Chapter 433: Seraphina Sterling’s Identity Exposed (5)

Chapter 433: Chapter 433: Seraphina Sterling’s Identity Exposed (5)

The presentation on stage continued, with Chester Sykes, the head of R&D, demonstrating the new phone’s features to the crowd.

Justin Hale was perhaps the most astonished of all. While shocked by such tremendous growth, he was even more concerned with the leader of Keystone Technologies. A company’s success was inextricably linked to its leadership, after all! He had a premonition that this leader would become his greatest rival in the business world.

"President Chapman, you really are something, owning two companies at such a young age. What’s even more shocking is your financial prowess. Though I’m not entirely sure of the specifics of the situation Keystone Technologies was facing, I know it couldn’t have been easy to resolve. You lay low for all these years, only to burst onto the scene like this. To quietly come up with such a massive sum of money and plug the holes in Keystone Technologies... Is that funding really all yours?"

Nadia Chapman smiled faintly. "If not mine, whose would it be? What a curious question, Mr. Hale." ’Seraphina was right. Justin Hale is already suspicious of me. Thank goodness she didn’t come today, or we might’ve really blown our cover!’

"According to my investigation, you’ve been working part-time jobs continuously since high school, rain or shine. And even more so in college. You’ve dabbled in all sorts of industries: tutoring, waiting tables, assisting celebrities, copywriting for a creative agency, and so on. If you really had that much capital, why would you work so hard?"

This was the information Justin Hale’s investigation had turned up. He had been suspicious of Nadia Chapman’s meteoric rise from the start, and after seeing these reports, he was even more convinced that she was just a smokescreen—that someone else was silently pulling all the strings from behind the scenes.

Nadia Chapman’s expression remained unchanged, the curve of her smile unwavering. Her gaze was steady, refusing to flinch. "Even for trading stocks, one needs initial capital. And even with capital, I needed to understand the market and see what was most suitable for me. There’s an old Apex saying: ’When heaven is about to confer a great responsibility on a person, it will first test their resolve, tire their muscles, and starve their body...’ I only had theoretical knowledge from the classroom. If I didn’t experience various industries for myself, how would I ever learn how to manage a company?"

Nadia Chapman avoided Justin Hale’s probing gaze. "Managing a company, on a smaller scale, is about leading a team. On a smaller scale yet, it’s simply about getting along with people. I believe a large part of why I was able to take over Keystone Technologies and run it so smoothly comes from the experience I gained over all those years of part-time work. Of course, some of it was also out of necessity. A man born with a silver spoon like you, Mr. Hale, would surely never have to experience the kind of desperation I felt."

Justin Hale’s expression remained impassive, but he dropped the subject. "You’re very smart, President Chapman, and very capable. I trust that after today, Keystone Technologies will soar to new heights."

"I’ll take that as a good omen." Nadia Chapman let out a deep breath. ’That hurdle is finally behind me. Justin Hale is too sharp, and far too difficult to handle! I have no idea how much he believed. Even if he’s suspicious of me, I absolutely cannot let him connect any of this to Seraphina! Seraphina must have her reasons for being so secretive. If I’m the one who lets this slip, it will cause her immense trouble!’

Meanwhile, once Seraphina Sterling and Genevieve Churchill were ready, they headed straight for The Gilt Alley. It was the largest marketplace for antiques and collectibles in Aethelgard, and the most bustling one in all of Apex.

Genevieve Churchill was there to shop; Seraphina Sterling was there for an inspection. Apex Collections had been established in Aethelgard for over two months, yet she still hadn’t come to see it once.

The Gilt Alley: a test of one’s eye, a gamble of one’s luck. Whether you could strike it rich here all depended on if you had what it takes.