Gracie exited the grand banquet venue and made her way directly to the secluded lounge bar nearby.

Yousef had already indulged in a few drinks, showing signs of intoxication.

She approached swiftly, placing a hand on his arm to stop him from taking another sip, and said firmly, “Time to leave.”

“Already done?” Yousef asked, his eyes widening in mild confusion before he flashed a friendly grin at Clive, whose expression remained sour. “We’ll grab a drink properly some other day. I’ve really enjoyed chatting with you—you seem like a solid guy.”

Gracie fixed Clive with a pointed stare. “Are you certain about turning your back on Brayden? If you’re facing any pressure or problems…”

“I’m not under any duress,” Clive responded resolutely, rising to his feet. “I chose to work for Theoria Sciences of my own accord. There are no ulterior motives or coercion involved, despite what you might suspect.”

“And yet Theo places such complete faith in you,” Gracie remarked with a mocking chuckle. “It was you who informed him about Kevin’s hospitalization, wasn’t it?”

If Clive had defected to Theo’s side much earlier, many puzzling events suddenly aligned.

Clive offered no reply, his mouth forming a tight line as he gradually bowed his head in silence.

After a lingering glance, Gracie pivoted and left the bar.

Yousef let out a low whistle. “I figured you were sharp, but it seems you’ve got things mixed up. Theo’s no ideal leader—don’t let yourself get pulled into his chaos.”

“What would you even understand?” Clive shot back sharply, lifting his head with clear outrage. “I was so close to Brayden, but he always handled me differently from Charlie. Am I not allowed to resent that?”

Yousef merely shrugged in indifference and hurried after Gracie.

Once he caught up, he murmured discreetly, “What’s the situation? Weren’t you supposed to keep Theo occupied? Is that part wrapped up?”

“Yeah,” Gracie confirmed with a subtle nod, proceeding straight toward the parking area. “We’re heading out now. No reason to linger here.”

The industry conference hadn’t concluded yet, but Gracie and Yousef left the luxurious estate that same evening. As soon as she arrived home, Gracie hurried inside.

She spotted Brayden seated prominently in the main living area and approached him quickly. “What went wrong? How did Ellie vanish from the basement?”

“It’s likely your last maneuver tipped him off,” Brayden explained calmly. “I’ve instructed Charlie to run an exhaustive check, focusing on tracking any vehicles that have come and gone lately. We’ll pinpoint her new location before long.”

Recognizing that haste wouldn’t help, Gracie gradually settled into the seat next to him.

“There’s another issue. Clive has taken a role as Theo’s aide… This puts us at a disadvantage.”

Brayden stayed composed, responding deliberately, “He’s been part of my team for many years. I trust him to have at least a bit of professionalism.”

“Are you that confident?” Gracie asked, her forehead creasing in concern. “He’s different now—he can’t be depended on anymore. Why do you insist on placing such blind faith in him?”

“Gracie,” Brayden said abruptly, meeting her gaze directly. “Give me your trust on this one. Clive won’t create significant problems for us. I’ve kept your reincarnation hidden from everyone. At worst, he could pass along some business details, but it won’t alter the overall outcome. Regarding our broader strategy, he’s only aware of the surface level.”

Gracie’s tension eased at last. She slumped back against the cushions and released a long, relieved sigh.

“You… must be hurting deeply inside, aren’t you?” she ventured, studying his face closely. “Being let down by someone you relied on so heavily… it has to sting terribly.”

Brayden’s mouth tightened briefly before he simply shook his head with a faint, wry smile. “That’s behind us now.”

He rose steadily to his feet. “It’s been a tiring evening for you. Head to bed soon. We still have to tie up loose ends from tonight’s efforts properly.”

Gracie stood as well, starting up the staircase, only to stop after a few steps.

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