Vivienne's Challenged Bid

The echoes of the charity event lingered like a shadow as Julian stormed into his office on Monday morning. His jaw was clenched tight, and his normally calm demeanor had given way to visible frustration.

"Damien Thorne, that manipulative bastard," Julian muttered, tossing a folder onto his desk.

Elara followed him into the office, closing the door behind her. "What happened?"

Julian ran a hand through his hair. "Damien just called. He's sending Ethan Thorne and Vivienne to discuss a potential collaboration between Thorne Industries and YodaVision."

"Vivienne?" Elara's stomach tightened.

"Yes, your darling half-sister." Julian's voice dripped with sarcasm. "Apparently, she's heading some new AI initiative at Thorne Industries now."

Elara leaned against the wall, processing this information. It was no coincidence that Damien had sent Vivienne, especially after their encounter at the charity event.