The warm scent of high-end perfume mixed with a woman's body fragrance filled Homelander's nostrils, making him unable to resist taking two deep breaths.
Hope instinctively wanted to pull out the troublemaking bastard. (The troublemaking part has been reviewed and is not convenient to display.)
However, Darren Cross had already strode into the room with two bodyguards in suits and leather shoes, so she could only give up.
Darren reached the center of the room, his gaze sweeping across the spacious private box as quickly as a hawk.
Although the private box at Garito was large, the layout was very open and could be seen through at a glance; there was simply no place to hide an adult.
"I heard you were meeting a guest here." Seeing no one else, Darren walked toward Hope with unhurried steps and asked bluntly, "Is it over already?"
"It just ended."
Hope gritted her teeth hard, doing her best to suppress the instinctive reactions brought about by the abnormality in her body, striving to keep her voice as steady as usual.
"Darren, when did you start working part-time as my itinerary secretary?"
"I don't recall any company regulation that requires the Chairman's private meetings to be reported to the CEO."
Darren smiled dismissively and said, "Someone who can get our Chairman to personally host them at Garito must be quite extraordinary, right?"
"Is there a big order? Or some secret cooperation I'm unaware of?"
Darren took a step closer, his smile growing increasingly hypocritical.
"Of course, if you're just having a romantic private date here... then consider me a tactless bastard and I'll take back what I just said."
He's testing me...
Hope knew the current Darren very well; he was suspicious and neurotic by nature.
If she denied everything at this moment, it would instead deepen his suspicion.
"You don't need to test me, Darren." Hope said with a cold face, walking to the floor-to-ceiling window and turning her back to him, which allowed her to best hide the changes in her micro-expressions.
"It was someone from Starr Group. Their Vice President of Global Strategic Investment just left."
"They are very interested in our patents in the field of Quantum Communication. As the Chairman of Pym Technologies, I must naturally seek the most powerful financial backing for the company. You should be clearer than I am about the financial strength of Starr Group."
After hearing Hope's explanation, the smile on Darren's face slightly faded.
"Starr Group..." He repeated the name in a low voice, his gaze scanning the private box once more.
Hope's words were perfectly logical. For a financial giant like Starr Group to extend an olive branch to a high-tech company was a perfectly normal business move.
"I see," Darren stated flatly, his expression making it impossible to guess if he truly believed the explanation.
"Hope, you know. I've always believed that we are on the same side." Darren's tone softened.
"We share a common goal, which is to push this company to the heights it deserves, rather than clinging to technology and waiting to die like Hank."
"Of course, Darren. We've always been on the same front," Hope affirmed, following his lead.
"So, you went through all the trouble of barging into my private box with two bodyguards because you have urgent business with me?"
"Yes! Hope!" A flash of fanaticism appeared in Darren's eyes as he rubbed his hands excitedly.
"The technology for the Wasp Suit has had a breakthrough! I've decided not to wait anymore and to achieve full mass production ahead of schedule!"
"If everything goes smoothly, once formal production begins, the first batch of suits can be delivered within a month."
Hope's heart sank.
"Mass production ahead of schedule?" she questioned.
"Darren, are you crazy? The current state of Cross Particles is fundamentally unstable! You haven't solved the Protein Collapse issue in Organisms during the shrinking process!"
Darren waved his hand dismissively and said, "That's just a minor issue! We've upgraded the life support system of the suit, significantly increasing the fault tolerance. Once formal production starts, the first batch of suits can be fully delivered within a month!"
He leaned closer to Hope and lowered his voice, as if sharing a trivial secret.
"Although... there is still an 8% mortality rate with every shrinking."
"An 8% mortality rate? You call that a breakthrough?" Hope could almost no longer suppress the anger in her heart.
"So what?" Darren countered coldly, his words revealing an extreme disregard for life.
"People die in wars, don't they? As long as they can achieve their goals, the buyers can completely accept this eight percent loss."
Hope looked at this man who was once a gentle scientist but had now turned into a cold-blooded arms dealer. She desperately wanted to slap him across the face right then and there.
But she couldn't. She had to endure her anger and continue to play along.
However, a sudden disaster befell her.
"Ah—!"
Hope's entire body suddenly trembled, and she couldn't help but let out a short gasp.
She raised a hand to cover her chest, her whole body stumbling half a step back as she leaned against the glass of the floor-to-ceiling window.
Darren was startled by Hope's sudden reaction.
"Hope? What's wrong?" Darren reached out, wanting to support her.
"Don't touch me!" Hope spoke to stop him, a large flush of crimson climbing onto her face.
"I'm fine... it's just these few days... my period has arrived, and I'm feeling a bit uncomfortable."
This was absolutely the most invincible and undeniable excuse for a woman in the workplace and in life.
Sure enough, upon hearing this reason, Darren's outstretched hand froze in mid-air and then retreated somewhat awkwardly.
Even someone as cold as him showed a hint of being at a loss when faced with such a uniquely female physiological issue.
"So..." Hope now only wanted to quickly dismiss this bastard and pull out that torturous little thing.
"Just say it, Darren. What do you want me to do? I... want to rest by myself for a while now."
Seeing that she didn't seem to be faking, the doubt in Darren's eyes dissipated somewhat.
He took a briefcase from his subordinate, pulled out a document, and handed it to Hope.
"The mass production of the first batch of Wasp Suits involves large-scale production line modification and the procurement of special materials."
"This requires the allocation of the largest sum of liquid capital on Pym Technologies' books." Darren handed over a fountain pen. "The transfer of this sum requires your signature as Chairman for confirmation."
"My assistant looked for you several times before, but you postponed it on the grounds of temporary business. But it wasn't urgent then."
"But now the situation has changed. The production line must be started immediately. So I could only come here personally."
Darren leaned in slightly, his eyes staring intently at Hope.
"Perhaps... I'm being too forward?"
Hope looked at the document handed to her, inwardly cursing Darren's cunning.
She knew that if she continued to delay under these circumstances, even with the excuse of physical discomfort, it would definitely arouse Darren's serious suspicion.