Chapter 63: 63:Back On Track

On the NextGen Innovations Office floor.

Aria sat at her desk, surrounded by her team as they meticulously ran tests on the newly developed premium app prior to its launch.

The room buzzed with the sounds of beeping devices and the glow of laptops displaying lines of code and data analytics dashboards.

As the lead developer and COO, Aria closely examined the screen that summarized the app's capabilities.

"Okay, team, let's run the encryption test again. We need to ensure that it's foolproof," she instructed.

Though Evan had assured her that everything was fine, Aria wanted to test everything. She has always been meticulous and couldn't just take Evan's word.

Unless the app through her rigorous testing trial and she had verified it herself, she won't be launching it.

"Begin now..." she ordered.

One of her team members nodded and tapped away on their keyboard, initiating the encryption process. Lines of code scrolled rapidly across the terminal screen, showcasing the complex algorithm at work.

Aria glanced at the specifications sheet again, her eyes widening as she scanned the capabilities listed under the Premium stage.

"Up to 50X compression ratio, comprehensive security suite, advanced analytics..." she muttered, impressed by the features Evan had packed into the app.

'And this was still basic. I can't imagine how far he would go to take Custom orders,' Aria gasped in awe.

"Encryption test complete," announced another team member, satisfaction evident in their voice.

Aria leaned forward and examined the results intently. "And...?"

"It's solid. The encryption held strong against our breach attempts," confirmed the team member triumphantly.

At that moment, another man swallowed nervously and looked at Aria, "Miss, are we creating a revolution?"

Aria nodded, a smile playing on her lips.

"Good. That's what we need. Now, let's move on to the system integration test. We need to ensure that it can handle all the data in the server and memory effectively."

Suddenly, a notification popped up on Aria's screen, drawing her attention. It was a report from the advanced analytics module they had recently integrated. She clicked on it and began to analyze the insights.

"Enhanced encryption that can't be breached, but there was small leeway? That doesn't make sense..." she mused aloud.

Her team exchanged puzzled glances. "Could it be a glitch?" one of them wondered.

"It's not a glitch," Aria said slowly, her voice tinged with disbelief. "It's intentional. The encryption... it can be breached, but only if you have the right credentials, and we can't shut their monitoring, can we?"

The moment she said that a deep silence settled over the room for a moment as her team stared at her, processing the implications. "Wait, so you mean..." one of them began, but Aria cut in, finishing their thought.

"During the time you were engrossed in your Prince Charming's matter."

"What Prince Charming?'' Suri shrieked, hiding the tablet away.

"Suri," Martha began tentatively, stepping further into the room. "I need to talk to you about something."

Suri looked up, her expression a blend of interest and curiosity. "What is it, Martha?"

Martha hesitated for a moment and began while carefully choosing her words. "Evan has approached us with a new commercial project. It's for a tea brand, and they want you as the face of the campaign."

Suri's eyes widened slightly at the mention of Evan's name. Despite the recent turmoil surrounding Teabox, her admiration and loyalty towards Evan kept growing.

"That sounds great," she replied, her voice tinged with excitement while she inwardly thought.

'Maybe with my help, those crazy fans would stop attacking him and he can be vindicated.'

Martha sighed inwardly, knowing what she had to say next wouldn't be easy. "However, I've decided to decline the offer on your behalf."

Suri's expression shifted from anticipation to disbelief. "What? Why?"

Martha took a deep breath, bracing herself for Suri's reaction. "It's not just about the project, Suri. It's about your safety and well-being. After what happened with the FSSAI and the Teabox incident... I can't risk putting you in a vulnerable position again."

"Also, I feel you are getting involved with Evan too much."

Suri sat up abruptly, her frustration evident. "But Martha, I can't just hide away because of what happened! I need to talk to Evan. He needs to know that I had nothing to do with it."

Martha shook her head gently. "I understand how you feel, Suri. But right now, the best thing you can do is focus on your work and let us handle the rest."

Suri clenched her fists in frustration. "Please, Martha," she pleaded, her voice now softer. "It's pure business."

Martha rolled her eyes. She had been with Suri so long; how could she not know what she was thinking?

With Suri's well flourished family, what kind of man she hadn't seen? But she had always dreamed about a person who would rise from a low background and make waves.

Now that she had found someone, Suri had been closely monitoring Evan.

Martha sighed again, her resolve wavering slightly. She knew how much this meant to Suri, but she also had a duty to protect her. "I'll think about it, Suri. But for now, please try to understand."

Martha watched her for a moment, silently wishing there was more she could do. "I'll keep you updated on any developments."

As she was about to leave, she glanced at Suri and decided to advise her. "Suri, I am like your elder sister, so I advise you not to develop affection towards that guy, it will blind you."

"Also, don't forget about Richard. In the end, you two are set to be engaged later, whether it is your will or not," dropping the bomb, Martha hurried away, failing to notice an evil grin on Suri's face.

"That's quite interesting."