Chapter 291: Astral Technologies!

The comments had barely begun to settle on the livestream before a new rumor started spreading.

@dictatormbappe221: "Wait, has anyone heard from Stephanie?"

@Ishowmeat: "I thought she was still with Maison Premier?"

@hungryforsausages: "Someone said she hasn't been seen in days."

@ishowmeat: "That's just a rumor. There's been no official statement from the Hart family or Maison Premier."

@TripleT: "Exactly. People are acting like she's confirmed missing when nobody actually knows what's going on."

@dictatormbappe221: "Tung Tung?."

The comments continued to multiply.

Some were genuinely concerned. Others were clearly more interested in the gossip.

@concernednetizen435: "Didn't Stephanie used to follow Vincent everywhere? If she's suddenly disappeared, something must have happened."

@LockedInDiddysBasement: "Maybe she finally got tired of him."

@aliciarosemary' "Or maybe she found someone else?"

@concernednetizen435: "Wouldn't surprise me. Vincent spent years chasing Arabella before he married Stephanie. Maybe Stephanie got tired of waiting for him to actually care about her."

@ihatefridays: "Hold on, are people seriously saying she was cucking Vincent for another man?"

@ishowmeat: " 'Vincent the Cuck' has a nice ring to it"

The rumor was still nothing more than speculation, but that hardly mattered once the internet got hold of it.

Every few seconds, another theory appeared.

Some believed Stephanie had left voluntarily. Others thought she had been forced to disappear. A few simply wanted to know what had happened to the woman who had once been regarded as the most devoted wife in Capital City.

Luca watched the comments without saying anything.

The discussion was noisy, careless, and filled with assumptions, but one thing about it caught his attention.

People were already trying to fill in the blanks.

They knew Stephanie had vanished from the public eye, but they didn't know why. So they created their own explanations.

Luca watched the comments scrolling across the screen with an odd expression.

Despite Vincent's respectable appearance, there was one thing Luca had to admit.

The rumors weren't entirely ridiculous.

If Stephanie hadn't personally told him about the nightmare she had endured over those days, Luca would never have connected a man like Vincent with the humiliating image being thrown around online.

And that wasn't even the worst part.

Vincent had gone so far as to use Jack to repeatedly sexually assault Stephanie in an attempt to ensure she conceived a child for Maison Premier.

Just thinking about it made Luca's expression darken.

Still, he had no intention of exposing any of that to the public.

Doing so would certainly destroy Vincent's reputation, but it would also drag Stephanie into the spotlight.

She had already suffered enough.

Her entire life had been controlled by Vincent, and now she was finally trying to escape the nightmare she had been trapped in for years. If the internet turned its attention toward her as well, the endless harassment might push her to the edge.

Luca had no intention of letting that happen.

Stephanie had helped him considerably in dealing with Vincent. He wasn't the kind of person who went around pretending to be some righteous hero, but he certainly wasn't going to repay someone's help by ruining her life.

Fortunately, Maison Premier didn't keep the reporters waiting for long.

A powerful, energetic piece of music filled the venue before gradually fading into silence.

Vincent rose from his seat under the attention of dozens of reporters.

He adjusted his collar, then raised both hands, palms facing downward, signaling for everyone to quiet down.

"First of all, I'd like to welcome all of our guests and members of the press. I'm Vincent Denim."

He paused briefly, allowing the room to settle.

"And I'm here today for one reason."

His voice was confident, his posture composed.

After a passionate opening speech, the purpose of the press conference gradually became clear to everyone watching.

"Today, Maison Premier of Capital City will be working alongside Japan's Sato Family and Rose City's Sapphire-Vanguard Group."

Vincent's voice grew louder.

"Together with twenty-three companies of various sizes from the surrounding area, we will establish Astral Technology Park!"

The room erupted in applause.

One after another, twenty-three business leaders or their representatives stepped forward alongside Vincent and formally signed the agreement.

The sight pushed Vincent's pride to its peak.

For the past few days, he had been under pressure from every direction. Luca had repeatedly obstructed his plans, while the elders within Maison Premier had also been breathing down his neck. Yet despite all of it, he had managed to push through.

As the eldest son of Maison Premier, he had once again proven that he could hold his ground. And Astral Technology had been built upon the foundation of the Hart family's software studio.

So what if Summit Capital's investment restrictions had complicated his cooperation with Hernandez Finances?

He still had the Sato Family. He still had Sapphire-Vanguard. And now he had twenty-three companies standing alongside him.

He was still Vincent Denim, the celebrated heir of Capital City's elite circle.

For a brief moment, he imagined standing in front of Arabella and telling her that she had made the wrong choice.

She must be watching this press conference. And surely, seeing him standing here with such confidence would move her, even if only a little.

"Mr. Denim, what advantages do you believe Astral Technology has over the technology companies established by the Windsor and Halloway families?"

A young female reporter was the first to stand during the Q&A session.

The atmosphere immediately changed.

Everyone knew about the growing conflict between Maison Premier and the Windsor and Halloway families. With two major factions now openly competing in Capital City's technology sector, the question was bound to attract attention.

Vincent faced the cameras and cleared his throat before answering calmly.

"Astral Technology's foundation comes from my own vision, combined with financial support from Japan's Sato Family and the mature technology and equipment provided by Sapphire-Vanguard Group."

He paused, letting his gaze sweep across the room.

"On top of that, we have numerous shareholders working together toward the same goal."

A faint smile appeared on his face.

"People tend to stand behind those who do the right thing. Astral Technology has a bright future."

It was a carefully crafted answer.

Vincent had highlighted Astral Technology's financial backing, technical resources, and large shareholder base while subtly suggesting that the Windsor and Halloway families lacked the same level of support.

Judging by the expressions around the room, the message had landed.

Vincent leaned back slightly, maintaining his confident smile as the questions continued.

After answering several more, another reporter stood.

"Mr. Denim, everyone knows that Nexora Technologies is currently the leader of Capital City's technology sector. What is your opinion of this company? Do you consider Nexora a competitor?"

The moment the question was asked, several reporters exchanged glances.

'What a question.'

Yet their eyes lit up.

This was exactly the kind of answer everyone wanted to hear.

When it came to technology in Capital City, Nexora was impossible to ignore. The company had quickly established itself as the leading force in the city's science and technology sector.

Astral Technology had launched with an impressive lineup of financial and technical backing. If it truly intended to challenge Nexora, the resulting competition would undoubtedly be worth watching.

Vincent paused for a moment before smiling.

"Who says we have to be competitors?"

The reporters immediately perked up.

Vincent picked up his glass, took a sip of water, and continued.

"I actually have a pretty good relationship with Dr. Daniel Fletcher, the person in charge of Nexora Technologies."

The room erupted.

The livestream comments began flying across the screen so quickly that it was almost impossible to read them. Vincent's carefully ambiguous answer immediately sent the internet into a frenzy.

Was Maison Premier secretly connected to Nexora?

Was there already some kind of cooperation between them?

The speculation spread almost instantly.

@concernednetizen435: "No wonder Vincent dared to go against the Windsor and Halloway families, and even Luca. It turns out he has Nexora backing him!"

@macmorris: "I have to admit, Vicent is pretty sharp. That comeback was incredible!"

@jackthedogman: "Honestly, Luca is capable too, but he doesn't have much involvement in the technology industry. He can't provide the same kind of support to the Windsor and Halloway families."

@aliciarosemary:"Exactly. Money is important, but without enough talent and technology, you're still at a huge disadvantage."

The more the comments appeared, the more confident the public became that Vincent had another card hidden up his sleeve.