?Chapter 280:


    Marc reached over and gave Jazlyn’s hand a steady squeeze. “Don’t worry, Mom. I’ll take care of it.”


    After dropping Jazlyn off at the vi, Marc sped straight to the office, his mind heavy with thepany’s looming crisis.


    Most departments had ground to a halt. If he didn’t pull in new partners fast, even making payroll would be a fantasy.


    Debts were already mounting, interest ruing by the day—if things spiraled any further, recovery might be impossible.


    Inside his office, Marc finally settled at his desk and stared down the mountain of technical files with a newfound determination.


    He might have leaned on Ste before, but he wasn’t helpless.


    As streams of data scrolled across the screen, he hunched forward, scrutinizing every detail until a glimmer of inspiration flickered in his eyes.


    Snatching up the phone, he wasted no time giving Kody his next task. “Kody, connect me to the person who reached out about a partnership. I want a face-to-face meeting as soon as possible.”


    After hanging up, Marc slumped back in his chair, fingers drumming the armrest as he mulled over his n.


    A cool fire sparked in his gaze. “Just wait, Ste. I’ll prove you wrong. Once Ind this deal, I’ll put Walsh Group back on top.”


    Ste had barely shaken off the awkwardness from her run-in with Marc and Jazlyn when something far more dazzling caught her eye—a conch pearl bracelet in the next shop’s window, its luminous hues shimmering in the fading daylight.


    The pearls were perfectly matched, their color and shape leagues beyond the bracelet she’d seen earlier.


    She didn’t hesitate. In a heartbeat, Ste bought the bracelet, feeling a little thrill at securing such a rare, untouched treasure.


    Conch pearls of this quality were almost mythical;ing across a strand like this felt like fate throwing her a lifeline.


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    Carefully, she wrapped the delicate bracelet, tucking it away for her uing business meeting.


    Earlier, she had fired off a formal email to thepany, eager to arrange a meeting.


    But as the hours slipped by with no reply, tension gnawed at her. What if she’d been too slow, and anotherpetitor had already swooped in?


    By the time the sky deepened into twilight, anxiety had twisted her stomach into knots.


    Refusing to leave things to chance, Ste dialed thepany directly as she picked up her pace.


    “Hello, this is Sylvia Gilbert from Neb,” she said, steadying her voice. “I emailed earlier about meeting with your general manager, but I haven’t received a reply yet, so I wanted to follow up personally.”


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