To Love a Shadow, To Be the Sun novel Chapter 155

"Why are our passes invalid? We got them directly from your organizing committee!"

Summer's voice trembled with frustration.

"Is this Brian's doing? Did he tell you to block us?"

The staff didn't bother explaining. Instead, they nudged Summer and Elara aside, letting other company representatives file into the venue.

Just then, a man stopped in front of them.

"Miss Jules?" Jason's tone was tentative.

Elara, bundled up to the point of being unrecognizable, met his gaze and nodded. "Mr. Lawrence."

Noticing they'd been left outside, Jason offered her a wry smile. "Brian made it clear—he wants you blacklisted. Still not giving up, are you?"

"Do you have a way to get us inside, Mr. Lawrence?" Elara asked.

Jason arched an eyebrow, saying nothing.

Elara understood there would be a price. "I'll repay the favor, whatever it takes."

He gave her a cold, appraising look. "Without your husband's influence, and with no standing in society, what could Mrs. Vincent possibly offer me?"

That was a rejection, and Elara knew it. She averted her eyes, already thinking of another way.

But then Jason turned to the staff and said, "These two are my guests."

Immediately, the staff beamed. "Blackstar Technologies has four guest passes—welcome, Mr. Lawrence. Please, this way."

This was the reality—connections mattered more than anything.

Elara and Summer followed Jason inside. Without badges from Ignition Dynamics, they weren't even assigned seats, but at least they'd made it in. The summit wouldn't officially begin for another twenty minutes, and most company representatives were still mingling at the exhibition booths.

Jason glanced at Elara, smiling. "Care to stick with me?"

But she knew there'd be a price for that, too.

She bowed her head, voice low. "Thank you for getting us in, Mr. Lawrence. We won't trouble you any further."

"Then good luck to you both," Jason replied, his smirk tinged with arrogance as he strode away with his assistant.

Elara and Summer immediately split up.

Brian nodded. "Whoever makes the breakthrough will lead the entire field."

Dr. Graves sighed. "But to my knowledge, no one in the world has made any real progress yet."

No sooner had he spoken than he caught sight of a familiar figure on the second-floor balcony. He excused himself and walked away.

Yves Caldwell slipped up beside Brian, whispering, "Mr. Vincent, Ignition Dynamics made it in. We couldn't stop them."

Brian's expression darkened, but before he could reply, a clear female voice rang out at the Quentin Heavy Industries booth. "Mr. Holt, can your electric trucks really deliver an eight-hundred kilometer range with a fifteen-minute fast-charge?"

Quentin turned, surprised—the speaker was masked and hooded, but the voice was unmistakably familiar.

His assistant stepped forward, bristling. "Are you here to make trouble? Security, get—"

Quentin, however, held up a hand, stopping him. He looked at Elara. "Well, then—show us what you've got."

Elara's heart was pounding. She could feel the medication wearing off.

Taking a deep breath, she popped open the case and revealed the battery pack.