table toward Leo.


    Without a word, he passed it to Nora.


    Nora flipped through it with the ease of someone ustomed to reviewing high-level contracts. Years of experience had trained her to spot ws quickly, and within minutes, she had dissected the proposal''s key elements.


    She ced the document down with measured finality. "It''s well-prepared," she said, her tone even, "but there are issues. Compared to other offers we''ve received, this one doesn''t hold up as well."


    Linda''s reaction was almost imperceptible, but her grip on the table tightened slightly. Her expression remainedposed, but a sharper glint entered her eyes.


    "Oh?" Linda''s voice was polite, but there was an underlying challenge in her tone. "Could you be more specific? If there are problems, I''d like to know exactly what they are so we can improve."


    Nora recognized the tactic immediately.


    This wasn''t just about refining the proposal-it was a test.


    Linda was subtly questioning whether Nora actually had the expertise to back up her critique, or if she was simply looking for faults to dismiss them.


    Nora met Linda''s gaze, unshaken. She tapped a finger against the document, her posture rxed but unwavering. "Ms. Linda, it''s your business to have problems with the program, do you think it''s


    appropriate for you to ask us instead of finding out what the problems are? This question of yours seems to say that you don''t know what ourpany needs."


    "In that case, the caliber of your side may not be up to our cooperation requirements."


    Linda had been expecting this.


    She had deliberately phrased her question to corner Nora, making it seem as though Nora was being unreasonable by pointing out issues in the contract.


    By asking Nora to specify the problems, Linda was confident she had the upper hand. She believed Nora was a mere strawman, unable to articte real issues.


    If Nora failed to provide details, it would expose her as making trouble without cause.


    On the other hand, if Nora listed specific ws, Linda had already prepared a counterattack.


    She would question Nora''s professionalism, dissect her points, and manipte the discussion to make it seem as if Nora was nitpicking over minor, fixable details.


    The ability to exin was in her hands, and she would use it to paint herself as the reasonable party. Chapter 110


    What Linda didn''t expect was that Nora sidestepped the trap entirely.


    Linda maintained herposed exterior, her expression as polished as ever. "Miss Nora, you


    misunderstand," she said smoothly, her toneced with artificial warmth. "What I mean is that cooperation should be mutually beneficial. If there are problems, wouldn''t it be better for both sides if we discussed and improved together?"


    Nora, in the middle of sipping her water, paused briefly. A flicker of surprise crossed her face before she set the ss down.


    Then she smiled.


    "Is this the first time Ms. Linda has negotiated a business deal?" Nora asked, her voice light, almost casual.


    Linda''s eyebrows drew together slightly. Where was Nora going with this?


    Before she could respond, Nora continued, her voice still soft but carrying an unmistakable weight. Talking things over and working together to improve sounds wonderful, but that kind of thinking belongs in schools and family discussions."


    Linda''s stomach twisted, sensing the shift in the conversation.


    "In business," Nora went on, her smile unwavering, "people gather for profit and disperse when there is none. Why would we offer assistance to modify your contract when there is a better alternative for us?"