Chapter 44
Benjamin's gaze swept past everyone and landed directly on me. In his eyes, there was a faint smile that only I could understand.
Luca, who was following behind him, immediately stepped forward and placed two prepared documents in front of Benjamin and me, respectively.
"Ms. White, please."
I picked up the pen and, under everyone's shocked and stunned gazes, calmly signed my name at the signature line.
Benjamin followed suit and signed his name with smooth, flowing movements.
Luca stepped forward and handed one of the contracts to the dumbfounded Preston, his voice ringing clearly throughout the entire conference room: "Mr. White, this is the three-year strategic cooperation agreement between the Wilson Group and the White Group's Luna brand, with an initial investment of one hundred million dollars."
One hundred million dollars.
His words were like a thunderbolt, exploding in the silent conference room.
Amelia's face instantly darkened. She stared at the contract, her body swaying, barely able to stand steady, murmuring: "No... impossible..."
I slowly put away my copy of the contract, walked up to her, and gently placed the blank client development plan on the table in front of her, a cold smile curving my lips.
"Thanks for your kind words. I closed the deal."
Just then, someone in the crowd muttered quietly: "I think I remember now, didn't Ms. White make a bet with Ophelia last week? Something about if Ophelia couldn't close a one hundred million dollars level client within a week, she'd have to get out of the company..."
The voice wasn't loud, but it reached everyone's ears clearly.
All eyes instantly focused on Amelia's bloodless face.
Amelia was the first to react. She forced the muscles on her face into a smile that looked worse than crying, turned to Preston, her voice sharp and distorted, "Dad, I... I was just trying to motivate my sister, give her some pressure, so she'd have the drive to create value for the company. I had good intentions!"
Even she probably didn't believe this excuse.
Preston's face was extremely dark. Before he could speak, Benjamin beside me spoke first. He didn't even glance at Amelia, just said flatly to my father: "Mr. White's family values are truly eye-opening."
His tone was even, revealing no emotion, yet it carried more weight than any harsh criticism. "Using termination as motivation—that's a first for me."
One sentence tore Amelia's ridiculous pretense to shreds.
Cold sweat broke out on Preston's forehead. He quickly put on a smiling face, "Mr. Wilson, please excuse her. She's just immature and foolish."
He turned his head, his sharp gaze cutting into Amelia, then looked at the several executives from the review team and decisively announced, "I think the Luna brand should be fully managed by Ophelia. Starting today, she'll be the Marketing Director."
"Dad! This isn't fair!" Amelia shrieked unwillingly. "The director position is mine! Why should she..."
"Shut up!" Preston slammed the table and roared in a low voice, cutting off her stupid protest. "Haven't you embarrassed yourself enough? Get out!"
Tears instantly welled up in Amelia's eyes. She looked in disbelief at Preston, who had changed his tune instantly for profit, then glared at me with resentment. Finally, covering her face, she rushed out of the conference room in embarrassment under everyone's contemptuous gazes.
The atmosphere in the conference room immediately became lively.
Several colleagues who usually fawned over Amelia immediately changed their tune and crowded around me.
"Congratulations!"
"You're amazing! Landing such a big project without anyone knowing!"
"The director's office is over there. Let us help you move your things!"
One fake enthusiastic face after another, disgusting in their hypocrisy.
I politely declined their "kindness," but my eyes followed the tall figure that had already reached the door.
"Thanks, everyone, I can handle it myself," I responded briefly, then ignored them and walked out after him.
Benjamin hadn't gone far. He stood by the window in the corridor, as if waiting for me.
The afternoon sunlight fell on him through the glass, outlining his sharp features with a soft golden edge.
"Benjamin." I walked up beside him and stopped.
He turned his head, his deep eyes looking at me quietly. Gone was the sharpness from the conference room, replaced only by calm warmth.
I took a deep breath and looked into his eyes seriously, saying each word from the heart: "Thank you."
This thank you wasn't just for today's timely rescue, nor just for the hundred-million-dollar investment.
It was for his unreserved trust.
When my so-called father was full of doubt about me, he was willing to believe in my brand and believe in my abilities.
Benjamin looked at me without speaking.
In the sunlight, there seemed to be tiny lights dancing in his pupils. After a long while, he finally spoke slowly, his deep voice carrying a strange, calming power in the quiet corridor.
"We're family. This is what I should do."
My heart felt like it had been hit hard by these casual words, instantly skipping a beat.
Family...
This word coming from his mouth carried a weight that left me somewhat at a loss.
Between him and me, it was clearly just a transaction where we each got what we needed, yet he kept breaking that unspoken boundary between us, again and again.
He pulled me out of the mire, cleared obstacles for me, and even started using the word "family" to define our relationship.
I looked at him, momentarily forgetting how to speak.
The ice in my heart, frozen by revenge, seemed to be quietly invaded and melted by an unfamiliar warmth.
This feeling made me both crave it and be wary of it.
He seemed to see through my distraction, a faint smile curved his lips, breaking the silence.
"My grandparents miss you very much," he changed the subject, his tone more casual. "When you have time, come back and have dinner with them."
He used "come back" instead of "go over"—a subtle difference that made my heart tremble slightly again.
I suppressed the complex emotions churning inside me, met his gaze, and nodded gently.
"Okay."