The night carried on like nothing had happened, but beneath the glamour and laughter, William could feel the weight of eyes following him. The rival was gone from sight, yet the System’s last message kept echoing in his head.
He walked through the hall with quiet confidence, stopping once or twice when another investor approached to greet him. The name William Price was no longer unknown. People were curious now, drawn to the man who’d spoken with conviction in front of the Hamiltons.
But Devon was watching from the far end of the room. His expression looked calm to everyone else, but behind that calm was a bruised ego.
He moved through the crowd, smile practiced, voice smooth as ever. “Impressive speech, Hudson,” he said, stopping just beside William. “I didn’t expect you to steal the
