Chapter 147
Atticus had probably never been so ruthlessly chewed out by a woman in his entire life, especially not by one he looked down on. His hand on the sofa armrest gripped so hard that his knuckles turned slightly white.
Meanwhile, William watched me fight back with full force, and the anger on his face gradually faded, replaced by a look that mixed surprise with amusement.
He didn't interrupt, just stood calmly by my side, letting me know he had my back.
Atticus took several deep breaths, seeming like he wanted to say something in response, but found himself at a loss for words.
Seeing the timing was right, William spoke up again, "Mr. Morgan, you got one thing wrong earlier. There's a big difference between you and me. I know how to read people and how to use their talents, but you don't. You only trust your own biased assumptions and rumors you've heard from others."
He took my arm and turned to leave, his voice cold, "It seems the Morgan Group has no real interest in partnering with our Star Tech. Since we're not on the same page, there's no point in continuing this conversation."
Atticus was stung by William's declaration, his pride wounded even more.
He shot up from his seat and shouted toward the door, "Someone get in here and show them out!"
This near-expulsion made William's expression turn completely cold too.
He had already reached the door but suddenly stopped, turned around, and looked at Atticus with piercing eyes, "Mr. Morgan, I originally thought you were different from people like George and Terry. I thought you'd at least have some basic class and sense of right and wrong, that you wouldn't bully people or randomly slander a woman for no reason."
"But I see now I was wrong. Birds of a feather flock together—you're all cut from the same cloth."
He paused, then said each word clearly and forcefully, "Atticus, listen carefully. When you slander someone, you need evidence. You have no proof, yet you dare to run your mouth and damage my and Grace's reputations, and question Star Tech's professionalism. I'm keeping track of this."
Looking at Atticus's face growing even uglier, he added, "As for cooperation? Based on how you acted today, even if you come begging me in the future, I won't give you a second glance."
Atticus responded to William's warning with a disdainful snort—the relationship was completely broken.
William led me out of the Morgan Group building without looking back.
Even after getting in the car, the anger in William's chest hadn't completely faded, and his face still looked grim.
As he started the car, he couldn't help muttering under his breath, "What a piece of work! So full of himself, looking down on everyone!"
I knew William wasn't a petty person. He was genuinely angry about Atticus's baseless slander and contemptuous attitude, and he felt it was unfair to me.
I fastened my seatbelt, turned to look at him, and said calmly, "William, forget it. There's no point getting worked up over someone like Atticus. He and George are close friends with a deep relationship, so of course he's going to take George's side."
"In his eyes, I'll probably always be that housewife who wasn't good enough for George and needed to depend on a man to survive."
"His refusal to work with us is Star Tech's regret, but it's an even bigger loss for the Morgan Group. Our technical capabilities and growth potential speak for themselves. Today he rejected us because of his prejudice, but when Star Tech grows bigger and stronger and makes a name for itself in the industry, they'll be the ones begging to work with us."
"Besides, I looked at the project the Morgan Group presented today. The core concept and technical framework don't really have any irreplaceable highlights."
"The projects we have—whether it's our cooperation with the Aviation Administration or the potential opportunities with the government—all have better prospects and value than his."
"We don't need to waste our time and energy getting upset with such a narrow-minded person over a project opportunity that isn't even top-tier."
Listening to my clear analysis, William's anger noticeably subsided. He let out a long breath, his expression softening considerably, and nodded, "You're right. I was overthinking it. Getting worked up over someone blinded by prejudice really is beneath us. We have a long road ahead—we don't need him."
He pulled himself together and focused on driving.
However, just as our car was about to leave the Morgan Group's block, while waiting at a red light at an intersection, a scene on the sidewalk ahead suddenly caught our attention.
George was carrying Sarah in his arms, walking quickly past our car.
Sarah's arms were wrapped tightly around George's neck, her whole face buried in the crook of his neck. I couldn't see her expression, but her body language was full of dependence and vulnerability.
And George...
I had never seen such an expression on George's face before.
His brows were tightly furrowed, his thin lips pressed into a hard line, his jawline tense.
But those eyes that were usually cold and distant were now clearly filled with anxiety, worry, and an overwhelming tenderness. That undisguised emotion of concern added a vivid dimension to his stern face.
He held Sarah, his steps steady and quick, as if he were carrying fragile treasure, afraid of the slightest mishap.
The light quickly turned green, and their figures disappeared around the corner.
William pressed the gas pedal and the car smoothly passed through the intersection.
He glanced at me and, seeing my calm expression without the emotional reaction he'd expected, let out a scornful laugh, his tone full of contempt, "Acting like it's real. If you didn't know better, you'd think she broke her leg. Good thing you'll soon be completely free of this scumbag, Grace."
He paused, as if trying to dispel the bad mood from what we'd just seen, and suggested in a lighter tone, "When you finally get those divorce papers, let's celebrate properly. Go somewhere far away, relax, and leave all the bad luck behind!"
I looked away, facing forward, a faint smile on my lips, "Sounds good. We should celebrate."
Back at Star Tech, when our colleagues saw us return so quickly and noticed our expressions weren't great, they gathered around asking with concern, "Mr. Jones, Ms. Brown, how did it go? Did things work out with the Morgan Group?"
William briefly explained what happened at the Morgan Group.
He emphasized how Atticus had questioned my abilities without reason, made insinuating accusations, and how things ended badly.
After hearing this, everyone's impression of Atticus and the Morgan Group instantly hit rock bottom, and they spoke up indignantly.
"What? This Mr. Morgan has no class at all!"
"Exactly! What gives him the right to look down on our Ms. Brown? Ms. Brown's technical skills are the real deal!"
"Even if the deal doesn't work out, you should still be civil. What is this? A personal attack!"
"Good thing we didn't partner with them. Who knows if they'd stab us in the back later!"
Emily rushed over and threw her arm around my shoulders, saying angrily, "Grace, ignore that jerk. Come on, let me take you out tonight to unwind. Let's have a drink and chase away all this bad luck!"
I smiled and patted her hand, "Not tonight, I need to go home and be with Milly."
As soon as Emily heard this, her excitement deflated. She looked at me, her eyes full of sympathy and frustration, "Grace, I'm not trying to criticize you, but you just escaped from that suffocating little circle of being a housewife. You finally have your own career, your own time and space."
"But what's happening now? At work you're busy with the job, after work you go home and everything revolves around Milly. What about your own life? Your own time? You haven't thought about yourself at all, haven't really relaxed at all!"
Her words caught me off guard, touching something deep inside me.