Chapter 70
Serena returned to her office and pushed all distractions aside before refocusing on work.
30 minutes slipped by in an instant.
She flipped open a project proposal, but the door swung open before she could read past the first line.
Natalie stepped in. “Mr. Jansen wants you in the conference room to discuss the partnership with Foster Group. They’ve made it clear that if you don’t show up, the deal is off.
“Mr. Jansen and Ms. Sarah also said that if you refuse, the loss will be on you. The company will issue a public reprimand.”
The first part was a straightforward message about work. The second was undeniably a veiled threat from Howard and Sarah.
Avoiding Zach was a personal preference, but a public reprimand from the company would shake her position to the core. Between avoiding Zach and facing public disciplinary action, the choice was obvious.
Without hesitation, Serena stood up and gestured to Natalie. “Print the relevant documents for me.”
“They’ve already been prepared.”
Natalie handed over the documents, and Serena took them with a satisfied smile before heading back to the conference room.
The moment she entered, Zach’s unrelenting gaze locked onto her. Serena ignored it completely and took her seat with composure. “I’m here now. Let’s start the meeting.”
Sarah’s expression was grim. “Do you think you can just waltz in with a couple of documents and suddenly understand the project?”
She was already simmering after being ignored by Zach for half an hour. Seeing Serena was enough to tip her over the edge.
She curled her lips into a sneer and added, “Mr. Foster is only letting you stay here out of sentimentality. Be a good little mascot and shut up while we handle things.”
With that, she turned to the large screen and launched into her presentation.
Serena listened for barely two sentences before letting her pen slip from her fingers. The sharp clatter echoed through the room.
“So, your grand plan is to copy–paste Foster Group’s project into Javerton City? That’s pointless. You should be identifying the target consumer groups first and then adjusting the brand strategy accordingly. This proposal needs to go back to square one.”
Sarah’s face fell. “You have no idea what you’re talking about. You haven’t even read the full report! How do you know we didn’t do our research? These are the most precise figures available!”
Serena let out a quiet, almost anused sigh. “Your data is wrong.”
She tapped her phone screen, and within seconds, a fresh set of figures appeared on the big screen. The numbers contradicted Sarah’s proposal completely.
Serena smirked. “I may not have studied this project, but I know Foster Group better than you ever will.”
14 years with Zach–through their school days and into the ruthless world of business–meant she understood the company’s strategies after Zach returned, the transformations, and even its long–term vision inside out.
And as if to confirm her words, Zach finally said, “Serena’s right. You have to redo the proposal.”
The color drained from Sarah’s face, then came rushing back in furious waves.
Watching the project she had scrambled to put together get dismissed outright was a slap in the face, but with Zach–the key investor–sitting right there, she had no choice but to swallow her frustration and grit her teeth.
Just then, Zach’s phone buzzed He murmured politely, “Excuse me.” He then stepped out of the conference room.
The door shut behind him with a soft click
Howard, who had been silent until now, tapped his fingers lightly against the table.
“Serena, it’s good that you take your work seriously. But… For the Jansen family, nothing comes before profit. You’re married to Hugh now, so Zach isn’t an option anymore. Don’t try to play both sides, or you’il be the one paying the price when Zach strikes back.
“You’d better let Sarah handle this project. This way, it’ll protect your reputation, and more importantly, benefit Jansen Group.”
How ridiculous.
