Dumped My Cheating Ex. Now I'm Sleeping Next to a Billionaire CEO novel Chapter 1131

The break room in the lab was filled with bright, clean light. Emmy spotted Abyss right away. He was sprawled out on a dark gray sofa, legs crossed, looking effortlessly relaxed. His gray cashmere coat hung open, showing off a perfectly tailored black shirt buttoned all the way to his collar, giving him that dangerous, buttoned-up vibe. He was quietly flipping through a stack of project files, totally absorbed.

John sat in a nearby chair, fidgeting and looking more nervous than usual. The second Emmy walked in, John shot to his feet. “Mr. Abyss, this is our project’s technical consultant, Ms. Emmy Lincoln.” He glanced at Emmy, his eyes practically begging her to pick up on his cue. “Emmy, this is the big investor I mentioned, Mr. Abyss.”

Abyss closed the file and looked up, surprise flickering across his face for a split second. His English was flawless. “Hi, Ms. Lincoln. Looks like we meet again.”

John’s eyes darted between them. “Wait, you two know each other?”

Emmy didn’t crack a smile. She walked over, shrugged off her coat, and hung it up, her English just as smooth. “We ran into each other at the mall.” Then she turned, her gaze cool and direct on Abyss. No small talk, no pretending. “I thought you were just here on vacation, Mr. Abyss.”

Abyss’s smile deepened, his eyes sparkling with something unreadable. He settled in, resting his chin on his hand, never breaking eye contact. “I am on vacation. But I’m a businessman. I make a habit of looking for opportunities wherever I go. And as you can see, Ms. Lincoln, I’m always interested in technology that could actually change the future.”

John jumped in, eager to explain. “So, here’s the thing, Emmy. Total coincidence. A friend of mine in venture capital on Wall Street happened to mention our project to Mr. Abyss. He’s in Boston right now and had some free time, so he figured he’d stop by and check out the lab.”

Emmy walked over to John and pulled out a chair, sitting down with perfect posture. Instantly, the energy in the room shifted. She looked every bit the negotiator, ready to go toe-to-toe with anyone. “Sorry, Mr. Abyss. I’m an investor too. I was interested in this project first.”

John’s stomach dropped at the number. He knew how much their work cost. Brain-computer neural interfaces were the kind of tech people called “God’s forbidden zone.” If they pulled it off, the world would never be the same, but the risks were massive. Without government backing, it was almost impossible for private investors to fill that kind of financial black hole. That’s why they chased every competition and award, hoping to catch the attention of someone with real power.

Now Abyss had laid out just how tough the road ahead would be. John glanced at Emmy, worry flickering in his eyes.

Emmy didn’t even blink. She leaned back, arms crossed, chin lifted just a touch. “I’ll put in fifty million. Full ownership of the project. Plus, I’m adding another five million as a special bonus for the team. Still want to compete, Mr. Abyss?”

Abyss’s smile froze for a second. He narrowed his eyes, taking a long, thoughtful look at the woman in front of him.