The news that the Abernathy Group and KS Group had made peace and formed an alliance to jointly develop the A5 Project spread throughout the country. This was a major boon for the Abernathy Group, and even KS Group''s stock price shot up, hitting its daily limit at the opening bell.
Although Evadne had withdrawn from the A5petition, it seemed she had still led KS Group to a brilliant victory, establishing its name in Elmsworth and across the nation.
But her mood was heavy, and she felt no desire to celebrate.
As CEO, she hadn''t acted solely in the best interests of herpany; her decisions were tangled with too many personal motives.
For Emeric''s health, she couldn''t refuse Chad''s overtures. To expose Chad''s conspiracy and reim everything Thaddeus had lost, she had to temporarily sacrifice herpany''s interests and make a deal with the devil, dance with the wolf, to earn Chad''s trust and gain entry into the dark, dirty core of his operations.
It didn''t matter if Emeric didn''t understand, or if no one, including Thaddeus, understood. She was prepared to face the storm.
To tear apart the darkness, one must first be part of it.
The day the Abernathy Group officially secured the A5 Project, Chad called Evadne.
"Ms. Evadne, could you join me at Windermere Estate tonight? To celebrate our initial victory, I''d like to invite you for dinner at my home."
Before Evadne could answer, the man added thoughtfully, "I know you probably don''t want to see my father. Don''t worry, my father will not be present tonight."
"You''re overthinking it, Mr. Abernathy."
Evadne''s gaze was ice-cold, her voice equally detached. "I know Mr. Frederic dislikes me, but I''ve never held it against him. I stopped caring long ago.
So, regardless of whether Mr. Frederic is there or not, I won''t being. I appreciate the thought, though."
The implication was clear: her refusal was entirely because she didn''t want to see Chad.
*him*,
On the other end, Chad paused, then suddenly broke into a cheerfulugh, seemingly unfazed by her resistance.
"Ms. Evadne, I understand your feelings. However, tonight, I hope you can set aside your prejudices and concerns and just see me as a regr business partner. If you don''t take this step, our future coboration will be difficult, which will affect both our interests. A qualified leader should always prioritize the bigger picture. And in the world of business, there are no permanent friends, and, of course, no permanent enemies."
Evadne''s lips thinned into a pale line.
What did he mean? Was he implying she wasn''t a qualified leader? Mocking her for not being magnanimous?
What a clumsy goading tactic.
“Actually, tonight''s dinner wasn''t my idea. It was Sean''s."
Evadne was taken aback. "Sean?"
Chad smiled faintly, his voice warm and close to her ear. "Yes. Sean was a great help in securing the A5 Project for the Abernathy Group. He has always had great faith in ourpany When he heard we were Coborating he was thrilled and very confident about the project. So, tonight, it''s Sean who wants to invite you, President Ashbourne, for a
meal. I''m merely providing the venue and doing him a favor.
Even if you won''t grant me the courtesy, surely you can grant Sean one, can''t you?"
A high-ranking government official
being a guest at a tycoon''s home, and staying for dinner. if someone reported it he could be branded with thebel of "collusion between government and business." Itwas asking for trouble.
*Good heavens, is there anyone decent left in this city?* she thought.
However, after some consideration, Evadne agreed.
"Fine, I''ll go."
"Are you at KS Group?”
"Yes."
Chad''s smile was gentle, with a hint of affection, as if he were about to pick up his beloved girlfriend from work. He said naturally send Someone to pick you up in a little white."
Evadne immediately shot back coldly, "That won''t be necessary. I don''t like riding with strangers."
The next second, Chad replied with a low chuckle, “Then I''lle get you myself.”