Chapter 4

The weekend passed in a blur, and on Monday I led my team to William's company to sign the contract.

The receptionist had barely shown us to the entrance on the twelfth floor when Mabel came charging over like she'd lost her mind.

"Slap!"

A loud, ringing slap landed hard across my face.

My cheek burned instantly, and my ears rang.

She flung her arms wide, blocking the company doors, her face twisted with venom.

"You shameless slut, you actually have the nerve to show up here?"

A few employees drifted over to ask what was going on.

Mabel raised her voice, denouncing me to the whole crowd.

"This is the woman who won't let go, the one clinging to my boyfriend William. She followed him all the way here begging to get back together!"

The little group immediately started pointing at me, muttering nasty things.

Today I was here representing the company. I couldn't let my temper run away with me the way it had that night.

I swallowed my anger and explained.

"Don't worry, I'm not clinging to William, and I'm certainly not getting back together with him. I'm here to—"

"Whatever you're here for, you're not welcome!"

William walked up and cut me off with a sharp voice.

He was wearing a new suit, his hair combed without a single strand out of place. Clearly he'd put a lot of effort into preparing for this signing.

Mabel switched in an instant to a frail, wronged little thing, throwing herself into his arms and choking out her words.

"William, I think she came here to cause trouble on purpose. She wants to ruin your signing, ruin your future!"

William looked at me with disgust all over his face, his tone cutting.

"Priscilla, have some shame and get out of here now. Otherwise I'll have you thrown out!"

I gave a cold laugh and answered something else entirely.

"So she's already your girlfriend?"

William pulled Mabel into his arms and said, "That's right. Mabel is gentle and considerate. She's the only one who's ever truly good to me, not like you, so pushy and cold, not a shred of warmth in you."

"This is my last warning. Get out now, and stop pestering me!"

I gave him a flat glance, took out my phone, and called Mr. Gilbert at the parent company, the one in charge of this project, then put it on speaker.

"Mr. Gilbert, this is Priscilla Swanson. The new-energy partnership project we finalized a couple of days ago, I'm afraid it can't move forward."

Mr. Gilbert's voice came through.

"VP Swanson, may I ask why?"

I laid out exactly what had happened, how Mabel and William had blocked and humiliated me.

Mr. Gilbert kept apologizing on the other end, promising that if we could keep the partnership going, they'd concede another two points of profit.

Two points of profit, on a project worth tens of millions, was no small amount.

I agreed to go ahead with the signing, but only on one condition: they had to replace someone.

Mr. Gilbert agreed at once, without a moment's hesitation.

"No problem! Whatever you say, VP Swanson! We'll replace the project lead right away!"

The call ended, and the whole floor went dead silent.

The confidence and smugness on William's face shattered in an instant.

He stared at me, disbelief written all over him, his voice trembling.

"What did you say?"

"You, you're Voltcrest Group's VP Swanson?"