The Group Chat Without Me That Decided Everything Chapter 07

The Group Chat Without Me That Decided Everything Chapter 07

Time had a way of filtering things out.

It let the people who didn’t matter fall away and brought your true self into focus.

Three years later. Paris,

“Christina, headquarters has finalized your appointment. You’ll have full responsibility for this North American acquisition.”

The white-haired partner slid a document toward me, admiration in his eyes.

In my impeccably tailored designer suit, I took it with a small smile.

“Thank you, Mr. Smith. I won’t let you down.”

Three years had been enough to shake off those suffocating attachments for good.

I was now the leading design firm’s youngest partner for North America.

Things back home had gone very differently.

According to a recruiter, Ethan’s company had nearly gone under two years earlier after allegations that the designs for a major project had been copied.

The designer responsible was Anna.

To protect her, Nathan and Lucas had poured a huge amount of the family’s money into covering the losses.

That had drained their own businesses of working capital. Now they barely survived on

subcontracted jobs.

Ethan had been chasing investors everywhere, trying to rebuild his company.

One of our acquisition targets happened to be his competitor.

I would return to the city I’d once escaped, this time with all the power on my side.

It was a clear afternoon when I arrived back in the States.

The Maybach waiting for me was already parked outside the VIP exit.

My assistant, Lauren, opened the door.

“Ms. Bennett, there’s an industry dinner at the Park Hyatt tonight. Would you like to attend? I hear a lot of people in the industry here in the States will be there.”

I settled against the leather seat and closed my eyes to rest.

“Yes. Why wouldn’t I?”

Now that I was back, I would run into them sooner or later.

Eight that evening. The Park Hyatt ballroom.

Light sparkled through the lavish crystal chandeliers.

I entered the ballroom in heels on the arm of Dillon, the company’s North American vice

president.

My black evening gown cut a sleek silhouette. The vivid red of my lipstick gave me a lethal

edge.

Several stares locked onto me as soon as I entered.

In a corner not far away.

Ethan stood frozen, a glass in his hand.

He was much thinner than three years earlier, his eyes sunken and his chin still rough with

stubble. Even his suit didn’t seem to fit.

Beside him, Nathan and Lucas stared at me in equal shock.

Lucas’s glass tipped, spilling wine onto his shirt. He didn’t even notice.

“Claire…”

Ethan whispered, so quietly only he could hear.

He instinctively started toward me, but Anna grabbed him.

“Ethan, is… Is that Claire?”

Anna wore an outdated white lace dress. Her face was pale.

Without me there to make her look good, three years in the real world had made short work of her meager skills and manipulative little tricks.

With the company in constant trouble, Ethan and my brothers had run out of patience with

her, too.

Now she was just a pathetic woman desperate for something to cling to.

I ignored their shocked stares.

Dillon led me straight to the evening’s host.

“Mr. Carter, let me introduce our newly appointed North American partner, Christina

Bennett.”

Mr. Carter held out his hand, clearly flattered.

“Ms. Bennett, you’ve achieved so much at such a young age. It’s a pleasure. I’ve heard wonderful things about you.”

I smiled, shook his hand, and made easy small talk in English.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Ethan finally pull free of Anna and stride toward me, his eyes

red.