Lately, Soren had been wrapped up in preparations for his grandmother’s grand birthday celebration. It wasn’t until chatter erupted online that he finally heard about Fawkes Enterprises‘ breakthrough with their new robotics project. 

Word of Poppy’s connection to him had spread among the upper ranks at Fawkes. Now, the executives circled around, laying on the flattery thick. 

“Miss Yates is absolutely exceptional–what a mind! To pull this off in such a short time, she’s nothing short of a genius.” 

“Mr. Fawkes, your judgment is impeccable. With Miss Yates on the team, Fawkes Enterprises is bound to reach new heights.” 

“Ha, UME really missed the mark. They were so cocky before, but now Ms. Yates has beaten them to the punch. I can’t wait to see how they react when the news gets out.” 

And on and on they went. 

Soren regarded the chattering old hands–most of them had once kept quiet, waiting for him to fall flat when he handed the new project to Poppy. Now, of course, they were all enthusiasm. 

He didn’t say a word, just waved them toward the door. These men had built the company with his uncle Clyde, so technically, they were senior to Soren. But when he signaled for them to leave, none dared argue. They simply smiled and filed out. 

Alone in his office, Soren sat tapping his fingers on the desk, his brows drawn. together in thought.. 

A few minutes later, Gregory came in with a stack of reports. “Sir, the robotics unit has passed every professional test so far. No issues at all. In fact, projections show that the new feature Miss Yates developed is likely to cause a serious stir in the industry.” 

Gregory couldn’t help but be impressed. He’d always known Poppy was talented, but not to this degree. Genius might be the only accurate word for it. 

What puzzled him, though, was how someone with her gift had gone unnoticed for so long. What a waste that would have been. 

Gregory expected Soren to be pleased that Poppy had handled her first major project so brilliantly. But Soren only asked, “I heard UME put out a new announcement on the same day. Any idea what’s going on with their product?” 

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Gregory shook his head. “Nothing definite’s been revealed.” 

Soren pressed his index finger to his chin, frown deepening. Something about the situation didn’t sit right with him, though he couldn’t pinpoint exactly what. 

Gregory hesitated, recalling something he’d seen in UME’s recent press release–a familiar name, Evangeline Whitmore, listed as a lead on their tech division for this launch. The words hovered on his lips, but for some reason, he swallowed them. 

“What is it?” Soren looked up, catching the hesitation. 

Gregory hesitated, then redirected. “The launch event is in three days and Miss Yates will be speaking. She’s stolen UME’s thunder in a big way. I’m just a bit worried–what if some overzealous fans try something reckless? Should we…” 

He didn’t get to finish. Soren was already nodding. “I know. Cancel my schedule for that day.” 

That could only mean he planned to attend in person, to make sure Poppy was protected. 

Normally, Gregory would just do as told, but this time he couldn’t help himself. “But… what if Miss Whitmore sees you there?” 

If Evangeline really had a hand in UME’s tech, she’d definitely be watching the industry news. 

“Evangeline?” Soren’s frown deepened. His voice was low, steady. “So what if she does? Poppy’s the project lead at Fawkes now. I’m doing my job.” 

“…Right. Of course,” Gregory replied, realizing Soren had a point. 

He turned to leave, but Soren added, “Actually, give me a seat off to the side.” 

He told himself this was purely for work, but with Evangeline’s jealousy flaring lately–and the fact she’d moved out for weeks now–he figured it was best not to give her any extra ammunition. 

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