The charity banquet had entered its second half, and the atmosphere grew increasingly lively.
The auction segment had temporarily concluded, having raised a considerable amount of funds; the smile on old man Francis's face broadened even further. Waiters moved through the crowd refilling glasses as melodious music rang out once more. More people stepped onto the dance floor, and it seemed as though Coletta's minor stumble earlier was nothing more than an insignificant interlude in the evening's festivities.
However, Coletta Mortari could not act as if nothing had happened.
She stood alone by the long table laid with exquisite desserts, her fingertips unconsciously pinching a small piece of cake. Her gemstone-like eyes, however, were locked firmly on the other side of the hall—where Cantarella was clinging to Rover's arm, conversing cheerfully with several Chamber of Commerce presidents.
That woman was all smiles and effortless grace, looking as if she were born to stand at the center of the world—and by his side.
A sense of defeat, grievance, and intense unwillingness washed over Coletta's heart like recurring tides. She knew her performance just now had been terrible, like a clumsy child. But she refused to admit defeat. She was the heir of the Mortari family; she could not allow herself to be outshone by that "Poison" of a woman!
Taking a deep breath, Coletta set down the cake and tidied her slightly wrinkled hem. She raised her head like a knight about to embark on a crusade and marched toward that battlefield once again.
This time, she did not choose dance as her weapon. She cut directly into the conversation circle between the presidents, Cantarella, and Rover.
"President John, President William, good evening." Coletta struggled to make her voice sound steady and composed. She greeted the two presidents first, then acted as if she had only just noticed Cantarella and Rover, offering a proper smile. "Family Head Cantarella, Rover, so you were here discussing official business? I hope I'm not interrupting."
Her sudden intrusion caused a brief pause in the conversation. The two presidents naturally recognized the Pearl of the Mortari family and responded with smiles.
A flash of nearly imperceptible surprise crossed Cantarella's eyes, quickly turning into deeper amusement. She released her hold on Rover's arm and looked at Coletta with casual interest, wanting to see what this provoked little kitten intended to do.
"You aren't interrupting at all, Miss Coletta," Cantarella chuckled softly. "We were just discussing the impact of recent price fluctuations in Amethyst Clusters on the reconstruction costs of the Proving Ground. Why? Are you interested in this topic as well?"
She effortlessly threw out a technical subject, attempting once again to make Coletta retreat in the face of difficulty.
Had it been a few minutes ago, Coletta might have been stumped. But at this moment, her competitiveness overrode everything. She forced herself to calm down, recalling the family reports she had read. Though she was nervous, her thoughts were exceptionally clear:
"Yes, I am very concerned. According to the Mortari family's shipping data analysis, the primary cause of the price fluctuation in Amethyst Ores isn't a production issue, but rather the fact that Echoes in the western sea territory have been unusually active recently, affecting the transport routes."
"Therefore, I believe that when evaluating the total cost, the expense of strengthening fleet escorts should be factored in, rather than merely staring at the price fluctuations of the ore veins themselves."
Her answer hit the mark precisely. By providing the perspective of shipping data, she demonstrated that she was far from ignorant. The two presidents immediately showed traces of admiration in their eyes.
Cantarella raised an eyebrow, seemingly surprised, but she reacted instantly, smiling. "An excellent insight. It seems Miss Coletta has done quite a bit of homework. However, the Fesale family will be opening temporary routes, so there is no need for Mortari to worry about that aspect."
Once again, she effortlessly neutralized Coletta's offensive while implying her own family's deeper foundations and methods. The conversation seemed to have been pulled back into Cantarella's rhythm.
Coletta pursed her lips, feeling suppressed once more. She looked at Rover, who stood silently to the side, quietly listening to their exchange. Her heart stirred, and she suddenly directed the topic straight to him:
"Rover, you have ventured deep into the western sea territory. Your understanding of those abnormal Echoes is far more profound than ours."
"In your opinion, is strengthening escorts more effective, or is relying on the opening of temporary routes to evade risk—as Family Head Cantarella suggested—more feasible?"
She threw the difficult question directly to Rover. It was a sincere request for advice, but also a move to pull his attention back to her, to show him she was thinking seriously rather than just being difficult.
At this moment, the moonlight poured through the glass dome, clearly illuminating the two beauties of contrasting styles. One was silver-haired and blue-eyed, a young heir striving to show her wisdom and value; the other was purple-haired and alluring, a composed and mature Family Head.
Both of their gazes were focused on the same man, awaiting his judgment.
This silent contest was more direct and fraught with tension than the collision on the dance floor earlier. The presidents nearby also picked up on the unusual atmosphere and remained tactfully silent, watching the show with great interest.
Cantarella also looked at Rover, a smile on her lips but a hidden warning in her eyes, as if saying, "You know what to say."
Rover's gaze lingered on Coletta's stubborn and earnest face for a moment before sweeping over Cantarella's controlling gaze. He pondered for a brief second and spoke in a steady, objective voice:
"Strengthening escorts provides general security and favors long-term stability. Temporary routes may solve an immediate emergency, but they carry high dependency and uncertainty."
"The two are not entirely antithetical. Choosing based on the actual situation, or focusing on different phases, is perhaps the more pragmatic choice."
His answer was watertight, favoring neither side and focusing entirely on problem-solving. But immediately after, he looked at Coletta and added: "It is a very good perspective for Miss Coletta to notice the connection between shipping and total costs. It's worth an in-depth analysis."
This sentence was like a ray of sunlight, instantly dispelling a portion of the gloom in Coletta's heart. He had validated her idea! While he hadn't dismissed Cantarella, he had seen her effort and value!
Coletta's eyes instantly brightened, and a sincere, slightly shy yet incredibly radiant smile bloomed on her face. "Thank you for the validation! I will continue to research this in-depth!"
The smile on Cantarella's face stiffened for a fleeting moment. She hadn't expected Rover to publicly validate Coletta, even if it was only a limited acknowledgement. It made her feel as though she hadn't... completely controlled the situation.
However, the "older ginger is always spicier." Cantarella adjusted her expression immediately, letting out a light laugh as she picked up the thread. "Rover is right. It seems our future cooperation will require the Mortari family to provide more detailed shipping data support."
"Miss Coletta, I'll be counting on your help when the time comes, alright?"
She transformed Coletta's suggestion into data support that she could utilize, seizing back the initiative while appearing very magnanimous. Coletta's rising joy was slightly dampened by these words, but she didn't retreat this time. Instead, she nodded seriously: "That is only natural. For the reconstruction of Laguna, the Mortari family will cooperate fully."
She emphasized the word "cooperate" slightly, indicating that she was an equal partner.
The brief second round of confrontation seemed to end in a draw, yet it felt as if nothing had changed. Cantarella took Rover's arm again, her tone intimate. "The wind is strong here; let's go inside and continue talking. About that report..."
Once again, using official business as a reason, she prepared to lead Rover away.
But this time, Coletta did not simply watch them leave. She took a step forward, looking firmly at Rover, and issued a very direct, even somewhat bold invitation:
"Rover, tomorrow morning, the Mortari family's technical team will have a discussion regarding the preliminary plan for the Proving Ground reconstruction. Grandfather hopes you can attend to provide guidance. Do you... have time tomorrow?"
It was business, but it was also another frontal invitation she had launched.
Cantarella narrowed her eyes.
Rover looked at Coletta, then felt the slight increase in pressure from Cantarella's grip on his arm. He pondered for a moment, then smiled and nodded: "Sure. Send the specific time and location to my terminal."
"Great!" Coletta nodded vigorously, a massive sense of achievement surging in her heart. She had finally succeeded in snatching a bit of attention back from Cantarella right in front of her face—even if it was just a work appointment!
Cantarella said nothing more, only casting a deep look at Coletta. That look seemed to say, "Interesting. The game continues."
Then, she smiled and nodded to the two presidents, took Rover's arm, and turned to leave.
Coletta stood there, watching their retreating backs. This time, she didn't feel defeated. Under the moonlight, her silhouette seemed straighter than before, and in her opal-like eyes, a more vigorous and determined flame burned.
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