Chapter257 If She Could Choose Again
On the way to Prescott Group, Miranda and Mia had been on the phone the whole ride, working through their options.
In the end, it was Mia who came up with the idea of pretending Miranda was carrying Clifton's child. She even managed to forge a pregnancy test report in the time they had.
It was a smart play. Even the shareholders angling for a power grab would have to think twice before making a move.
When Mia heard Miranda ask about it, something softened in her expression, like a memory had surfaced.
"It was the jewelry set the Boss had me purchase a while back. That's what gave me the idea."
"Jewelry?" Miranda raised an eyebrow. She hadn't expected Clifton to have anything to do with this.
"There was an international jewelry exhibition," Mia said, her voice quieter now. "The organizers sent over a private preview catalog. One of the pieces stood out. A matching set of royal blue sapphires. The main stone was thirty carats, the secondary stone ten. A mother-and-daughter set."
She paused before continuing. "The rep who presented it said the set was meant to symbolize legacy and protection. He mentioned that when the Boss had a daughter someday, it would be perfect for the two of you to wear together."
"The Boss didn't attend the exhibition himself, but he had me place the order on the spot. It's been sitting in Prescott's vault ever since."
Miranda looked down after Mia finished. Something quiet and heavy settled in her chest, a feeling she couldn't quite put into words.
She found herself wondering. Had Clifton already had someone in mind when he bought that set? Someone he could picture spending his life with?
After all, what she and Clifton had was nothing more than a contract marriage.
The thought barely finished forming before she pushed it away.
This wasn't the time for that.
Right now, the only thing she cared about was finding Clifton.
"Mia." Miranda lifted her head and looked at her directly. There was a faint tremor in her voice she didn't even notice. "Any news on Clifton?"
The warmth that had briefly crossed Mia's face disappeared. Her expression dimmed.
She was quiet for a moment before she answered. "They recovered some torn clothing from the area where it happened. No sign of the Boss himself."
The words hit Miranda like a fist to the chest. She couldn't breathe for a second.
She turned her gaze to the floor-to-ceiling window across the room.
"Maybe," she said softly, almost to herself, "no news is the best news there is."
"He's been through worse than this. He's survived things that should have killed him. He's not going to go down that easily."
She wasn't sure if she was trying to convince Mia or herself.
That afternoon, Miranda settled into Clifton's office and started working through Prescott Group's files.
She had barely gotten up to speed when her phone rang.
It was Lisa.
"Miranda." Lisa's voice was flat, the disappointment impossible to hide. "The results came in for Governor Ava's project. We didn't get it."
The office went very quiet.
Miranda pressed her lips together and said nothing for a moment. She could hear her own heartbeat.
Honestly, she wasn't surprised.
Losing the lead presenter right before the pitch had already cost them. And their competitors were serious players, established companies with deep roots and far more resources. Miranda's firm simply wasn't in the same league, not on paper.
She had known this was a possibility going in.
"Okay," she said, keeping her voice steady. "Head back to the office. Keep everyone calm. I'll be there soon."
She hung up and stood in Clifton's office for a long moment before she turned to leave.
On the drive back, she got caught at a long red light. She sat there watching the traffic flow past, her mind completely blank.
If she could go back and make the choice again...
What would she do?
The answer came instantly. She would make the same call. She would agree to help Mia again, without hesitation.
When she got back to the office, she exchanged a few quick words with Lisa, then walked straight to the main floor.
Lisa followed behind her, watching Miranda's straight back with quiet admiration.
Miranda stopped in the center of the room.
"Everyone." Her voice was clear and carried across the entire floor. "We didn't get the Governor's project."
"I know how much every one of you put into this. The late nights, the work you gave up everything else for. We didn't win, and that's on me."
"I had a personal matter I chose to deal with at the most critical moment. That was my decision, and it cost all of you. I owe you an apology."
She bowed deeply to the room.
The entire floor went still. People glanced at each other, stunned. No one had expected their boss to stand up there and own it like that.
Miranda straightened and delivered news that left the room speechless.
"Everyone who worked on this project will receive three months of additional pay. It will be included with this month's salary."
Silence. Then the room erupted.
Back in her office, Miranda dropped onto the couch.
She looked at Lisa. "You worked just as hard as anyone. Same three months for you, plus a week of paid leave. Take a real break."
Lisa sat across from her, brow furrowed. "Miranda, isn't this too much? Everyone knows how stiff the competition was. Even if you'd been there today, there's no guarantee we would have won. You don't have to do all this just because we didn't get the contract."
Miranda was quiet for a beat.
Then she looked toward the window, her voice low but certain.
"You're right. We couldn't have guaranteed anything either way."
"But today, I had two things in front of me, and I chose the other one."
"It doesn't matter whether we would have won or lost. The moment I made that choice, I let everyone here down. Whatever the outcome was going to be, I had already done that."
"So yes. I owe them."
The worry on Lisa's face gave way to something warmer.
"Miranda, I really am lucky to work for you."
Miranda smiled a little, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "The work we did for this pitch isn't wasted. We keep refining the proposal. When the right opportunity comes, we'll run with it ourselves."
"Got it." Lisa nodded firmly. "I'll take care of the arrangements."
By eight that evening, the office was empty except for Miranda.
Files were stacked high across her desk. She had two companies worth of work to get through and not enough hours to do it.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
She didn't look up, assuming it was Lisa.
"Come in."
The door swung open. Steady footsteps crossed the floor.
Not heels.
Miranda paused and looked up.
Her brow pulled together the moment she saw who it was.
Harrison.