Chapter 4

Meanwhile, my company was already on track within half a month of its inception.

During this time, Kayla kept sending her people over to cause trouble for me. However, she used petty, underhanded tactics, all of which I easily and effortlessly defused.

After all, I had been working in Cornton with plenty of accumulated connections over the years I'd been here, and she was just a greenhorn who was no match for me at all.

The veteran employees in Swanson Group, whom I personally trained back then, had thoughts of switching over when they heard that I'd gone solo. Ever since Kayla took over, she'd been constantly making things hard for them on purpose. She'd been making their lives absolutely miserable.

However, I wasn't in a rush to hire them at once.

I just told them to secretly cause some minor trouble at their old workplace before they left, as a way to show their "loyalty" and "pledge their allegiance" to me.

Kayla didn't think much about losing a few people. In fact, she was secretly happy that she'd managed to get rid of a number of staff who used to be my "minions".

However, she had no idea that the departure of some of these core people was akin to draining the company's lifeline.

Projects failed one after another, and Swanson Group's stock price began falling.

On the contrary, my company was very strong and well-equipped with talent, and my team displayed astonishing vigilance as they secured several multi-million dollar deals in quick succession.

I stood before the floor-to-ceiling windows of the conference room and looked at my jubilant team celebrating below, announcing loudly, "I'm treating everyone to dinner tonight at Bayside Chowder! Let's all celebrate with some food and wine!"

"Yes! Thank you, Ms. Baldwin!"

I brought the team out from the office building amidst their roaring cheers.

At the door, I noticed that a familiar black Rolls-Royce Phantom was parked quietly by the roadside.

The door opened, and Justin got out of the car haughtily. He waved at me.

I didn't spare him a glance and continued walking forward with my staff.

He sent Nigel to block my way.

Justin came soon after. His face was filled with undisguised displeasure and frustration.

"What do you mean by this, Tamara Baldwin? Did you not see me? You really think you're something now, don't you?"

I lost my patience with him and levelled a faraway look at him. "What do you want, Mr. Swanson?"

He was taken aback by my attitude. However, he still went straight to the point and ordered, "Shut down your company and come back to Swanson Group."

I got so amused by his self-righteousness that I burst into angry laughter. Yet, he thought that my laughter meant that I was wavering. He softened his tone and said, "I've been really tired lately, Tamara. When will you stop being stubborn about things and come back?"

He then paused, as if making a huge concession, and said, "If you really don't like seeing Kayla at home, I'll just arrange to have her sent elsewhere in the meantime."

I stared at the narcissistic, self-righteous man before me and wondered how I ever managed to fall in love with him in the past.

"I'm not being stubborn," I said, interrupting him. "We're already divorced. Kindly refrain from interfering in my life again, Mr. Swanson."

He lost all his patience with me and suddenly raised his voice. "I'm already making a huge compromise here! What else do you want from me!

"The company needs you now! Must you really act up and be difficult at a time like this?"

I suddenly realized that Justin was a very unreasonable man. Did he think that everyone in his life had to revolve around him all the time?

"If you have a problem, Mr. Swanson, I believe that you should just bring it up with your wife, Ms. Kayla Holt. I'm just an outsider. I have no obligations whatsoever to clean up after your mess."

Realization dawned on him, and his eyes lit up with understanding.

"You're making a fuss because of your title, aren't you?

"Fine. Just wait till Kayla gives birth to my child, and I'll reconsider. You just have to promise me that you will never make it public. I don't want Kayla to get upset."

I stared at him and tried to make myself clear, enunciating each word. I said, "I will only say this one more time. Get out of my life. I never want to see you ever again.

"I am never getting back together with you or remarrying you. Not for the rest of my life."

Justin then flew into a rage.

"Don't you get haughty and arrogant with me, Tamara Baldwin! Don't you forget that this is Cornton, and I know more than just a few ways to destroy a meager company like yours! It would be as easy as pie!"

Just then, a bright yet slightly lazy male voice chimed in.

"Oh? You've got quite the nerve, Mr. Swanson. How dare you openly harass my fiancee and also openly declare that you're going to ruin her company?"

Justin turned around. His expression nearly faltered when he saw who it was.