Chapter 236
I grabbed William to stop him from being so impulsive.
With this kind of thing, the more you explain, the more they think you're guilty.
The angrier you get, the more they think they've guessed right.
But I had to say something, had to push back. I still wanted to work with Louis.
"Ms. Wilson really sees things clearly."
Louis spoke up before I could, looking at Sarah with admiration, as if he'd found a rare kindred spirit.
He completely ignored William and I, smiling as he said to Sarah, "Ms. Wilson, why don't we sit down over there and talk specifics about the project? I'm very interested in that smart wearable project your company is working on."
Sarah's face immediately showed a flattered expression, but she didn't agree right away. Instead, she tilted her head slightly, looking at George who had been silent beside her, her eyes questioning and dependent.
George's face showed no expression, just an almost imperceptible nod.
With his approval, Sarah broke into a bright smile and said to Louis, "That's wonderful, thank you Professor Cox for the opportunity. Let's go talk in detail."
Watching them about to turn and leave, treating me like an eyesore, like I was invisible, the fire in my chest was about to explode.
No, I couldn't let it end like this.
Louis's product was too important to us.
I stepped forward and raised my voice, calling out to Louis who had already turned away, "Professor Cox!"
Louis stopped and turned back, looking somewhat impatient.
Meeting his cold gaze, I tried to keep my voice steady, "Professor Cox, we at Star Tech have come with great sincerity seeking cooperation. Regarding the specific plan for the smart campus project and our technical advantages, if you have time, I can..."
"Ms. Brown." Louis interrupted me without courtesy, his eyes looking at me like something dirty, full of disgust, "I already made myself very clear."
He paused, then said word by word, forcefully, "Please, know your place first. When you really figure out what qualifies you, then come talk to me about cooperation."
With that, he didn't look at me again, turned around, put the smile back on his face, and walked toward the lounge area sofas with George and Sarah.
Sarah walked beside him. Before leaving, she glanced back at me.
In that glance was a victor's smugness, a condescending pity.
Then she looked away and followed Louis, disappearing into the crowd.
George stood there, not immediately following.
His gaze fell on me. I couldn't read that look.
I ignored him and turned to walk in another direction.
William followed, walking silently beside me.
After we'd gone quite far, he finally spoke, his voice somewhat hoarse, "Grace..."
"Don't comfort me." I cut him off, not stopping, "I'm fine."
William suddenly grabbed my wrist, making me stop, his grip rather firm.
I turned to look. His face was ashen, staring at the backs of Louis and Sarah as they left.
He turned back and lowered his voice, almost grinding his teeth, "Let's go. There's no point staying here."
He wanted to take me away.
Right now, immediately.
He couldn't stand me standing here like an exhibit being judged, being tortured by those looks mixed with contempt, curiosity, and pity.
I could feel his fingers trembling—it was anger, and also indignation at my humiliation.
But I didn't move.
I gently patted the back of his hand, my cold fingers touching his warm skin.
"Calm down, William." My voice was a bit hoarse but still steady, "We haven't achieved our purpose for coming here."
William whipped his head around to look at me, his eyes bloodshot, "Purpose? Did you see how that old bastard acted! And George..."
He almost laughed in anger, picked up a glass of champagne from a nearby server's tray, and downed it in one gulp. The cold liquid slid down his throat but couldn't extinguish the fire in his heart.
"That lunatic deliberately brought her over to humiliate you! If you didn't still need that divorce agreement, I really want to..."
He didn't finish, but I knew what he wanted to say.
He wanted to rush up, confront George, argue with Louis, shove all those nasty words back.
My face was pale, but I still shook my head at him, forcing a smile, "I know."
Of course I knew.
George brought Sarah over not to help me out, not even to watch me make a fool of myself.
He was paving the way for Sarah, in the most direct and effective manner.
Using my embarrassment and humiliation to highlight Sarah's excellence, while completely pushing me into the mud of rumors about sleeping my way up, cutting off my possibility of cooperating with Louis, and also cutting off an important path for Star Tech on this project.
Killing multiple birds with one stone.
Very much George's style.
But what I didn't understand was, why did he choose this way?
He could have chosen any timing, any occasion, appeared with Sarah anywhere. But he picked this moment, the moment when Louis was publicly humiliating me, to walk over with her and let her climb up by stepping on me in front of everyone.
Did he know or not that his indifferent glance in others' eyes was the most powerful testimony?
Why did Louis dare to humiliate me so brazenly?
Why did Sarah dare to be so openly sarcastic?
Because they knew George was on their side.
He didn't speak, but his silence was his stance.
Did he even know how cruel this was?
Even if there were no more feelings between us, even if he was eager to give Sarah and Jack a complete family, did he have to do it by trampling me?
What were those six years?
Was I just an old thing that could be casually discarded, even used as a stepping stone?
My heart felt like it was being slowly cut by a dull knife—not sharp, but a long, drawn-out pain.
These thoughts, these grievances, these sharp pains—I didn't tell William.
It wouldn't help anyway.
Some wounds you have to lick yourself, some humiliations you have to swallow yourself.
William looked at my pale face trying to maintain calm, the fury in his eyes slowly settling into deeper heartache and coldness.
He raised his hand, seeming to want to touch my face, but in the end just clenched his fist.
"He's protecting that mistress," William's voice was cold, with a kind of determination, "Then we'll find another way. If Louis's cooperation falls through, there are others. I'll also tell Mr. Harris the truth."
I looked up at him.
"Someone like Louis," William sneered, "not cooperating with him is our luck. If he can publicly humiliate you today based on rumors, tomorrow he can backstab partners for a little profit. Better to see clearly early."
I knew he was angry and wanted to tattle to Mark, let Mark know what kind of person Louis was.
But someone like Mark, how would he offend an expert with considerable reputation in precision manufacturing over this kind of personal grudge?
Moreover, Louis and George clearly had history, and Sarah had inserted herself too. Mark would probably just watch from the sidelines.
After all, I wasn't important enough for him to step in. Our relationship was shallow—I still owed him a dinner.
"Don't mention this to Mr. Harris," I said quietly, "It won't help, and it'll just make us look like we can't keep our cool."
William raised an eyebrow, "Why not? He's the one who recommended him."
"His recommendation was his goodwill. Not making the cooperation work is our business." I paused, "Besides, do you think Mark would care about this? That's Louis, the founder of EverTrue Precision, not just some nobody. Mark wouldn't question him about why he won't cooperate with Star Tech just because of a recommendation."
William was silent for a moment, seeming to digest my words.
William finally compromised with a sigh, "I won't go into detail, just mention it. After all, he recommended him, so he should know."
"Whatever you want." I tiredly rubbed my temples, "Better to see this kind of person clearly early, saves us from being betrayed halfway through cooperation. I'm not the type to compromise for the sake of cooperation anyway."
I was telling the truth.
Reborn once, I'd completely thrown away my past life's mentality of always trying to smooth things over.
Now whoever makes me uncomfortable, I dare to hit back.
I don't indulge anyone.
Except George.
Because I still didn't have the divorce agreement.
That thin agreement determined whether I could get custody of Milly.
I couldn't, at this final moment, because of a moment's anger, give people ammunition and fail at the last step.
For Milly's sake, some anger I had to swallow.