Too Late to Hold Me Back novel Chapter 572

"However, when it comes to human resources and technical infrastructure, we have the upper hand," Mr. Sterling continued, stating a plain fact.

He looked between Mira and Owen. "How about a seventy-thirty split? You take seventy percent."

Mira and Owen exchanged a glance. "You have a deal, Mr. Sterling."

They couldn't help but admire the man's straightforwardness. All the aggressive negotiation tactics and contingencies they had prepared were completely unnecessary.

"From this day forward, we work together to push our industry to the absolute top."

Development costs would naturally reflect the same seventy-thirty ratio. Building an empire required powerful alliances, not solitary struggles.

The research and development hub remained at Solflare Tower. Three entire floors of the skyscraper were cleared exclusively for the Aegis OS project. Currently, Solflare Technologies had three hundred elite developers assigned to the system. In response, Vanguard Systems was deploying an initial wave of one thousand top-tier software engineers to join the fray.

With both powerhouses combining forces, fueled by Mira's strategic knowledge of the future tech landscape, they were poised to utilize the world's most advanced equipment to launch the system in record time.

Afterward, Mr. Sterling toured the rest of Solflare Tower alongside Mira and Owen, deeply impressed by the operation.

By eleven, Mira took them to Solflare Hearth & Grill. She had already instructed the Lennox Brothers to personally oversee the kitchen, preparing a stunning array of Melvion City's signature dishes. The lunch was a massive success.

Mira only ate a few bites, saving her appetite for the lunch she had promised Eleanor.

After seeing Mr. Sterling and his team off at noon, Mira had the Lennox Brothers pack up another spread of the gourmet dishes for her grandmother.

As Mira was getting ready to leave for the Quinn estate, Harvey tried to casually tag along.

"Shouldn't you be at campus registering?" Mira asked. "I'm visiting family. Why are you following me?"

"He's not a lovesick teenager. He won't lose his mind over it. I've already made my boundaries perfectly clear. He's rational and knows when to step back."

Owen scoffed softly. "Rational? You realize emotion rarely bows to rationality, right?"

"I know, Owen. I'll keep my distance. Why the sudden intense interest in my personal life anyway?"

"I'm your partner. If I don't look out for you, who will?"

Mira turned to head toward her car, only to realize Owen was walking right behind her.

"Why are you following me?"

"My afternoon just cleared up. I figured I'd tag along and pay my respects to Grandma Eleanor."