Zach stood frozen in ce, while Serena''s lifeless eyes suddenly brightened. She bit her lip and forced herself to remainposed. Only when Grace ced the ck-and-white contract before her did she finally let herself believe it.
Grace said, "Congrattions, Ms. Jansen of Amber Group. We look forward to working with you."
"Likewise." Serena stood up, shook Grace''s hand briefly, and swiftly signed her
name.
With the sponsorship project in hand, Amber Group was destined for a gloriouseback.
She was brimming with confidence, while Zach stood there in defeat. The contract was signed, but the finer details would need future discussions between both parties.
Half an hourter, Serena left the building with the contract in hand. After sharing the good news with Alicia, she headed to the parking lot to get her car. Just as she unlocked her car and raised her head, she noticed Zach standing by his car.
Serena instinctively slowed her pace. "Mr. Foster, don''t tell me you''re without a car or a driver and need a ride from me."
"Rena..." Zach dragged out her name just like he used to.
"Congrattions on securing Larson Group''s project today." His voice carried the affectionate yfulness of a boyfriend seeking attention. The tenderness in his eyes could melt even the coldest heart.
If one was bringing up the past out of nowhere, there had to be an ulterior motive.
Serena brushed past him, opened her car door, and said inly, "Thanks for the congrattions. Goodbye."
"Wait!" Zach hadn''t expected her to be so heartless, showing not even a hint of nostalgia for their past. He blocked her car door and continued, "Even though you no longer hold shares in Zarena Group, your name will always be tied to it."
After a brief pause, he added, "I once thought that if I won the project today, I''d propose a partnership with you so that we could seed together. But since you got it instead... Do you think there''s a chance we could still work together? That way, we''d have more opportunities to meet."
However, Serena saw no justification for any further encounters between them. Her gaze was icy as she looked at Zach''s smiling face,pletely devoid of any lingering feelings.
Perhaps if he had won the project, he really would have shared it with her. But she would never ept it. Now that he was directly asking for cooperation and a share, she wouldn''t agree either.
She responded, "I must say, your shamelessness is admirable. I won this project through my own efforts, so why would I split it with the loser? Are you now a shareholder in Amber Group, or are you offering me back Zarena Group''s shares?
"I have no obligation to support Zarena Group, nor any reason to bring you in. Besides, I have no interest in seeing you more often."
As she finished herst word, Serena pried Zach''s fingers off one by one and got into the car. After mming the door shut, she sped off without hesitation and made an effortlessly cool departure. She headed back to the office with the good news and booked a private room to prepare for a grand celebration.
Just then, Howard''s call came through. "Nina, I heard younded Larson Group''s project. Amber Group might not be able to handle it well. How about I send some people over to help?"
"Now that the leeches you left behind are gone, Amber Group is more than capable of handling this immense fortune. There''s nothing to be concerned about," she replied.
"B-But Larson Group''s backing is substantial, and Amber Group is taking big strides. If the cash flow..." Howard tried to reason with her.
"Dad, if you''re that worried about Amber Group''s cash flow, you''re wee to invest. I''ll make sure you get your dividends by the end of the year." Serena remained unfazed.
Seeing that Serena waspletely unmoved, Howard finally lost his temper. "At the end of the day, you just want to keep the project all to yourself and shut Jansen Group out! But don''t forget your roots. I gave you Amber Group, and I know exactly how much cash you have. Let''s see how long you canst!"