In the elegant Chinese restaurant, Steve quickly shook his head, eyes darting nervously between Rebecca and Zachary's table. "It's really not a big deal, please don't worry about it." His fingers fidgeted with the napkin in his lap.

Rebecca immediately disagreed, her voice firm and sincere. "No, this is very important. You have no idea how much this means to our research team. The Silverleaf Lotus could help countless people."

Steve waved it off, trying to appear casual while ...