Jaden stared at the line of text, a nameless rage flaring up inside him.
‘Busy?
How busy could she be in Kaelus?
It’s just an exchange program.
Is it more important than the survival and future of the Lancaster Group?’
He was almost certain of it.
Wynn Shaw was doing this on purpose!
‘She’s punishing me, enjoying the sight of me tearing my hair out in desperation.’
The realization filled him with both anger and panic.
‘If Wynn really washes her hands of this completely, how long can the Lancaster Group survive with just me?’
“Jaden, you’re back?”
Summer Sullivan’s gentle voice drifted from the doorway.
She walked in, carrying a glass of warm milk, an expression of perfectly measured concern on her face.
“You must be exhausted today.
You don’t look well.”
Jaden Lancaster forced a smile, taking the milk and setting it on the table.
“I’m fine.
Just a lot going on at the company.”
Summer Sullivan moved behind him, her slender fingers gently pressing against his temples and massaging them with just the right amount of pressure.
Jaden closed his eyes, savoring the brief moment of relaxation.
“It pains me to see you working so hard,” Summer’s voice was as gentle as a feather brushing against his heart.
“Wynn isn’t coming back anytime soon.
The company can’t depend on you to support it all by yourself.”
Jaden sighed but said nothing.
Summer circled around in front of him and knelt, placing her hands on his knees.
She looked up at him, her eyes sincere and resolute.
“Jaden, let me work at the Lancaster Group.
I want to help share your burden.
I can’t bear to see you so exhausted.”
Jaden was stunned.
“You?
Work?
Why the sudden idea?”
In his mind, Summer was the delicate, helpless type who had never worked a day in her life and would cry out at the slightest hardship.
“It’s not sudden,” Summer said, her words already prepared.
“I’ve wanted to do something for you for a long time.
It breaks my heart to see you working late into the night every day while I can’t do anything to help.
I don’t want you to always have to rely on Wynn.
After all, she…
has left the Lancaster Group.
I can learn.
I’ll work very hard, as long as it helps lighten your burden.”
She carefully observed Jaden’s expression. Follow the newest chapters on g.com.
Seeing him begin to waver, she pressed on.
“Besides, if I’m at the company, I can help stabilize morale.
When everyone sees our family united and working together, they won’t be so panicked.
I believe that as long as we work together as one, there’s no crisis we can’t overcome.”
Jaden looked into Summer’s sincere eyes, and his hesitation gradually gave way to a feeling of being deeply moved.
‘That’s right, why do I have to rely on Wynn?
Summer is my woman, the mother of my son.
We’re the real family.’
‘If Summer can help shoulder the load, I won’t have to go groveling to Wynn anymore.’
The thought instantly lifted the oppressive weight that had been crushing his spirits for days.
‘Summer grew up in a wealthy family.
She’s been around all sorts of business figures and is comfortable in high society.
Her skills must be considerable, and she has the experience and confidence to deal with people.
If her performance could actually give the Lancaster Group the boost it needs…’
“You’re right,” Jaden said, grasping Summer’s hand, his eyes shining with a glimmer of hope.
“Thank you for being so understanding.
You’re the best woman in the world!”
Summer smiled sweetly and melted into his embrace.
“So you agree?”
“Of course,” Jaden said, holding her tighter as if he were clinging to salvation itself.
“With you here to help me, the Lancaster Group is sure to recover.
I’ll never take your kindness for granted.”
Summer nestled against his chest, her voice soft but laced with an imperceptible thread of triumph.
“I’ll do my best.
That way, you won’t have to depend on Wynn anymore.”
“Right.” Jaden’s mood had clearly brightened.
“If you can help me, we won’t need her anymore.”
The moment the words left his mouth, Jaden felt an inexplicable sense of liberation.
‘That’s right.
Why should I have to walk on eggshells around Wynn?
Summer is all I need.’
But from an angle he couldn’t see, Summer’s lips curved into a knowing smile.
She imagined herself standing before the floor-to-ceiling windows of the Lancaster Group’s top floor, gazing down at the success laid out at her feet.
‘And Wynn Shaw will be nothing more than a forgotten, discarded relic of the past!’
Outside, the night was dark, but the city lights remained as brilliant as ever.
Within Lancaster Villa, certain matters were quietly set in motion on this seemingly tranquil night.
「The scene shifts.」
The atmosphere in the Pierce Group’s conference room was solemn.
The massive, ring-shaped conference table was filled with core members of the design department and participants from the exchange program, who had come from various branch offices.
All eyes were fixed on the imposing figure at the center podium—Vincent Preston.
He was dressed in a well-tailored, dark gray suit, the collar of his crisp shirt buttoned to the top.
Behind his silver-rimmed glasses, his gaze was as sharp as a hawk’s.
He was currently recounting the Pierce Group design department’s years of successful experience and innovative breakthroughs in a clear, forceful voice.
His hand lightly touched the projection screen, switching to the next chart.
“The ‘Galaxy’ series we launched last year is a prime example of integrating a modern, technological aesthetic with traditional craftsmanship…”
Wynn Shaw sat midway down the conference table, jotting down key points in her notebook.
Just a few minutes prior, during the brief pause as Vincent switched slides, she had quickly glanced down at her incessantly vibrating phone—at an urgent message from Jaden Lancaster. This chapter was copied from novelping . com without permission.
An expression of impatience and annoyance crossed her face.
She typed out a quick reply—”Can’t, I’m busy.”—silenced her phone, and refocused her attention on the presentation.
However, the moment she looked up, her eyes met Vincent’s as he swept his gaze across the room.
His eyes, hidden behind his lenses, narrowed slightly.
It seemed he had caught her little maneuver.
Wynn’s heart skipped a beat.
She immediately straightened her posture, trying to force all of her attention back to the meeting.
“…Therefore, when conveying the design concept, we must ensure every single step is precise and flawless.” Vincent’s voice remained steady, but his gaze was now locked on Wynn.
“Wynn.”
Startled by the sudden call of her name, Wynn instinctively shot to her feet.
“Yes, President Preston.”
Every eye in the conference room instantly fell upon her.
Vincent braced his hands on either side of the lectern.
His tone was casual, yet it carried an undeniable weight.
“In your opinion, what is the most easily overlooked, yet most critical factor in a cross-corporation collaborative design project?”
Wynn’s mind raced.
‘This question isn’t directly related to what Vincent was just discussing…
Is this a pop quiz?’
She pursed her lips and answered cautiously.
“I believe it’s crucial to avoid discrepancies in the design concept that arise from stylistic differences.”
“Too vague,” Vincent commented bluntly.
“Sit down.”
Wynn’s cheeks flushed.
She sat down as instructed, inwardly berating herself.
‘I knew my answer was superficial.
It didn’t get to the heart of the matter.’
The meeting concluded half an hour later, and the attendees began to file out.
Wynn was organizing her notes, ready to leave, when Vincent descended from the podium and walked straight past her.
As he brushed past her, he didn’t break his stride but left a single, stern, and clear sentence in his wake.
“Silence your phone during meetings.
And stop thinking about returning to Eldoria.
I won’t be letting you leave so easily before your time is up.”
Wynn stood frozen in place, watching Vincent’s upright figure disappear from the conference room.
Only then did she realize…
‘He must have seen me frown unconsciously while checking my phone during the meeting and misunderstood, thinking I was desperate to leave Kaelus and return to Eldoria.’
The misunderstanding was so absurd she didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
She shook her head slightly, switched her phone to silent mode, and resolved that for the remainder of the exchange program, she would no longer let Jaden’s problems interfere with her work at Pierce Group.
And Vincent Preston, this seemingly harsh mentor, might just be the guiding light her career needed.
As for the turmoil back in Eldoria, she would leave it behind on that distant shore for now.
Suddenly, outside the conference room, she was walking with her head down and didn’t notice that the tall, imposing man in front of her had abruptly stopped.
“Oof—”
Her nose slammed into his hard back, and the pain brought tears to her eyes.
She rubbed her nose, and before she could even look up, she heard a low, helpless sigh from above her.
“Such an idiot.”