Chapter 31
Ainsley was throwing a tantrum at home when she saw the message and instantly exploded.
"What? That bitch dares to steal my project!" Ainsley was so angry that she smashed the cup in her hand on the floor. "That resort project - I already told Grandma I wanted to do it, and she gave it to Ophelia!"
She was already holding in a bellyful of anger about the anniversary celebration, and now that Ophelia had snatched away the project she had her eye on, she was even more furious.
"Ainsley, you can't let her succeed," Freya fanned the flames on WhatsApp. "If she does well on this project, too, her position at the Smith Group will be completely secure. Where will that leave us?"
Ainsley took a deep breath, her eyes turning vicious. "Don't worry, I definitely won't let things go smoothly for her."
Ophelia had no idea about Ainsley and Freya's scheming. She was busy studying the project proposal, preparing for tomorrow's meeting with the Brown Group.
Her phone vibrated - it was a message from someone at the Brown Group, telling her the time and place for tomorrow's meeting, and specifically noting that William would be the contact person.
Ophelia's heart skipped a beat when she saw William's name.
Was he personally handling this project?
She had thought it would be the Brown Group's project director meeting with her, never expecting it to be William himself.
She felt a bit nervous, yet also a bit excited, tossing and turning, unable to sleep.
The next morning, Ophelia arrived at the coffee shop ten minutes early.
She chose a seat by the window, ordered an Americano, and had just taken a sip when she saw William's black Bentley pull up by the curb.
He was wearing a dark gray suit, walking in with an upright posture that instantly drew everyone's attention in the coffee shop.
Ophelia's heartbeat inexplicably quickened, and she unconsciously straightened her clothes.
"I'm here." William sat down across from her, a faint woody scent drifting over.
"Mr. Brown, why did you come in person?" Ophelia looked up and asked, surprise in her eyes.
"I think highly of this project, and besides, since you're the partner, it's more sincere if I come in person." William looked at her, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth.
Ophelia's cheeks felt a bit warm, and she quickly changed the subject. "I've already prepared the project proposal. Take a look."
She handed over the proposal, but her mind was wandering - what did he mean by that? Was he simply valuing the project, or...
William took the proposal and began reading it carefully.
He read very thoroughly, occasionally making notes on it, his brow furrowing now and then before smoothing out again.
Ophelia sat across from him, barely daring to breathe, only sipping her coffee bit by bit.
After more than ten minutes, William put down the proposal and looked up at her. "The proposal is quite good, very thorough."
"But there are a few details we need to check out on-site to be sure."
"On-site?" Ophelia was taken aback. "Are you referring to the location selection for the vacation resort?"
William nodded. "I've already asked for the address. It's not too far from the city center. If we go now, we can still have lunch nearby."
Ophelia hesitated for a moment, thinking that visiting the site would be good - it would give her a more direct understanding of the situation.
"Okay." She nodded in agreement.
They walked out of the coffee shop together, and Ophelia got into William's car.
The car drove smoothly, and the cabin was very quiet.
Ophelia leaned back in her seat, watching the scenery flying past the window, her mind a bit scattered.
William's presence was too strong, making her a bit uncomfortable, yet she couldn't help wanting to get closer.
"You seem nervous?" William suddenly asked.
"No, I'm not." Ophelia quickly denied it, though her cheeks grew even redder.
William chuckled softly, didn't press further, just turned to look at her, his eyes carrying a hint of tenderness.
Ophelia didn't dare meet his gaze, quickly turning her head toward the window, but her heartbeat grew faster and faster.
About an hour later, the car arrived at the resort site.
This really was a prime location - nestled against mountains and water, with an open view and exceptionally fresh air.
"How is it? Not bad here, right?" William asked.
"It really is great, very suitable for building a resort."
As Ophelia spoke, she walked forward along the lakeside. The grass beneath her feet carried the morning's dampness, soft to step on.
"Look at the view from here," she stopped and turned to look at William, the wind lifting the stray hairs by her ear. "Standing here, you can see the whole lake - it's perfect for building an observation deck."
William walked to her side, standing shoulder to shoulder, looking at the lake. The morning mist hadn't completely dispersed yet, and the water rippled with faint glimmers of light.
"Indeed, not bad," he turned his head to look at her, his gaze falling on her wind-reddened cheeks. "But the observation deck railings need to be higher - safety first."
Ophelia nodded and jotted it down in her notebook, the sound of pen on paper especially clear in the quiet environment.
"Actually, to do a good resort, you have to think from the tourists' perspective first," William suddenly said. "How about we be tourists today, walk around the whole place, and see what else needs adjusting."
Ophelia was momentarily stunned, then smiled. "Good idea, I wanted to get a feel for it in person anyway."
They slowly toured along the planned route, from the lakeside to the hillside, then to the designated leisure area.
"The vegetation here is well-preserved," Ophelia reached out to touch a nearby tree trunk. "No need for major renovation, just a little trimming will do - that'll save a lot of costs."
"Yes, the natural feel is more popular," William watched her serious expression, amusement in his eyes. "But we need to add some signage to prevent tourists from getting lost."
By the time they reached the hot spring area halfway up the mountain, the sun had risen higher, and the mist had gradually cleared.
There were several naturally formed small hot spring pools here, surrounded by trees with good privacy.
"I didn't expect there to be natural hot springs here," Ophelia's eyes lit up. "This is a major selling point."
William watched the light in her eyes, his heart stirring. "Want to try it out? We can check if the water temperature is suitable."
Ophelia's cheeks flushed, and she instinctively wanted to refuse, but then thought that she really did need to experience it personally to know if there were any issues, so she nodded. "Okay."
There were temporary changing rooms next to the hot spring area. Ophelia changed into a simple black swimsuit, and when she came out, she self-consciously gathered her hair.