NOVEL NEXT Chapter 283: Office Drama
Twenty minutes ago, Rachel, Sandy, and Ileana stood at the head of the long, glass-topped table, holding files with a board behind them.
The topic was a proposed acquisition of NexTech Innovations, a cutting-edge AI firm that could catapult Darren's empire into the next echelon.
The room was packed with some investors, Amelia and Kara were also present. Amelia had her notebook to jot while Kara was lounging in the back with her usual witty expression, her laptop open and her fingers dancing over the keys.
Rachel, in a tailored navy blazer adjusted her notes. Today, she styled her hair to fall more dramatically to the left where her eye was usually covered. The right eye was as sharp as cut glass.
She moved it to steal a glance at Ileana, who was nervously smoothing her skirt. Rachel couldn't help the way she felt when she saw Ileana: it brought memories that she didn't like. Haunting, terrifying memories of all those guns pointed to her face.
And what was so annoying about it all was that Darren couldn't understand. He couldn't see how it hurt her that he just brought her along into the same building as her without telling her first.
Rachel loved and cared for Darren. This wasn't a question of that. Her loyalty to Darren was ironclad — she'd fought beside him — but his knack for collecting women like trophies was eroding her trust.
'Does he even see me anymore?' she would usually think. 'Or am I just the secretary who keeps his world from falling apart?'
For Sandy, the sentiment wasn't very different. Seated to Rachel's left, she flipped through her notes with forced calmness. Her golden hair was back to the office ponytail style while she wore a dark suit over an emerald blouse.
Last night was still a bitter taste in her mouth. Watching him disappear after Penelope, Sandy felt even more like a footnote in his life. After all those promises he made to her.
Maybe he meant it, and maybe he really didn't owe her a relationship. But just like Rachel, Sandy also couldn't help with how she felt.
Ileana, oblivious to the undercurrents, clutched her file, her Eastern European accent soft as she rehearsed her lines.
For her, she had decided to do whatever Darren asked for the rest of her life. If she needed to.
She owed Darren everything — her freedom, her life. He'd saved her from the Lotus Triad, and her crush on him was a blazing fire she couldn't hide.
But Rachel's cold stares and Sandy's sharp glances made her feel like an intruder. If it wasn't for Kara, she wouldn't have had the courage to even show up for this presentation.
It began smoothly enough. Rachel opened with a crisp overview of NexTech's AI algorithms. "This acquisition will secure Steele Investments' dominance in predictive analytics," she said, pointing to a map of revenue projections. "We're looking at a 300% ROI within two years."
Sandy followed, detailing the integration plan. "Our operations team has mapped a seamless merger," she said, explaining the finance aspect of it before moving on to Ileana, whose job was to show how NexTech was a good network using her tech knowledge.
Ileana stepped forward, her voice trembling slightly. "NexTech's neural network is… um, revolutionary. It can optimize our data systems by—" She faltered as Rachel's stare bore into her. "By, uh, enhancing real-time processing."
Rachel's lips twitched. "You're being vague, Ileana. That's not enough for the investors."
Ileana flushed, fumbling with her file. "I mean, it's… it's like a brain. It learns, adapts—"
"What's this?" an investor remarked. "Has she really never presented before?"
"I apologize," Sandy cut in, trying to be formal. "This is just her first ever presentation. She doesn't have any prior background."
The Investors' brows raised. "She didn't learn?"
"She was thrusted in rather abruptly by our CEO," Rachel said. "We don't know why yet."
Sandy looked down at Ileana's body and muttered, "I do."
Rachel snapped her gaze at her. "What does that mean?"
Sandy regained himself. "I'm sorry. That was so unprofessional of me."
"The investors are our allies and friends. They're not strangers. So go ahead."
Sandy stammered. "I— I was just saying that she's pretty."
Rachel scoffed. "So that's why Darren hired her then?"
"I didn't say that."
"You literally did."
The room went silent. Investors shifted uncomfortably. Kara, in the back, stifled a laugh, her fingers reaching for her phone to capture this while Amelia reached for hers to call Darren.
Rachel rolled her eyes. "Don't drag me into your pity party, Sandy. If you're jealous of Darren's latest project," she said, gesturing at Ileana, "take it up with him."
Ileana's voice was barely a whisper. "Please, can we j— just return to the presentation? I'd do better now, I promise."
Rachel and Sandy ignored her.
"Maybe I was wrong then," Sandy said. "Clearly she's talented after what she helped Darren do with the servers."
"I don't care how 'talented' she is, Sandy. Darren brought her in without asking us. You okay with that?"
Sandy, seated with a forced calm, replied, "I'm not okay with any of this. You think I don't see how she looks at him?" Her voice cracked, that wasn't what she intended to say.
"What?" Rachel squinted her brows. "What does that have to do with anything?"
Ileana, flustered in between the two women, stammered, "I— I'm just here to help. I didn't mean to—"
"Help?" Rachel cut her off, her voice like a whip. "You're a walking reminder of the people who tried to kill us, Ileana. And Darren just lets you waltz in?"
The room erupted. The investors' head turned awkwardly, and Kara's livestream got the attention of the rest of the women. Miranda replied; what is going on? Lila dropped frowns and Deborah laughed.
Ding!
Ding!
Ding!
Darren's system kept warning him as he hurried to the meeting room.
┏Rachel: 45% → 40% (Critical: Trust eroded by perceived betrayal)
Sandy: 40% → 35% (Critical: Resentment intensifying)
Ileana: 65% → 60% (Unstable: Feeling ostracized)┛
┏Warning: Resolve situation briskly!┛
Before another word could be uttered, Darren finally stormed into the room, his voice shattering the madness. "Enough!"