Remembering that mountain years ago—how a warm presence had provided life-saving heat when he was barely conscious—Austin quickly extinguished the fleeting thought.

Impossible. How could he possibly have genuine feelings for Ella? It was Judith he needed to protect. After all, it was Judith who had carried him down from that mountain. Or so he had been led to believe.

"Mr. Raymond?" His secretary inquired cautiously, breaking his trance.

Austin sat down, his expression returning to its usual cold mask. "Tell her to wait a little longer."

Meanwhile, across the city, Ella Brooks was navigating a much grittier reality. After visiting several banks, she had managed to secure loans totaling around three million dollars. Combined with Sarah’s savings, it was a modest but vital war chest.

She tracked down Daron in a dimly lit, cramped office building—a far cry from the former grandeur of Summit Technologies. The air smelled of damp concrete and old paper, a physical manifestation of a company in its death throes.

"Ms. Brooks!" Atlas came running down the hallway, looking utterly defeated. "The company is doomed. I haven't been paid in a month."

Ella rolled her eyes, though her heart ached for them. "Well, I’ve come to bring you your wages."

She pulled out a bank card, a small smile playing on her lips. "Take me inside."

Inside, the office held only a handful of loyalists. Daron stood by a window, looking gaunt but still fighting, his voice obsequious as he pleaded with a creditor on the phone. When he hung up and saw Ella, his shoulders dropped.

"Ella, you shouldn't be here," Daron said, refusing the card she held out. "I don’t want to drag you into this abyss. You’ve worked too hard to lose everything with me."

"If I were the type to give up easily, Daron, I wouldn't have partnered with you in the first place," Ella said, her eyes shining with a cold, sharp ambition. "Our project is superior. Theirs lacks our innovation, our model architecture. I refuse to let them win by default."

Daron looked at her with concern. "This could cost you everything."

Ella paused. She thought of the physical and emotional agony she had endured—the loss of her child, the betrayal of her marriage. What was a financial risk compared to the hell she had already survived?

"Daron, this is just a drop in the ocean compared to what I’ve already been through," Ella said, placing the card firmly in his palm. "If you're worried about dragging me down, then change your perspective. Join my company instead. Summit is gone, but we are not."

"You're starting a company?" Daron was stunned. "But you're at Quantum Tech..."

"I've resigned," Ella replied, her voice steady. "My credentials from Lincoln Tech and my work as 'Phoenix' give me all the credibility I need. I abandoned this path once for love, but now I am absolutely clear about what I want."

She leaned in, her voice dropped to a low, magnetic register. "My goal is to defeat Austin’s empire. He may be a giant, but giants have been toppled before. If you believe in me, I can create the future we were promised."

Daron looked at her, feeling a sudden surge of inspiration. It wasn't just about the money; it was about her vision. It felt like following a commander who had already seen the end of the war.

"Alright," Daron breathed, clasping her hand firmly. "I’ll join your startup."

"Good," Ella’s lips curved into a subtle, determined smile. "Use that money to pay the employees who stayed. They are your soldiers, Daron. If we want to stage a comeback, we need people who feel valued. We don't just build technology; we build loyalty."

Daron looked ashamed, rubbing the back of his head. "I didn't know you understood warfare so well."

"I’ve learned from the best," Ella replied coldly, her mind flashing to Austin’s ruthless business tactics. "And now, I’m going to use everything he taught me to take him down."