She thought, “Gentle as jade, radiant as the spring?
He really knows how to put on an act.
He is obviously a ravenous, man-eating wolf!”
“Ms.
Hughes, what are you thinking about?
Do you also think those words suit Mr.
Winslow perfectly?
Sigh!
I wonder which woman will be lucky enough to marry him.
Did you know?
Lately, Mr.
Winslow has been in frequent contact with three different women.
Do you think it’ll be one of them?” Thea Grant asked.
Shalma Hughes took an elegant sip of her coffee, then flicked Thea gently on the forehead.
“How old are you, still daydreaming like this?
Let me tell you, that man is sinister.
A young girl like you shouldn’t read that tabloid garbage; they’ve completely mythologized him.”
With that, Shalma disappeared from the pantry with her coffee in hand, leaving a dumbfounded Thea standing there.
Thea watched her alluring silhouette walk away.
Why did it feel like there was so much sourness in those words?
Was there something wrong with her ears?
That night, at Serenity Tower.
For a woman navigating the corporate world—especially one as beautiful as she was—there were always men coveting her looks, using business negotiations as a pretext to fulfill their own selfish desires.
Take, for example, the man currently eyeing her like a tiger watching its prey.
His gaze made it look as though he wanted to swallow her whole; it was nauseating just looking at him.
“Mr.
King, as you can see, we’ve negotiated this proposal many times.
My side has already made significant concessions regarding the profit margins.
We truly can’t yield any further,” Shalma said in a pleasant tone, looking at the short, bald, pot-bellied middle-aged man sitting in front of her.
Mr.
King’s greedy eyes kept roaming over her.
How could she not understand such blatant intentions?
“Ms.
Hughes, yours isn’t the only company discussing this business with me.
Several others have already reached out.
If you want to sign this contract, you need to show me your sincerity.
Understand?” As he spoke, he reached out and firmly grasped Shalma’s soft, delicate hand.
Though filled with disgust, Shalma maintained her smile and didn’t immediately reject him to save his ego.
Business was business.
She was no longer an inexperienced young girl; she knew how to endure when necessary.
Pulling her hand away from his tight grip without leaving a trace of offense, Shalma let out a charming laugh.
“Of course I understand what you mean, Mr.
King.
It’s just that if you don’t sign this contract, it will be very difficult for our company’s upcoming projects to proceed.
And if those projects stall, it’ll be hard for us to explain the delay to Winslow Corp.”
He had been trying to partner with Winslow Corp for years but had struggled to find a way in.
By tossing out the Winslow name now, she refused to believe he wouldn’t be swayed.
Sure enough, upon hearing the word “Winslow,” Shalma caught a shrewd glint in his cloudy eyes.
“Your company is handling a project for Winslow Corp?” Mr.
King asked, his expression turning serious as he completely dropped his previous lustful demeanor.
“We secured it two months ago, and the project is already in its implementation phase.
You’re a smart man, Mr.
King.
If you’re willing to cooperate with our company, there will definitely be benefits for everyone down the line.
Don’t you agree?” Though Shalma wore a radiant smile on her face, a sharp intensity flickered in her eyes.
Naturally, Mr.
King fully understood the stakes involved.
Everyone in the Aethelgard business world knew that associating with the Winslow Conglomerate was like opening an account at the Eldorian Bank—you were guaranteed to make a profit and would never take a loss.
“Ms.
Hughes!
In that case, I will sign this contract.
As for the specific scheduling, we can discuss it further.
What do you say?”
Seeing her goal achieved, Shalma rejoiced inwardly, yet her face remained composed and calm.
Her subtle makeup, illuminated by the dim, warm light of the private room, made her look breathtakingly beautiful.
“Then here’s to a pleasant cooperation, Mr.
King!” Shalma stood up and gracefully extended her hand.