Chapter 87 Terms of Engagement
The mention of the Hayes corporation was enough to stir the room.
Low murmurs spread across the table as a few executives exchanged glances.
Evelyn’s fingers stilled against the edge of her document.
“They have recently inserted themselves into the Westline Commercial Project,” Marcus continued, his voice measured. “A project Sinclair Industries has already heavily invested in.”
“That’s ridiculous,” someone said immediately. “They barely survived their last financial crisis.”
“They shouldn’t even have the capital for that level of involvement,” another added.
Marcus allowed the reactions to settle before speaking again.
“They have secured new backing,” he said. “And from the speed of their recovery, it is not a minor one.”
His gaze shifted then, slow and intentional, landing directly on Evelyn.
“And more importantly, they appear unusually confident.”
The implication did not need to be explained.
Several heads turned toward Evelyn almost at once.
A senior executive leaned forward slightly. “If I remember correctly, Mrs. Sinclair is originally from the Hayes family.”
“That’s right,” another confirmed. “This situation directly involves her former household.”
The murmurs grew louder, no longer subtle.
“This presents a clear conflict of interest.”
“How can we be certain her judgment will remain unbiased?”
Evelyn remained still, allowing the voices to rise and fall. She took a slow, steady breath.
“Let’s focus on the situation itself.”
Her voice was steady, but there was quiet firmness beneath it.
The room gradually quieted, though the tension did not disappear.
“The Hayes Corporation’s recovery is not natural,” Evelyn continued. “Their financial resurgence in such a short period strongly suggests external backing.”
She glanced briefly at the screen before returning her gaze to the table.
“And that backing is powerful enough to give them confidence to challenge Sinclair Industries directly.”
Marcus watched her closely, his expression unreadable.
“If we respond by forcefully suppressing them,” she continued, “we risk drawing attention to whatever is supporting them behind the scenes.”
A brief pause followed.
“And if that support is stronger than anticipated, we may provoke a confrontation we are not prepared for.”
The room fell into thoughtful silence.
Then Evelyn spoke again.
“I propose we allow them into the project.”
For a moment, no one reacted.
Then the room erupted.
“That’s ridiculous.”
“Allow a competitor into our project?”
“This is exactly why this appointment is questionable.”
Voices overlapped, sharp with disbelief and frustration.
Evelyn did not raise her voice to compete with them. She simply waited until the noise began to settle on its own.
“I did not say we hand over control,” she said calmly. “I said we allow controlled entry.”
That only partially calmed the room, but it was enough for her to continue.
“If they are determined to enter, blocking them will only escalate the situation and increase their resistance,” she explained. “However, allowing limited participation under our terms shifts the balance.”
A few executives leaned forward, listening despite themselves.
“We control the structure,” she said. “We define their involvement, and we maintain oversight of every aspect.”
Her gaze sharpened slightly.
“At the same time, we gain visibility into their operations, their intentions, and most importantly, their backers.”
The room quieted again, this time not from dismissal, but from consideration.
Marcus finally spoke.
“And you believe inviting them into our project will not backfire?”
Evelyn met his gaze evenly.
“I believe acting without understanding the full picture is the greater risk.”
A long silence followed.
Marcus leaned back slightly, studying her.
Then, slowly, a faint smile formed on his lips.
“If you are so confident in this approach,” he said, “then you will be the one to handle it.”
The shift in the room was immediate.
“You will take full responsibility for negotiations with the Hayes Corporation,” he continued. “And if this decision results in losses for the company, you will step down from your position.”
The condition fell heavily over the table.
“That’s too much—”
“This is not a risk we should take—”
Several voices rose in objection, but Marcus raised a hand, silencing them instantly.
His eyes remained fixed on Evelyn.
“Well?” he asked.
The room went still.
Evelyn looked at him for a moment, her expression unreadable.
Then she nodded.
“I accept.”
Everyone reacted immediately.
“She’s being reckless.”
“This is exactly what we feared.”
“A trophy wife playing business.”
The words came without restraint this time.
Some of the executives who had remained neutral earlier leaned forward, trying to intervene.
“Mrs. Sinclair, reconsider.”
“There are safer alternatives.”
“We can manage this internally without involving them.”
Evelyn turned her gaze toward them, calm and composed despite the rising tension.
“Has Roman Sinclair ever made a decision that compromised the success of this company?” she asked.
The question cut through the noise instantly.
No one answered.
They exchanged uncertain glances.
Evelyn continued, her voice clear.
“Then I believe you should trust his judgment in appointing me.”
Silence followed.
This time, it lingered.
At the head of the table, Marcus watched her, a faint calculated smile playing on his lips.
He gave a small nod.
“Very well,” he said. “We will proceed accordingly.”
—-
The meeting dragged on until noon.
By the time Evelyn finally stepped out of the conference room, her head throbbed faintly from the endless reports, numbers, and arguments thrown back and forth across the table.
She kept her composure the entire time, but the moment she returned to her office, the door closing behind her, all that tension melted at once.
Evelyn let out a long breath.
She unbuttoned her blazer quickly and slipped it off, tossing it gently over the back of her chair before pressing her fingers to her temples.
Her body sank into the seat as she leaned back, exhaustion washing over her.
“Wow…” she muttered under her breath, slowly spinning in the chair. “I never thought it would be this tiring.”
She tilted her head back, staring at the ceiling.
“And it’s just my first day.”
A soft groan escaped her.
“How does Roman survive this every day?”
She dropped forward dramatically, burying her face into the desk.
“Maybe I should just focus on being a trophy wife instead,” she mumbled, mock-crying into the wood.
A soft knock interrupted her.
Evelyn lifted her head immediately.
“Come in.”
The door opened, and Leo stepped in, slightly out of breath.
“Boss lady! I’m sorry I couldn’t escort you to the meeting—I came as fast as I could after finishing up—”
He stopped mid-sentence, his eyes widening as he took in the office.
“Wow… this place is incredible.”
Evelyn blinked at him.
“Weren’t you involved in setting this up?” she asked, confused.
Leo shook his head quickly.
“No, no. Boss hired an interior designer for this.”
Evelyn raised a brow. “An interior designer?”
“Yeah,” Leo nodded eagerly. “A really famous one too. He said you should be comfortable.”
Evelyn stared at him for a moment.
Then a small smile slowly spread across her lips.
“Your boss really went all out.”
Roman’s face flashed through her mind, and without warning, her heart softened.
She suddenly missed him.
The thought came so quietly, yet so strongly, it caught her off guard.
She wondered if he missed her too.
“Oh!” Leo suddenly snapped his fingers, breaking her out of her thoughts. “Before I forget.”
He stepped forward and held out a box.
“Boss asked me to give you this.”
Evelyn’s brows furrowed as she accepted it.
“What is it?”
“Your lunch,” Leo said with a wide grin. “Boss had James deliver it earlier.”
Evelyn blinked.
“…What?”
Her cheeks warmed instantly.
Leo chuckled, amused by her reaction.
“I’ll leave you to enjoy your meal,” he said, already backing toward the door.
Before she could say anything, he slipped out.
Evelyn looked down at the box in her hands.
Then, without hesitation, she opened it.
A rich, delicious aroma immediately filled the room.
Her stomach growled right on cue.
Evelyn closed her eyes for a brief second, breathing it in deeply, a soft smile forming on her lips.
When she opened her eyes again, she spotted neatly arranged cutlery and her favorite dishes.
Her heart melted.
But just as she reached for the food, her fingers paused.
There was something else inside the box.