Chapter 287: You’re Cruel!

The following day, the group arrived at Nexora Technologies in Capital City.

"Luca, I have to say, you might be the most impressive young man I’ve ever met."

Victoria stood behind a thick pane of bulletproof glass, staring into the sprawling underground laboratory on the other side. Researchers moved between workstations, examined equipment, and discussed projects with an intensity that made it clear this was no ordinary research facility.

The look of disbelief on her face was impossible to hide. She wasn’t the only one.

Michael and his father, Arabella, Phil Hernandez, and the others who had come along were equally stunned.

Victoria had already placed Luca in an exceptionally high position in her mind.

Hale-Viv Conglomerate alone was enough to prove that he had built something extraordinary in New Orleans. Then there was Northstar Real Estate, whose connection to him had only recently become public, and Summit Capital.

Each revelation had raised the same question.

How had someone so young accumulated so much wealth and influence?

Yet Nexora Technologies was another matter entirely.

The company was already famous throughout Capital City. It employed a considerable number of top researchers, several of whom served as doctoral supervisors at prestigious universities in the surrounding region.

When the Windsor and Halloway families had first established their own science park, Nexora Technologies had been one of the companies they regarded as an industry benchmark.

Even now, it remained one of the pillars of Capital City’s scientific and technological sector.

And somehow, it belonged to Luca. Victoria stared through the glass for another moment.

’Just how much money does this man have?’

Daniel Fletcher, the person in charge of Nexora Technologies, continued leading them through the facility.

He was explaining the various research divisions when he suddenly pointed toward a heavy metal security door at the far end of the underground complex.

"See that door?"

Everyone followed his gaze.

They had already passed through several restricted sections of the facility, but this particular door looked different. It was reinforced, heavily secured, and completely isolated from the rest of the laboratory.

Daniel smiled faintly.

"What’s behind it is where Nexora keeps its most advanced research. You could say it’s the foundation of everything we’re building."

That immediately caught everyone’s attention.

Victoria’s eyes lingered on the door. After everything she’d seen that afternoon, she couldn’t imagine what could possibly be more impressive. That only made her more curious.

Daniel didn’t keep them waiting.

"Most of the projects you’ve seen today are already operating at an extremely advanced level. But what’s inside there is on another level entirely."

The group exchanged glances. Even Phil looked genuinely interested.

For the rest of the afternoon, they were treated to what could only be described as a technological feast.

Aside from the photolithography machine Luca had personally provided, which remained classified as a top-secret project, the other technologies were open for them to examine.

By the time the tour ended, Victoria had already made up her mind.

"Luca, I’ve decided." She turned toward him. "I want to cooperate with Nexora Technologies."

Luca’s eyebrows lifted slightly.

Although the science park jointly developed by the Windsor and Halloway families was doing quite well, Victoria understood the limits of their current trajectory.

If everything continued as it had been, the project would undoubtedly generate enormous profits.

But after seeing Nexora Technologies firsthand, she couldn’t ignore the gap. If both sides continued developing at their current pace, Nexora would remain ahead. And once that happened, making money wouldn’t even be the main concern. They would be lucky simply to recover their research investment.

Nexora’s greatest advantage wasn’t just its equipment, either. It had people.

Young researchers, engineers, and scientists filled the facility. Many were still in the early stages of their careers, yet they were already working on projects that could shape entire industries. Even Daniel wasn’t forty yet.

With that kind of talent concentrated in one place, its future was almost impossible to underestimate. Victoria could compete with Luca in real estate. But when it came to cutting-edge technology, the difference was far more significant.

"Good." Luca’s face brightened.

This was precisely why he’d invited Victoria and the Halloway family to tour Nexora.

Nexora didn’t desperately need the Windsor and Halloway science park’s money or technical expertise. It was already capable of standing on its own.

But cooperation had its advantages.

Different perspectives could reveal things one side might overlook. More importantly, Luca had a much larger vision in mind. He wanted Nexora Technologies to become the center of a world-class technology hub.

A massive ecosystem built around precision manufacturing, specialized research, clear divisions of labor, and companies capable of competing at the highest level internationally.

Nexora would be at the heart of it.

Before Luca could say anything else, Phil spoke up.

"Luca, I’ll contact my family when we get back. I’ll have them send over some of the scientists and equipment Nexora currently needs."

Several people immediately turned toward him.

Daniel was particularly stunned.

Getting foreign scientists to travel overseas and provide technical guidance wasn’t as simple as signing a contract and transferring money.

There were layers of approval involved. Government regulations, corporate restrictions, and institutional policies could all make such arrangements extremely difficult.

Even if Nexora offered enough money, that didn’t guarantee anyone would be allowed to come.

And equipment could be even more complicated. Yet Phil had offered both without hesitation.

Daniel’s expression became increasingly excited.

If the offer was genuine, it could remove several obstacles that had been slowing Nexora’s progress.

"Thank you, Mr. Hernandez."

Phil waved a hand. "No need to thank me. If Luca needs something, I’ll see what I can do."

Several people exchanged amused looks. Phil’s attitude toward Luca was almost excessively respectful. But Luca merely smiled and nodded.

He reached for Arabella’s hand and continued walking beside her as Daniel led them toward the next section.

Arabella leaned closer.

"He really is going all out to impress you." Her voice was low enough that only Luca could hear.

She was one of the few people in the group who knew the truth about Phil’s relationship with him.

Hernandez Finances wasn’t simply an ally. Luca was the one standing behind it.

Luca glanced at her with a grin.

"Hehe. Aren’t I amazing?"

He gave her hand a gentle squeeze and winked.

Arabella immediately understood that he was teasing her.

Still, she played along.

"Very amazing."

She smiled sweetly.

"My man is the most amazing."

Luca laughed quietly.

The tour eventually concluded with the formal signing of the cooperation agreement.

With Luca watching, Daniel, Victoria, and Michael’s father personally signed the documents. Phil also took one of the contracts and signed alongside Daniel, seemingly eager to make his support official. Victoria looked over the completed agreement with satisfaction.

"We’ll announce the cooperation on our official accounts once we get back. After that, we’ll start developing the surrounding area."

Her gaze shifted toward Luca.

The Windsor family was one of the major players in the real estate industry, while Northstar Real Estate was now firmly under Luca’s control.

With both sides working together, the land surrounding Nexora could quickly become a magnet for other companies and research institutions.

Before long, more cutting-edge research centers could spring up around the facility. Then it wouldn’t just be Nexora Technologies anymore. It would be a genuine science and technology park. Most of the people present agreed with the idea.

Luca, however, shook his head.

"Not yet."

He blinked innocently.

"Keep the cooperation quiet for now. We can make a major announcement after things with Maison Premier have settled down."

Michael froze.

"Are you saying we should work together to shut down Maison Premier..."

He stopped halfway through the sentence.

His eyes suddenly widened.

Then realization hit him.

"Damn it! Luca, you’re cruel!"

Smack!

Mr. Halloway immediately slapped the back of his son’s head.

"How dare you talk to Luca like that?"

Michael rubbed the back of his head.

"What? I’m just saying what everyone is thinking."

Luca laughed and waved a hand.

"It’s fine. Michael and I talk like this all the time."

The others couldn’t help smiling.

But beneath the humor, everyone understood exactly what Luca was planning.

Victoria certainly did. She had spent decades in the business world. She didn’t need Luca to spell it out. The timing was too deliberate. They had all received the report early that morning.

The Sato family of Japan had sent representatives into Capital City. And, more importantly, Vincent Denim had personally received them.

The Sato family was an old and influential Japanese family with considerable connections in the investment sector. Vincent had already been squeezed from almost every direction.

The Windsors were against him. The Halloways were against him. Northstar Real Estate and Summit Capital had moved against Maison Premier. Other companies were beginning to distance themselves from the family.

And now, with his options rapidly disappearing, Vincent had apparently begun looking overseas for new allies. Japan was his latest move.

Victoria’s eyes narrowed slightly. Luca wasn’t merely waiting for Maison Premier to collapse. He was making sure that when it did, there would be nowhere left for it to run.