Chapter 1466: Atlas the popular

"Your gambling addiction is getting worse, Penny. I’m afraid I’ll soon have to start looking into rehab facilities."

Penny’s mouth instantly curved downward as Atlas gazed at her with a blank expression.

"I don’t think you should be doing that here," he said. "Who would pull something like that in this place?"

Atlas hadn’t even been here for three minutes, but he had already spotted several powerful figures in the crowd. It didn’t surprise him—this was Prime Group’s signature move: showcasing itself with grandeur. Every person present was a potential buyer of their new launch.

Which meant... every one of them was Atlas’s competition.

"What do you mean?" Penny frowned. "Everyone’s in on it, and no one’s complained."

Arching a brow, Atlas scanned the area again. Nearly everyone was holding a glass of wine or champagne. Nothing out of the ordinary—until he overheard Hayley chatting with an old man about a team. From their conversation, it dawned on him: this was how they were placing their bets.

Turning back to Penny, he shook his head mildly. "And you’ve gotten creative with it too."

"Stop looking at me like that," she clicked her tongue. "Come on. I’ll introduce you to some people."

Atlas raised his brows, then shrugged and followed her. They stopped in front of a small group.

"Hello, gentlemen," Penny smoothly joined their conversation, prompting all three middle-aged men to turn toward her. "How’s the night going?"

"It’s great, Miss Bennet," one of them said warmly. "We were just catching up—it’s been a while since the three of us have been in the same place."

"I’m glad this event brought you all together," she said with a smile. "Anyway, I’d like to introduce—"

"Mr. Bennet! How have you been?"

Before she could finish, one of the men noticed Atlas and walked right over, gripping his hand and clapping his shoulder.

"It hasn’t been long since we last met," Atlas said with a polite nod and his usual professional smile, glancing at the others. "Though it’s probably been longer for them."

At that, the other two laughed and joined the interaction. While they didn’t completely forget Penny, the spotlight had clearly shifted to Atlas.

Penny watched the scene unfold and caught her brother shooting her a smug look. "Oh, goodness," she scoffed under her breath, half in disbelief.

The surprise didn’t stop there. Another group noticed Atlas and quickly came over to greet him as well.

"I heard CEO Pierson speaks highly of you," one man said. "People are saying if he doesn’t name an heir, you’ll take charge."

"Haha! I heard that thanks to Mr. Bennet, CEO Pierson can finally focus on his family!"

"Still, I’m surprised."

"Mr. Bennet, we mean no offense. We know Miss Bennet is your sister, but we all share the same interest tonight."

As more and more people gathered around Atlas, their small group swelled into a crowd, and Penny was unceremoniously pushed aside.

She gasped in disbelief, staring at the mob surrounding her brother. ’I knew he was popular... but this popular?’

Pierson Corporation’s reach was vast—there were hardly any industries they weren’t involved in. With Atlas now serving as Chief Operating Officer, his already-extensive network had expanded exponentially. He wasn’t just managing operations—he was also spearheading multiple projects.

Just like Zoren had said: Atlas was taking everything away from him. These days, Zoren’s only job was to sign off or discard the documents that landed on his desk. No wonder he had time to look up recipes and send her love letters. Then again, ever since Atlas took over, Zoren’s health had improved significantly. He could finally do things he hadn’t been able to before.

"Whatever," she muttered, dragging herself away and letting Atlas handle her duties for once.

What she didn’t realize was that some of her guests had intentionally excluded her—not out of malice, but strategy. They were eager to get their hands on Prime Group’s new security system. With Atlas among the bidders, distancing Penny helped give the illusion of neutrality. It was a calculated move—temporary sibling sabotage for their own gain.

Meanwhile, Penny walked over to the railing and stared through the glass.

"Only ten minutes left before the final round," she murmured, glancing back at the crowd. "I thought Renren would be here by now."

Her lips tugged downward. She hadn’t gotten the chance to ask her First Brother about her husband. Still, she didn’t worry. If Zoren said he’d come, then he would. Even if he was running late, he would have called if he couldn’t make it.

Just then, as she watched the organizers make final adjustments to the stage, Yugi suddenly appeared beside her. Her brows lifted as she glanced at him.

"What is it?" she asked quietly.

Yugi glanced over his shoulder, then leaned in and whispered in her ear. After speaking, he drew back.

A deep line formed between her brows as her eyes fixed on his. "What do you think?" she asked, her voice low.

"Bad," he said simply. "We either cancel the final round... or we risk it."

Silence stretched between them.

If Yugi said it was bad, then it was bad.

"We can’t cancel," she said, tipping her chin toward the guests. "It’s not easy to get all these people in the same room. Some of them flew in just for this."

If they canceled, she was sure most would understand—but convincing them to come again? Not guaranteed. Maybe half would still show.

"So we’re going through with it?" he asked, head tilted, brows raised. "You sure?"

Penny pressed her lips into a thin line. "We’ve got five minutes left before it starts. Start stretching your fingers, just in case."

"Already did," Yugi exhaled lightly. "I’ve asked HQ to stay on standby if we need backup."

She nodded, and with that, Yugi walked away. Penny followed him with her gaze, then slowly turned her eyes to the stage. Her fingers curled around the railing, her expression sharpening.

Five minutes later, the finalists arrived onstage. Her eyes immediately landed on Nathaniel from Team D.

A small, knowing smile curved her lips.

"I told you, Yugi," she whispered, eyes narrowing with anticipation. "Tonight’s going to be fun."