Elodie stared at Joseph, surprised, while he seemed just as taken aback by their brief touch. For a moment, neither seemed to know quite what to say.

She instinctively drew back her hand, taking her notebook with her, and her gaze turned frosty and distant. “Thank you,” she said curtly.

Joseph pressed his lips together, unable to ignore her coldness and the way she treated him like someone to be avoided at all costs. “Well, what a coincidence,” he managed, trying to sound casual. “Didn’t expect to see you at the defense expo.”

Elodie tucked her notebook away and nodded. “Yeah. I came with Alex.”

“Alex…?” There was a subtle shift in Joseph’s expression, a flicker of something darker. She called Alexander by his first name-so familiar?

Elodie didn’t notice his reaction. “See you later,” she said, giving a polite nod before heading off to catch up with Alexander.

Joseph watched her retreat, lost in thought.

Across the parking lot, Sylvie had witnessed the whole exchange. She’d seen Joseph help Elodie pick up her things, and for a second, it looked like Elodie had even held his hand.

She frowned. Was she just reading too much into it?

“What’s wrong, Ms. Fielding?” Grady and Naylor approached, having just stepped out of their own car. Grady, ever attentive, shot her a concerned look.

Sylvie snapped back to the moment, glanced at Grady, then nodded a greeting at Naylor. “It’s nothing. Just ran into someone I didn’t expect to see here.”

This research complex was strictly sectioned off-entry was reserved for top government scientists and, on rare occasions like today, senior executives from partner companies. If it weren’t for the new joint project, even they wouldn’t have

clearance.

But Elodie had managed to get in. Sylvie truly didn’t understand how.

“Who was it?” Grady asked, curiosity piqued.

Naylor didn’t seem interested. He strolled over to Joseph. “Mr. Delacroix, you look deep in thought.”

Sylvie’s gaze followed Joseph, eyes clouded with questions.

Joseph shrugged off the attention. “Nothing. We should head inside,” he said simply.

Naylor let it go, but Sylvie lingered, moving closer to Joseph and lowering her voice. “What were you and Elodie talking about just now?”

Joseph thought of Elodie’s chilly demeanor-she hadn’t wanted a conversation at all.

He rubbed his thumb against the bridge of his nose. “We don’t really talk. There’s nothing between us.”

Sylvie seemed to accept that. It made sense. Joseph had never thought much of Elodie; there was no way he’d go out of his way to chat with her.

Elodie caught up with Alexander, who was chatting with a man in his mid-thirties— Patrick, one of the senior doctoral students at the institute and now a leading figure in aerospace engineering. Elodie had worked with Patrick for over half a year before.

They were on good terms.

As soon as Patrick spotted Elodie, his eyes lit up. “Elodie! You’re finally back! Do you know how long it’s been? After you left, the professor took out all his frustration on us. You wouldn’t believe how rough it’s been.”

Everyone knew the professor had a soft spot for Elodie.

She’d been on track to go straight into a PhD under him, and he never missed a chance to call her a once-in-a-generation talent-meanwhile, the rest of them, despite being top minds in the country, never seemed to measure up.

When Elodie left, the professor’s temper rained down on the rest of them.

Patrick, for one, had spent more than a few evenings wiping his eyes in bed, though he’d never admit it.

“It’s been a while, Patrick,” Elodie greeted him with a gentle smile.

She was about to catch up with him, but just then, Naylor and the others arrived,

and Patrick quickly swallowed whatever he’d been about to say.

He was well aware of Elodie’s confidential status and wouldn’t risk spilling anything.

Sylvie entered, shooting a glance at Elodie standing beside Alexander, and smirked. So Alexander had pulled strings to get her in. That explained it.

Joseph and Grady greeted Patrick, knowing he was no ordinary scientist. As a student of Dr. Charlie, Patrick now led major national research projects in his own right.