Chapter 109
Cleo and Jessa were about to get into a physical fight. There were only a few people left in the venue, or it would have been really embarrassing.
I wanted to step forward, but with Elliot here, if I got involved and the two of them started arguing with me too, wouldn't that be even more embarrassing?
"Ms. Ember, Michael is entering the same industry as you. Do you feel any pressure?"
Elliot's smile was mysterious. He seemed to have a close relationship with Michael, or he wouldn't have been supporting him when Michael was at his least valuable.
"Mr. Sullivan, there's no comparison. No matter how bad things get, Heartstrings Jewelry won't lose to a new company." I had confidence in my own company, which had been steadily progressing over the years.
"Haha, Ms. Ember is really straightforward. Aren't you afraid of stumbling?"
I smiled. "Mr. Sullivan, I'm fully focused on my own business. I don't care about others."
"Ms. Ember really stays calm no matter what. Impressive." Elliot was flattering me.
"Mr. Sullivan, you're too kind. Are you investing in him just to spark my competitive spirit, so you'll make money either way?"
Elliot bit his lip. "Ms. Ember, some things are better left unsaid."
I forced a slight smile. "Businessmen. That's understandable."
"Don't worry, Ms. Ember, WR's support for your company will only increase." Elliot was making promises to me.
Actually, the more he raised the stakes, the more anxious I felt. I didn't like this feeling of being forced to take big steps. I preferred to be steady and practical. I'd never been a risk-taker.
"Ms. Skye is here, too. Hi, I was so caught up chatting with Ms. Ember that I forgot to greet you."
Nola smiled politely, too. "No problem. Nice to meet you."
"And this is?"
Elliot pointed at John and asked. He seemed more talkative than usual today. I remembered he was usually pretty cold to others.
"My friend."
Nola answered first, cutting off John. But I noticed John didn't seem to have any intention of answering him anyway.
This gave me a new understanding of John. He wasn't a chatterbox, and he knew when to speak and when to be silent.
"Ms. Ember, if Heartstrings Jewelry has any financing plans, you can talk to me anytime." Elliot brought this up again, though I'd already refused him before.
"Okay."
There was no point in refusing him again. Better to just brush it off so he couldn't keep pushing.
Just then, Levi arrived. He stood at the doorway, not planning to come over.
He probably heard our conversation just now.
John gave me a look, probably telling me this was another one of his "masterpieces."
Meanwhile, Cleo and Jessa were arguing even more fiercely.
"If you cancel your collaboration with him, I'll forgive you."
Cleo let go of her hands. She was getting tired of arguing, too.
"Cleo, if I cancel the contract now, I'll have to pay a huge penalty. I promise there won't be a next time, okay?"
"This time isn't okay either."
Cleo insisted she cancel her collaboration with Michael. She couldn't swallow this.
Jessa helplessly slapped her palms together. "I really didn't know. My agent and assistant didn't tell me beforehand. I've been short on money lately. I was just doing what I was told."
"Being short on money doesn't mean you can do something this disgusting. You know what happened between him and me."
"But I need to live too. I need to eat. Things have already gotten to this point. How can I back out now?"
Jessa was truly helpless. "Besides, with such a huge penalty, and I still owe Levi money, I don't want to be in that much debt."
Cleo pouted. "You still shouldn't make money this way."
"Cleo, I didn't steal or rob anyone. Is it wrong to earn money with my own skills? I hate him too. He deliberately created scandals before. Honestly, I'm forcing myself to go through with this collaboration. I don't even know what people will say about me."
"Then why are you continuing?"
Jessa didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place now. I have no way out. Can you help me pay all that compensation?"
"I..."
"See, you can't do it, and I definitely can't. I'm surrounded on all sides now."
Cleo was still muttering, but she was really asking too much. There was nothing wrong with Jessa making money. Since she couldn't help Jessa with the penalty, she naturally shouldn't demand that she cancel.
Just then, Michael arrived. He glanced at Levi and walked straight toward us.
"Michael, today's launch was very successful."
Elliot stepped forward first to shake his hand. The two of them looked so formal, as if they didn't know each other well.
"It's all thanks to your strong support. Don't worry, I'll definitely run the company well. Let's work hard together."
Michael's face was full of smiles, treating us all like we were invisible.
"This is Ms. Ember, you've met before, and Ms. Skye. Oh, Mr. Morgan is here too."
Elliot was almost like a comedian now, connecting all of us together.
Cleo and Jessa also looked over at us.
"Why is Blair here too..."
Their voices got quieter, but I still heard them. They were surprised to see me here.
"Oh, we're all old friends. Elliot, I've already arranged a dinner at this hotel. Let's go over. There are some other friends for everyone to meet."
Michael was quite carefree, not taking us seriously at all, instead directly flattering his investor.
"What about Ms. Ember?"
"Mr. Sullivan, no need to be polite. My company still has things to handle, so I won't join the fun."
I was afraid Elliot would invite me, and then it would be hard to find an excuse to leave, so I proactively said I had things to do and wouldn't join them.
"Then we'll go ahead."
Levi walked toward me, and I also walked toward him. With so many people here, it was better to keep the peace. Best not to let Jessa pretend to cry and complain because of his arrival.
"Why did you come? Isn't the company busy?"
"I was worried you couldn't handle it."
I sighed. "I didn't know this would happen. Cleo kept going off. I wanted to go up and calm her down, but if I went, I'd just be making things worse."
"It's fine."
Levi suddenly said to me, "If your company needs financial support, I can invest. You don't need to be controlled by others."
"I can manage myself."
The words came out almost automatically. Heartstrings Jewelry was developing well now. I'd already refused Elliot. I felt Heartstrings Jewelry could soon grow independently.
"Don't be stubborn."
Levi's words made me feel warm inside. I even forgot about the persona I'd set for myself as Nola's secretary.
"Blair, why did you call my brother here? Don't you know his time is very valuable?" Cleo came at me again.
This wasn't about worrying that she was wasting Levi's time at all. She was clearly afraid Levi would say that she was here, making a fool of herself again.
Jessa also quickly walked over. "Levi, Cleo really misunderstood me about this. Help me talk to her."
"You're willing to sell out our friendship for a few bucks. What did I misunderstand?" Cleo said harshly.