"You're right," Natalie said with a nod.However, she still felt a bit anxious. She could tell that this was a substantial contract. She hadn't expected to have a good chance at securing it, but she knew that it would demonstrate her skills if she managed to win it. Her mind began to circle back to the issues caused by her previous way of talking.Natalie was awestruck on the top floor when the elevator doors opened. The company was on par with Cedric's, and the successful partnerships she knew Cedric had cultivated made her realize the level of prestige here.And now, she was here..."Relax a little," Karina advised."Okay," Natalie replied, though her tone lacked enthusiasm.When the secretary noticed their arrival, she greeted them politely and said, "Please come this way to the lounge. Mr. Frazier has just finished his meeting and will need a moment before he can meet you.""Alright."Natalie and Karina proceeded to the lounge, where the secretary poured tea for them. Ev
Natalie shook her head and said, "He gave me three days to submit the design before they finish work on the 14th, but I can tell that it's not just us who got this opportunity at Apex.""Definitely not just us; you probably don't know how important the eastern suburbs are for Verde City's GDP. It's impossible for them to rely on us alone."Before coming here, Karina had thoroughly investigated Apex Global and had some idea of what kind of projects they might get. But she never expected it to be the eastern suburbs project."It looks like we'll be busy for the next few days.""Yeah. Let's go check the site first," Natalie said.In any case, they had to see the site first to find some inspiration.-In the car, Natalie's phone rang. It was Rebecca calling. Natalie didn't want to answer and just hung up. Shortly after, the phone rang again.This time, it was a call from the Johnson Manor's landline."Go ahead," Karina said to Natalie and added, "You shouldn't stay on the li
From the numerous past scandals, it was evident that Isabella had feelings for Cedric. Therefore, it wasn't surprising that she would behave so generously in front of Cedric. Though Rebecca didn't like Isabella, the way she was now did bring some relief to Rebecca.However, Rebecca couldn't help but wonder. "Why is this news circulating now?""Because Natalie has been refusing to apologize," Christina said in a low voice.This remark only infuriated Rebecca further. Talking about Natalie was a surefire way to make her wish she could tear Natalie to pieces."She did such a malicious thing! Even if she was asked to give her eyes to Isabella, she would deserve it! Yet she remains unrepentant and refuses to apologize?!" Rebecca's anger grew with every word.Isabella had already spoken in such a forgiving manner, and Natalie still wouldn't apologize. What the hell did she want?Christina sighed, "If she continues like this, Isabella might just hand over the evidence to the polic
Even if they wanted to cancel the contract, it was likely because they were dissatisfied with Natalie's designs.She hadn't even submitted her design yet, so why would they...?The person on the other end interrupted her thoughts, "I'm sorry, Ms. Walker. I didn't recognize that you were the Johnson family's young mistress earlier. It would be too much for me to use your designs.""You're being too kind..." Natalie muttered distractedly.After hearing what the person said, Natalie knew that Cedric probably had something to do with it. Originally, it was to leave her without a job, but who would have thought that it would affect her ongoing collaborations as well?She hung up the phone. Before she could say anything, Karina said, "It's okay, we have no shortage of orders here!"The way Karina said it made it seem like they were financially secure.Natalie also felt a bit relieved.She knew that with Cedric's interference, things wouldn't be so easy for her. That was why it was cr
Cedric tightened his grip on her wrist, and Natalie stopped struggling. She looked at him and said, "Tell me, what significance does that place hold for me?"Cedric narrowed his eyes. In the next moment, he stated firmly, "You know I won't divorce you."The underlying message was clear: Cedric was telling Natalie that since she was aware of this, she should stop trying to make trouble.That was the best choice she could make right now.In the past, Natalie would have complied. But now, things were different.Taking a deep breath, she said, "Then give me a reason to stay by the side of a man who wants me to disappear for the sake of another woman!"Cedric's breath caught in his throat. Isabella was now like a ticking time bomb between them. As soon as she was mentioned, an explosion was guaranteed!The two locked eyes. Cedric looked at the defiant woman, his disappointment growing. He thought about how the public opinion in Verde City was shifting against her. Even those wh
It had to be said that for most of their marriage, Cedric had been a devoted husband except for the last six months. He would return home early if he had no business commitments and never stayed out past eleven. As a result, Natalie's bedtime rarely extended past eleven as well.Working late into the night like this so suddenly was taxing on Natalie. In the office's rest area, she sat in a large chair, covering herself with her coat. Karina sat nearby and said, "You might need to move out of Ms. Sander's place."Natalie nodded, well aware of the situation. Living at Bianca's place had already seriously affected Bianca's life, which was why she had been reluctant to move there three months ago. She just hadn't expected such tactics to resurface.As she was pondering this matter, Cedric called.Cedric didn't wait for Natalie to say anything when she answered. He immediately asked, "You haven't gone back yet?""I never said I was going back.""Do you think Bianca can prote
When Natalie entered Irwin's office again, she was nervous.Irwin's expression was far from welcoming, and she didn't have much confidence. Though she wasn't under his direct authority, they had a business relationship. If her designs left a bad impression, it would be embarrassing for her!Irwin flipped through the designs, and his brow furrowed. Natalie found it hard to breathe.Had she made a terrible impression on him yesterday? Did he find her designs utterly unsatisfactory?However, Irwin nodded in the next moment and said, "It seems I was too quick to judge yesterday. It's better than I expected.""R-really?" Hearing these words, Natalie felt a sense of relief wash over her. But she remained cautious.Irwin continued, "It appears you put in considerable effort last night, but there are some areas that still need improvement.""I would greatly appreciate your feedback," Natalie replied. This project was the greatest opportunity for her. She couldn't miss a single
Over the next two days, Natalie and her team camped out in a coffee shop across the street from the Financial International Center to save time. Karina boldly reserved the entire place to provide the team a quiet workspace. Once they made the necessary modifications to the designs there, Natalie would deliver the drafts to Apex Global Group for Irwin's review.After his review, she would return to the coffee shop for any further revisions.The process wasn't as smooth as Natalie had initially thought. Irwin turned out to be exceptionally meticulous. After multiple revisions, Natalie realized she had been wrong about him. He was more demanding than she could have imagined."No matter how I look at it, it doesn't match the previous excellence. The same specific areas need to be improved," he said as he returned the drafts to her.Natalie's heart raced, realizing that tonight would likely be her final opportunity! If she didn't hand in the perfect draft by tomorrow morning, her