Chapter 147

Chapter 147

The words had barely left his mouth when hands shot up around the conference room.

Cade looked around the table, his face drained of color. At that moment, he truly regretted bringing Rowan back to the company.

"No. Absolutely not." Cade treated Rowan like a treasure — there was no way he'd let her take such a huge risk.

Just as he was firmly refusing, Rowan, who had been standing to the side, got to her feet and looked at Cade with a serious expression. "Father, I'm willing to handle the negotiations with the Tilden family."

Rowan agreed not because she didn't know what Patrick was like, but because she could see how difficult Cade's position in the company had become. If she didn't step up and share the burden, she believed it wouldn't be long before these people pushed Cade out entirely — and that was the best-case scenario. Knowing Marcus and the others as well as she did, Cade might even be driven to his death.

Cade's eyes filled with tears. He stepped forward and took Rowan's hand. "Rowan, what are you saying? We can forget the VP position — you absolutely cannot put yourself at risk like this."

Before he could finish, Marcus cut in coldly. "Cade, aren't you being a bit too protective? When I first proposed this idea, you told me to draw up a plan. Now that Eric has asked Rowan to handle it, suddenly you're saying she can't take the risk. What's going on? Is it only acceptable when your brother puts himself on the line, but not when your daughter does something for the company's growth?"

Cade knew his reaction had been a bit much. He turned to Marcus, his voice almost pleading. "Marcus, we're brothers. Rowan is your niece. Everyone knows what Mr. Tilden is like. Sending Rowan to..."

Before Cade could finish, Rowan spun around and fixed her gaze on Marcus, calm and unflinching, speaking slowly and deliberately. "Uncle Marcus, since you've agreed to let me handle these negotiations, and you just said that if I pull it off you'll give me part of your responsibilities — can I make one small request right now, in front of you and Eric?"

When Eric and Marcus saw how fearless Rowan looked, smiles spread across both their faces.

Marcus tapped his fingers lightly on the table, his expression somewhere between a smirk and a smile. "Go ahead."

Rowan turned to Eric.

Eric smiled as well. "Rowan, go ahead and say what you want."

Rowan spoke plainly and seriously. "Once I close this deal, Eric, I'd like you to hand me the HR responsibilities. And Uncle Marcus, I'd like you to hand me the finance responsibilities. How does that sound?"

Marcus nearly burst out laughing.

She actually believed she could pull this off.

With so many people in the room, he held it together and said with an amused grin, "Rowan's got real ambition, I'll give her that. Since you've put it so plainly, I'll make a promise in front of everyone. If you can close this deal, forget handing over finance — I'll just resign on the spot. Because if you actually pull it off, your abilities are clearly above everyone in this room. In that case, I'd step back for the good of the Blair family with no regrets."

Hearing that, Eric actually laughed out loud. "Rowan, same goes for me. If you close this deal, I'll resign as VP and go run one of the group's subsidiaries. Get some real-world experience."

Rowan looked around the room and asked slowly and clearly, "Did everyone hear that?"

Every face in the room wore a cold, dismissive smirk.

No one believed Rowan would make it out alive, let alone close the deal.

But in response to her question, they all nodded.

Cade's forehead was covered in a fine sweat, his heart practically in his throat.

After seeing everyone nod, Rowan turned to her father. "Father, if there's nothing else, go ahead and end the meeting."

Cade opened his mouth, then stopped himself. After a few seconds of silence, he waved his hand and dismissed everyone.

Marcus was the first to get up and walk out.

Eric followed, still smiling.

Outside the door, Marcus was standing nearby.

Eric walked over and casually offered him a cigarette.

Marcus smiled and said, "Eric, I have to hand it to you."

Eric smiled back. "Uncle Marcus, it looks like we'll be having a lot more conversations going forward."

Marcus laughed. "Absolutely. Looking forward to it."

Meanwhile, back in the conference room.

Once everyone had left, Cade's eyes filled with tears, his voice heavy with regret. "I shouldn't have brought you into the company. I never should have."

Seeing how distressed he was, Rowan stepped forward and gently patted him on the back, smiling softly. "Father, don't worry. I'm confident I can handle this."

Cade shook his head helplessly and grabbed her wrist. "What are you basing that on? There are things you might not know..."

Rowan cut him off, her expression serious, eyes locked on his reddened ones. "What, Father? You don't trust me?"

Cade was caught off guard by the confidence on her face.

After a few seconds, he asked carefully, "Rowan, can you tell me what you have in mind?"

Rowan gave a mysterious smile. "Father, don't ask so many questions. I have my ways. And I didn't realize until today how bad things had gotten for you here. That's on me. If I had come sooner, you wouldn't be in such a tough spot right now."

Tears rolled down Cade's face as he pulled her into a tight hug. "Rowan, bringing you into this world is the best thing I've ever done. And remember — Eric and the others can't be trusted. Watch your back while you're working here."

Rowan laughed softly. "Father, stop worrying about me. Save some of that concern for yourself."

After their brief exchange, Rowan left the building.

Back in her car, she gripped her phone tightly and sat in silence for a long moment before finally calling William.

Others might not know how powerful William really was, but Rowan had seen it with her own eyes — Lincoln, on his knees before him.

The reason she had agreed in front of everyone today was simple: in her mind, anyone who could make Lincoln kneel without question had to be far above the rank of an earl.