Chapter 536

Evelyn Sinclair pressed her lips together and lifted her gaze, meeting Nathan Blackwood's piercing stare.

Their smiles collided at the same moment. His voice was ice. "Since the system data and chip records are both minimal, there's only one anomaly left."

The room held its breath, tension thick.

"The test car," Nathan declared.

Silence swallowed the space. The team exchanged stunned glances—some had suspected, but none had dared voice it.

Dominic Kingsley frowned. "What could be wrong with the car?"

Nathan's jaw tightened. "It was custom-built, but the components interfacing with the AI system were outsourced to another company. Did anyone verify them?"

No one answered.

Yet the truth was undeniable—a flaw had been buried in the metadata. Nathan dismissed the meeting immediately.

Evelyn's eyes never left his face. She didn't speak, but their thoughts aligned perfectly.

She hadn’t expected Nathan to reach the same conclusion.

Evelyn arched a brow. "It's the brakes."

Nathan nodded. "Liberty Tech."

She exhaled sharply. Obviously.

Standing, she felt the weight lift—like storm clouds parting for sunlight.

Dominic cleared his throat. "Let's grab dinner."

Evelyn shot him a dry look. "How many rejections before you realize I don’t want to eat with you?"

Nathan froze, then smirked. "I don’t take hints."

She was already walking away.

Days later, Dominic returned with the report.

As predicted, the AI was flawless.

The brakes were the problem.

Liberty Tech's "cutting-edge" braking system—touted as revolutionary—had been installed in luxury vehicles worldwide.

Given the autopilot's stellar track record, every component had been top-tier. No one questioned the choice.

Until now.

Dominic stormed into Blackwood Industries, slamming the documents onto Nathan’s desk. His usual calm had shattered.

Nathan barely glanced up. "You should rest."

"Rest?" Dominic scoffed. "Liberty Tech’s system has caused over a hundred accidents. Every lawsuit was buried. Every whistleblower silenced."

Nathan’s voice was dangerously soft. "And when you confronted them?"

Dominic’s laugh was bitter. "They blamed our AI. They think money can bury this forever." He reached for his phone. "I’m calling Evelyn."

Nathan’s gaze darkened. "Don’t."