"Do you even know how much effort I put into making sure this went smoothly? I didn't just submit the patent—I pulled some strings, called in a few favors, and made sure the process was as smooth as possible and as fast as possible."
Lily's eyes sparkled with admiration, and in her excitement, she threw her arms around Ethan's neck.
"Ethan, you're incredible!"
"I knew you could do it!" Without hesitation, she pressed a kiss to his cheek, a beaming smile spreading across her face.
But her excitement quickly turned into serious contemplation. She pulled back slightly and looked up at him.
"Now that we have the patent… what's our next move?"
Ethan's smirk widened. His gaze darkened slightly as his expression shifted from one of victory to something far more calculating.
"The next step is simple." His voice dropped a little lower, a hint of dangerous intent laced within it.
