Chapter 56

If this really was a good project, Harold definitely wouldn't want to let it go. The fact that he got rid of it like a hot potato and couldn't wait to transfer it to Hayden can only mean this project is going to be a nightmare to handle.

From the contract, you could tell the project would be tough, but if you pulled it off, the returns would be scary good. Businesspeople aren't afraid of taking risks in their bones, and with such great returns if successful, they wouldn't give up easily.

The more Isabella thought about it, the worse she felt. After thinking for a moment, she picked up her phone and called William.

So far, with her connections, William was the only person she could discuss this matter with.

William answered quickly. He seemed busy too - if you listened carefully, you could hear noisy sounds around him and people talking.

"Hello?"

William's voice was hoarse. He put down the documents in his hand and tiredly pressed his temples. When he opened his eyes, they were full of bloodshot veins.

"William, is this a good time? I want to discuss something with you."

Isabella didn't rush to talk about the project. She carefully asked William first, and only when he said it was fine did she cautiously bring up the project.

"I was wondering if you could look into whether something went wrong with this project. Otherwise, why would Harold just push it onto Hayden?"

After thinking for a moment, William calmly analyzed the situation.

"Your concern is valid. Harold came to me with this project before."

Isabella's breath caught. "He came to you?"

"Yes, that's right. He came to me. I flipped through the proposal briefly and turned it down right away."

Rejected by William - Isabella's heart immediately sank. She thought to herself that there must be something wrong with it. How could such a good opportunity fall into Hayden's lap?

Besides, his current situation wasn't good, and people in the industry weren't unaware. At a time like this, it would be good enough if they didn't kick him while he's down, let alone hand him such a big piece of the pie.

Isabella's eyes turned cold. Hayden had been running the Taylor Group for decades - how could he now, when facing a little difficulty, accept this without thinking it through, like some startup newbie!

Now he had it easy, casually taking on the project and dumping all the mess on her.

"Let me be straight with you - this project is impossible to complete. Hayden probably didn't mention this to you, but this is a half-abandoned project. It's like a hot potato that's been kicked around the industry like a soccer ball, with no one willing to take it on."

Isabella's voice was shaking. "I saw the returns for this project. They're so high and still no one wants to take it?"

William paused, silent for a moment before speaking in a steady, calm voice.

"The returns are indeed high, but still no one wants to take the risk. There are fewer than ten days until this project wraps up, but so far, there's zero investment, the project design and positioning are a mess with no focus, and more importantly, there's almost no budget left."

"Isabella, don't tell me this project ended up in your hands."

William was smart enough to guess from the moment Isabella called, asking about the project. He felt a bit regretful that he hadn't warned Isabella about this disaster of a project beforehand, so she could have been on guard.

Isabella laughed bitterly, her voice pained.

"Yes, just like you said, this project landed in my hands. Do I have any choice now? The Taylor Group's returns haven't been good lately, and when Hayden saw the high returns on this project, he impulsively took it on."

After William's explanation, she realized this project was even worse than she had imagined.

William's tone immediately dropped, carrying a barely noticeable coldness.

"Did Hayden force you to take this? No way, you absolutely cannot take this project. If you do, you're just asking for big trouble. The budget's gone, the design positioning is wrong, and it's about to wrap up - how could it possibly be completed?"

Isabella opened the contract in front of her again, then tossed it into the nearby trash can like garbage. She slowly walked to the window, gazing at the buildings ahead, her tone calm.

"But William, have you thought about this - if this project actually succeeds, the returns would be unimaginable."

"I might even have a say in the Taylor Group. I really don't want to live under Hayden's threats anymore, so I think I'm willing to take on this project."

William fell silent. If it weren't for the steady breathing from the other end of the phone, Isabella would have thought he'd hung up.

Wordless silence spread between them. After who knows how long, he spoke, his voice dry.

"Have you thought about the consequences of failure? Based on my years of experience, this project has less than a fifty percent chance of success. I'm not trying to scare you - this is just the objective reality."

Isabella's heart sank as she pressed her lips together.

What William said was indeed objective reality, but she couldn't just stay put and keep being held hostage. Last time it was the Taylor Group executives, this time it was Hayden - being held hostage again and again had already exhausted her mentally and physically.

She might as well grit her teeth and push forward - maybe there would be unexpected results.

"I know, I understand everything, but as you said, there's still a chance of success. If I go all in, maybe I'll succeed."

Isabella still stood by the window. The office buildings ahead had lit up - the city had entered the night, but no one in the buildings had left work.

Under the cold white office lights, they were still working with their heads down. So why shouldn't she change her attitude and approach this project as if it were just a normal project?

"Isabella, think it through - this is a dead end. Is your risk really worth it?"

The corners of Isabella's mouth lifted.

"Maybe this dead end will let me completely escape Hayden's control. Recently, the Taylor Group executives have been distracted, and quite a few people have come asking about me. William, I think this is an opportunity."

"If I can bring this dead end back to life, will they still trust Hayden? Maybe not."

Hearing her say this, William opened his mouth, but in the end swallowed the words of persuasion on his lips and said with a light laugh.

"Alright, you decide. I support all your choices. If you have any difficulties, you can ask me anytime. The brand we're designing together can also be pushed back."

"There are ten days left until this project's deadline. I hope everything goes smoothly for you. I hope you succeed, Isabella."

A warm feeling surged in Isabella's heart, and a faint smile appeared on her face.

Although the pressure on her was heavy, there would always be someone by her side.