Semua Bab The Billionaire's Curvy Prize: Bab 51 - Bab 60

The ride back to T&B Real Estate was suffocating. No one spoke. Not Richard.Not Melissa. Not even Ava, who was usually incapable of sitting through five minutes of silence.The only sounds inside the SUV were the low hum of the engine and the occasional vibration of someone’s phone that nobody bothered to answer.Richard stared out of the window, his jaw clenched so tightly that a vein pulsed at his temple.Melissa sat beside him, her laptop resting on her knees. She had no idea what to say.Every sentence she rehearsed in her head sounded like an excuse. Every excuse sounded pathetic.Ava sat in the back, stealing glances at both of them. She had never seen Richard this quiet.And somehow…That frightened her more than if he had shouted. The SUV finally rolled into the parking lot of T&B.Richard stepped out without waiting for anyone else. He didn’t look back. He didn’t say a word.He simply walked through the revolving doors with long, purposeful strides. Melissa hurried after him.

By the time Queen and Ava returned from lunch, the atmosphere inside T&B Real Estate had changed. Not dramatically. Subtly..As Queen walked through the office, conversations lowered for a fraction of a second before picking up again.Queen adjusted the strap of her handbag and walked quietly toward her desk.“I told you,” Ava whispered beside her. “The news has spread.” Queen sighed. “I wish it hadn’t.”“You say what now.” Ava leaned closer. “But wait until you’re the one closing multimillion-dollar deals.”Queen laughed. “I think you’re getting ahead of yourself.” “I prefer the word visionary.”Queen shook her head, smiling despite herself. As soon as she sat down, an internal notification appeared on her computer.Executive Conference Room – 2:00 p.m. Williams Hospitality Preparation MeetingAttendees: Richard Harrison, Melissa Carter, Queen Bella, Strategy Team.Queen read it twice. Then a third time. She had never received an invitation to an executive meeting before.Not once. F

There wasn’t a trace of doubt in his voice. Only confidence. For the first time that morning…Queen believed in herself as much as everyone else seemed to. She smiled.“Thank you, Mr. Williams.” She clicked the remote. The next slide appeared on the screen.And just like that…The room belonged to her. Queen drew in one steady breath before clicking to the next slide.The Harbor View master plan illuminated the large screen behind her. Rows of neatly labeled sections, financial projections, development phases, and architectural layouts filled the display.She smiled politely. “Harbor View was designed with one objective in mind.” She picked up the presentation remote.“To create a destination that remains profitable not only during its launch, but for decades after completion.”She looked around the room. Every pair of eyes was on her. No one was whispering. They were listening. And that made her nervous”.She continued. “Most waterfront developments focus on short-term occupancy.” “T

Queen stepped out of Richard Harrison's office with the Harbor View project file pressed firmly against her chest.The soft click of the door closing behind her seemed louder than it should have.For a brief moment, she simply stood there. The hallway outside the executive offices was quiet, the usual hum of conversations drifting from the open workspace beyond. Employees moved from one department to another carrying folders, answering phone calls, discussing deadlines completely unaware that something inside Queen had just changed.She lowered her eyes to the navy-blue leather file in her hands. Harbor View. Richard hadn't simply handed her another assignment.He had handed her responsibility. A small smile found its way onto her lips before she even realized she was smiling. Because she had earned it."So..." Queen barely had time to look up before Ava appeared in front of her, arms folded, an impatient grin already spreading across her face."So?" Queen laughed. "You couldn't even

Queen slept through the night. No anxious thoughts. No replaying old arguments. No wondering whether she had said the wrong thing.When she opened her eyes the next morning, sunlight spilled through the curtains of Ava's guest room, painting warm streaks across the wall.She blinked a few times, disoriented. Then everything came rushing back. The presentation with George . Richard handing her the Harbor View project. James showing up uninvited.Her saying no. She lay still for another moment before letting out a slow breath. She had expected to wake up feeling guilty.Instead… She felt... lighter. A soft knock sounded on the bedroom door. "You alive?" Ava called from the other side.Queen smiled. "Barely." The door opened anyway. Ava stepped in carrying two mugs. "I made coffee."Queen sat up. "I thought you hated coffee." "I do." "This one's for you." Queen accepted the mug with a grateful smile."Thank you." Ava looked at her for a second. "How are you feeling?" Queen wrapped both h