Chapter 5
Chapter 5
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In the Floyd Group’s conference room, Darion was desperately trying to stop clients from leaving.
“Please, everyone, stay. This is Ms. Dobson, our newly appointed director. She has full authority to handle this project.”
Darion was panicking, trying hard to position Kaleigh as Breanna’s replacement.
But no one was buying it.
“We won’t sign off on this agreement without Breanna’s signature,” one of the clients said firmly.
“We only work with Ms. Mansfield,” another added.
In moments, half of the clients stood up and left.
Darion slammed his folder in frustration. “It’s just a wedding. Does Breanna have to make such a big deal out of it?”
He pulled out his phone and started dialing frantically. “Breanna! Come back and fix these clients, and I’ll get a di- vorce and marry you right away!”
He didn’t realize he’d already been blocked.
Kaleigh entered in her high heels. “Take it easy.”
She tossed a contract on the table. “I just got in touch with the Mansfield Group. Their vice CEO has agreed to meet with us.”
“Are you sure?” Darion grabbed her arm.
Kaleigh raised an eyebrow smugly. “Absolutely. You know how powerful the Mansfield Group is. With this connec- tion, these minor companies won’t even be worth mentioning.”
“We’ll go to New York tomorrow.” Darion loosened his tie. “We have to show them our determination.”
Meanwhile, I arrived home.
I pushed open the door to my bedroom. Everything was exactly as I’d left it before going abroad. Even the desk lamp was still in the same spot.
As my fingers brushed the dust from the desk, a sticky note from years ago was revealed beneath.
“Breezy, is it you?” My mom poked her head out of the kitchen, her apron stained with sauce. “I made chicken soup today. Your dad especially went to the market for the abalone.”
In the living room, my father pretended to read the newspaper-except it was upside down.
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Chapter 5
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All these years, he’d been angry with me for giving up the University of Cambridge’s offer. He hadn’t even answered my calls on his birthdays.
“Dad… Mom…” I felt a lump in my throat.
Dad rustled the newspaper and finally muttered, “Your room is cleaned every week. The bedsheet is freshly changed.”
In the middle of the night, I got up for a drink of water and overheard my parents talking quietly in the kitchen.
“Say something. Our daughter is finally home.”
“I’m afraid that if I say something wrong, she’ll leave again.”
On the cutting board was a half-sliced pear-my favorite when I was little.
I quietly returned to my room.
So, this was what real love felt like. It didn’t need one to complete ninety-nine tasks to earn it.
The next morning, before the meeting, I ran into Darion and Kaleigh at the elevator.
Kaleigh scoffed, “Oh, Ms. Mansfield? You ended up as a receptionist here after getting kicked out of the Floyd Group?”*
Darion stiffened as he turned, his expression darkening instantly. “Breanna, beg me now, and I might reconsider tak- ing you back.”
I ignored them, spreading the proposal on the conference table. “Are you two here to discuss cooperation?”
Kaleigh sized me up contemptuously. “Quit putting on an act. Go get your project manager.”
She turned to Darion. “Mr. Floyd, what would a low-level employee like her know?”
Darion nodded. “We’re here to discuss an acquisition. We don’t have time to play games with you. Get
here.”
Get your
chairman
Just then, the conference room door swung open.
“This is my company,” my mother declared. “If my daughter can’t call the shots, who do you think can?”
She entered in high heels and glanced coldly at them.
Kaleigh immediately put on a sweet smile. “Mrs. Mansfield, we’re…”
“Save it,” Mom cut her off, raising one hand. “My daughter is fully in charge of this project.”
Darion turned pale. “Y-You are Breanna’s mother?”
My mother patted my shoulder. “Breezy, what’s your take?”
I opened the assessment report and pointed my pen at the Floyd Group’s balance sheet,
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Chapter 5
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“The Floyd Group currently has less than 3 million dollars in working capital, with three projects left unfinished. Re- garding this acquisition proposal-”
I looked up at Darion. “Well, the Mansfield Group doesn’t take on shell companies.”
Kaleigh slammed the table as she stood up. “You’re lying! We clearly…”
“Because you’re the one who drafted that assessment report.” I closed the folder firmly. “Our company’s policy ex- plicitly bans doing business with dishonest individuals.”
Darion’s face turned ashen, his lips trembling, speechless.
My mother gently placed her hand on my shoulder and pushed a letter across the table. “Mr. Floyd, this is a termina- tion notice. The Mansfield Group never works with companies that falsify their financial records.”
“Mrs. Mansfield!” Darion suddenly grabbed my mother’s hand. “I’m Breanna’s boyfriend. We’ve been together for seven years. I…”
He turned to me, his eyes filled with pleading. “Breanna, explain it to her. It was just a fight. You wouldn’t…”
I cut him off, “Is that wedding ring on your finger nothing but a showpiece?”
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