Chapter 14
Cynthia’s quick agreement got Jonathan’s heart racing, sparking a wave of suspicion. But for now, he had no way to prove anything. Since she promised, he sent the bidding documents over to Yates Construction as agreed.
+5
Meanwhile, Filip was stuck in a company meeting.
Right now, Yates Construction was juggling multiple projects, and half of them were bleeding money. The figures were alarming. If they couldn’t secure the Paradise Resort project, Yates Construction would be in serious trouble.
But thousands of construction companies nationwide were watching this opportunity closely. Just from Roncrity alone, there were dozens–if not hundreds–of bidders. Yet, Bennett Group hadn’t even invited Yates Construction to play. The project was looking completely out of their reach.
For days, they had been locked in meetings, brainstorming ways to change Jonathan’s mind, even digging up details about his preferences. But what could one do with a guy who had everything?
Just then, the secretary rushed in with her laptop, practically buzzing. “Mr. Yates!”
Filip snapped, annoyed. “What is it? Can’t you see we’re in a meeting?”
“Bennett Group sent us the bidding documents!” the secretary replied.
Filip froze, then leaped from his chair, adrenaline surging. “Really? Let me see!”
He checked his email–there it was, the official bidding documents from Bennett Group. This meant Yates Construction finally had a shot to compete.
Relief washed over Filip for a moment, then confusion set in. “Why did Bennett Group suddenly change their mind?”
The secretary was still buzzing with excitement. “I have no idea. Maybe Mr. Bennett was touched by your sincerity?”
The others jumped in with compliments.
“Yates Construction might not stack up to Bennett Group, but you’re something special, Mr. Yates. You showed up in person so many times, and even if Mr. Bennett didn’t meet you, he must have noticed.”
“You can handle any situation. Your success will definitely outshine Mr. Bennett.”
“Under your leadership, Yates Construction is only going to get better!”
But Filip furrowed his brow, lost in thought. He had been to the BJ Building in person four times and hadn’t got a single opportunity from the Bennett Group. Now, after Cynthia’s visit, the bidding documents appeared out of nowhere. Could it really be just a coincidence?
*****
Once Cynthia confirmed the bidding documents were sent off, she moved to leave, picking up her pace.
As she hit the door, an uneasy feeling twisted in Jonathan’s stomach. He called after her, “I’ll be waiting for you at Greenfield. Villa tonight.”
Cynthia didn’t answer and walked out without looking back. Jonathan watched as she hurried away, still feeling like something was off.
Later that evening, around nine, Cynthia had just stepped out of the shower at the Yates residence when her phone rang. It
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Chapter 14
was Jonathan, his voice barely holding back anger. “Cynthia, are you seriously standing me up?”
Cynthia chuckled lightly. “What do you mean?”
Jonathan stated angrily, “You promised you’d move from the Yates residence to Greenfield Villa!”
“I did say I’d move, but I never said when. I actually plan to do it in five years,” Cynthia said. Her tone was casual, and Jonathan could easily picture her lounging with her phone.
Five years later? By then, the Paradise Resort project would be completed, and Jonathan wouldn’t even be at Roncrity
anymore.
He laughed out of anger. “Five years? Why not make it fifty?”
0
Cynthia maintained her cheerful tone. “Do you need anything else, Mr. Bennett? If not, I’m hanging up. Goodnight.” With that, she ended the call abruptly.
On the third–floor balcony of Greenfield Villa, Jonathan tossed his phone in frustration. ‘Cynthia, seriously? I never realized you could be this relentless!
Cynthia wasn’t worried. Her mission was accomplished. The Paradise Resort project required special government approval, meaning it had to go through an open bidding process–no shady deals allowed.
As long as Yates Construction got the bidding documents, everything would follow the official rules. Government oversight would keep Bennett Group from pulling any tricks to push Yates Construction out. If Yates Construction didn’t win the bid, that was on them–not her.
Cynthia enjoyed a restful night’s sleep. The next morning, she headed straight to the TV station. While she anchored the midday news, she was also a reporter, so she often had to gather a lot of her own material.
As soon as she entered the office, she caught snippets of gossip among her colleagues.
“Did you hear about the new hire? She graduated from Coluria University’s journalism school and interned at NBC. What a killer resume.”
‘Seriously, someone like that could land a job at BCB. What’s she doing here?”
“So, do you think Cynthia’s top anchor spot is at risk?”
“Bringing in someone with that experience? Freddie’s definitely up to something.”
“Well, Cynthia’s just been riding her looks and the revenue she brings in. She had only been here for a year. Let’s be real, everyone here is more qualified than her.”
Cynthia listened while walking to her desk. Suddenly, the gossiping women noticed her, and their expressions shifted.
“Cynthia! When did you get here?” one of them asked, pretending to be surprised.
“Right when you were busy praising my looks.” Cynthia smiled back. Her beauty was hard to ignore, especially with her captivating smile that lit up the room. Even after overhearing their comments, she appeared completely unfazed.
The gossipers forced smiles, but inside, they were simmering with jealousy–Cynthia always seemed poised, making them look foolish by comparison.
Vivian Smith, the morning news host, stepped up. “Cynthia, we were just joking. Don’t take it seriously. We’re only worried you might lose your top anchor position. You probably don’t know, but we have a new colleague who graduated from Coluria University. Freddie seems eager for her to replace Linda.”
Another girl, decked out in Chanel, added, “Honestly, with Linda leaving, that role should’ve been yours. You bring in so
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many sponsorships and generate tons of revenue for the station
Vivian’s smile turned sharper. “But let’s face it, the gold–standard news slot needs a professional anchor, not just a sales champion. Cynthia, you’re really at risk this time.”
Cynthia was aware they were mocking her, but she didn’t care. “Being a sales champ is still better than being a leech. Besides, it’s up to Freddie to decide. If I remember correctly, the morning news ad slots haven’t sold out this month, and Freddie’s already unhappy. Maybe you should focus on your own jobs instead?”
“Cynthia, who do you think you’re calling a leech? And by the way, those 3 AM news slots are hard to fill–ads not selling isn’t uncommon. If you’re so great, why don’t you sell out all the 3 AM slots? It’s easy to talk big.”
“What’s all this noise?” Freddie Stewart, the station’s news director in his forties, approached.
“We have a new coworker starting today.” He grinned, turning to Lilian beside him. “Why don’t you introduce yourself?”
Hi everyone, I’m Lilian Sheppard.”
