Chapter 19


    Hazel rushed out of the hospital, her heart pounding with urgency. She raised her hand to hail a


    passing taxi, and as soon as one pulled over, she quickly instructed the driver, “Starlight.”


    During the brief cab ride, Hazel couldn’t help but feel a gnawing worry that she might be breaking the


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    promise she had made to her kids. She needed to ensure they were well taken care of while she


    attended to her pressing matter, and that meant making a call to the kindergarten.


    With trembling fingers, she dialed the number of the kindergarten. As the phone rang, Hazel’s anxiety


    grew, hoping the school would understand her unexpected predicament. When someone finally


    answered on the other end, she spoke with a hint of desperation in her voice.


    “Hello, this is Hazel, the mother of Liam and Daisy. I have an urgent situation, and I won’t be able to


    pick them up from school as initially nned. Could you please take good care of them for the whole


    day? Ensure they have a delicious and healthy lunch, and don’t forget the promised ice cream. I’ll


    reimburse any expenses when Ie to collect them. Also, could you kindly let Liam know that


    mommy had something importante up?” Hazel pleaded with the kindergarten management


    contact.


    There was a brief pause on the line, intensifying Hazel’s anxiety.


    However, a reassuring response finally came through, providing her with some much-needed relief.


    “Don’t worry, Hazel. Emergencies happen, and we understand. We’ll take excellent care of Liam and


    Daisy here. They’ll have a wonderful lunch, indulge in some ice cream, and we’ll ensure they’re safe


    andfortable. You focus on your emergency, and we’ll handle everything here at the kindergarten.”


    With immense gratitude and a heartfelt “thank you,” Hazel hung up, feeling reassured that her children


    were in capable hands at the kindergarten. She could now concentrate on her immediate concerns,


    even though the weight of her promise to her kids still lingered in her thoughts.


    Meanwhile, Axel, who had sessfully pressured the owners and was in the process of taking over the


    kindergarten, had assigned a trustworthy man, Devin, to oversee operations and provide regr


    reports. Devin


    promptly made a call to update Axel on the situation.


    Devin approached his boss to give his report. “Well, Hazel had to leave the kids at school, even though


    it wasn’t her original n. Daisy insisted. on staying there; she truly loves school. Liam, on the other


    hand, wasn’t as thrilled and has been a bit grumpy, he reported.


    Ethan, listening to the update, couldn’t help but smile as he remembered Liam’s grumpy but endearing


    demeanor when they met at the airport. Axel continued, “But Liam seems to be adjusting well, and he’s


    made. some friends.” Ethan nodded, genuinely pleased by the news. Hearing about the children’s


    activities and happiness brought him a sense of joy, affirming that the decision to take over the


    kindergarten was indeed worthwhile.


    As Ethan reflected on the situation, Axel couldn’t help but wonder if Ethan and Be’s rtionship


    might improve with the addition of children. With a grin, he summarized. Anything else?”


    Devin added, “Hazel mentioned that due to her emergency, the kids will be spending the whole day at


    the kindergarten, which wasn’t her original n. She also requested that they be provided with lunch,


    sir.”


    Ethan nodded decisively, signaling that he was ready to take action. He stood up from his desk and


    issued instructions to his assistant. “Call Cook Lee and have him prepare a four-course meal for the


    kids. Additionally, arrange for some desserts for them,” he instructed, handing his ck card to his


    assistant.


    However, his assistant raised a valid concern, voicing his worries about the kids potentially revealing


    the extravagant meal to Hazel. Ethan paused in his tracks, considering the situation carefully. He didn’t


    want to make Hazel ufortable, especially since she had offered to reimburse any expenses


    rted to her children’s lunch.


    After a moment of contemtion, Ethan came up with a n that would keep things discreet and


    unobtrusive. “Let’s handle this in a way that won’t raise any concerns,” he proposed. “Have all the kids’


    meals and snacks taken care of by thepany, as a gesture of goodwill from the school. If Hazel


    inquires, simply exin that it’s a special treat arranged by the owners in celebration of their


    grandfather’s birthday. This way, it won’t draw any unnecessary attention, he said, his decision final.


    Axel, understanding the need for discretion, immediately got to work, making the necessary calls and


    arrangements to ensure that the kids’


    meals and snacks would be covered by thepany and ensure they ate healthily.


    The car came to a halt in front of the Starlight building. It was a modest structurepared to other


    Hazel rushed. up the stairs, her heart pounding with anticipation and concern.


    On her way up, she unexpectedly collided with Chloe, her colleague and confidante. The urgency of


    the situation was evident in Chloe’s furrowed brows and serious demeanor.


    “What’s going on?” Hazel inquired anxiously, seeking answers to the brewing crisis.


    Chloe sighed deeply, clearly frustrated by the turn of events. “The representatives refused to give us a


    reason. All they’ve said is that they intend to cancel the contract offer. I’ve been trying to reach out, but


    they’ve been unresponsive, she exined, her voice tinged with concern. Hazel proceeded to the office


    of her Head of Department and superior, who was engrossed in phone calls with the head office from


    which both Hazel and Chloe had been transferred. The atmosphere was palpably tense, as everyone


    understood the magnitude of the contract and the repercussions of losing it.


    With determination, they all sprang into action, feverishly making calls to thepany’s


    representatives. Chloe persistently dialed the number of one of the individuals she had been liaising


    with regarding the impending contract signing. Call after call was ignored, intensifying the pressure in


    the room.


    Chloe paced nervously around the office, while her colleagues continued their relentless efforts to


    reach thepany. The air hung heavy with seriousness and apprehension. Finally, after numerous


    attempts, the awaited call was answered.


    “I’m truly sorry, but it’s the CEO’s decision. He’s taken charge of the renovations himself,” the man on


    the other end of the line exined with a hint of regret.


    Hazel couldn’t hide her disappointment and frustration. She grabbed the phone, her voice filled with


    disbelief. But we won the bid fair and square! The board was impressed with our work. We’ve invested


    so much time into this project, and we were supposed to finalize everything next


    The man tried to offer a conciliatory solution, saying, “We can discuss.pensation with our legal


    representative.”


    Hazel’s anger red, and her eyes began to take on a light shade of yellow, a sign of her wolf being on


    edge. She struggled to contain her emotions, preventing herself from baring her teeth in public. Her


    fury was palpable, and she felt a primal urge to unleash it.


    “Honestly, the boss believes youck the experience to handle a prestigious project like his. My hands


    are tied, I’m sorry,” the man continued before abruptly ending the call.


    The people gathered in the conference room sighed, their faces reflecting a mixture of distress and


    disappointment. Chloe slumped into her seat, her expression filled with sadness. “We traveled all the


    way to Los Angeles for nothing.”


    Hazel vehemently refused to ept defeat. “No! The CEO doubts our potential because we’re a new


    we have to offer. We won the J.T. Starlight project fairly, and we’ll make him see


    that.”


    Hazel’s anger bubbled like a fierce storm, swirling within her with an intensity that refused to be


    contained. She had sacrificed so much for this opportunity, relocating her life, dedicating countless


    hours, and pouring her energy into winning this contract. The audacity of the CEO to dismiss their


    efforts merely because they were a newpany left a bitter taste in her mouth.


    She clenched her fists, her heart pounding with resolve. “I won’t back down,” Hazel muttered through


    gritted teeth. The injustice of it all fueled her determination even further. She couldn’t stand idly by while


    their hard-earned victory was snatc h e d away.


    The CEO’s condescending attitude, his disregard for their dedication, and the arrogance of dismissing


    them as nobodies stoked the mes of Hazel’s fury. She was no longer content with ying by the


    rules; she was ready to defy the conventions of business etiquette and confront the CEO head-on.


    A fierce determination overcame her, and she swore to herself that she would show him. Whoever this


    CEO was, he needed a stark reminder that business dealings should be conducted with respect and


    integrity. Contracts and agreements couldn’t be discarded on a whim. I’ll show


    him, whoever he is. Hazel swore within herself, she was beginning to question the business Etiquettes


    of the so called CEO.


    With a surge of anger still coursing through her veins, Hazel mmed her hand t on the table, the


    sharp sound echoing in the room.


    Hazel’s outburst sent shockwaves through her co-workers, they jumped at the sudden sound.


    Her passionatemitment to the project was evident in her fiery reaction, and her determination to


    see it through burned brightly.


    “They should have rejected us from the beginning, not after all this hard work,” Hazel dered, her


    gaze fixed intently on the prototype of their intended project. The palpable sense of injustice fueled her


    resolve; she wasn’t about to give in without a fight. I won’t give up. I’ll just have to meet with the new


    board, their CEO or whatever. We’ve worked too hard, invested too much in this project. We’ve even


    made purchases, and all they’re offering ispensation?!” Her anger zed like a beacon of


    defiance.


    In search of more information, Hazel pressed her co-workers about Tesco Empire.


    Her colleagues provided some background details, and the mere mention of Tesco further stoked her


    determination. “Tesco… Where is it?” she inquired, her mind already racing with thoughts of her next


    strategic


    move.


    Yet, her Managing Director attempted to reason with her, cautioning against provoking Tesco Empire.


    “Their CEO is renowned for his ruthlessness,” the M.D. warned solemnly, “We can’t afford to provoke


    them; they’ll ruin us. Sometimes, we just have to ept defeat.” She cautioned.


    However, Hazel remained unyielding. “No!” she retorted stubbornly, her gaze unflinching. “I’ll obtain a


    better exnation, not just a rejection due to our neer’ status. I refuse to ept it; I swear I


    won’t! I’m willing to bet they didn’t even bother to review our portfolio or our designs. We weren’t given


    a fair chance. I won’t back down. I can’t. I’ll make them see, we have to be given a chance.”


    With those words, she stormed out of the room, beckoning Chloe to join her. Her friend followed,


    sensing Hazel’s unwavering resolve. Inside their office, a charged atmosphere lingered Hazel’s


    frustration had been building up with each setback, and it seemed that nothing was unfolding


    as nned.


    As they returned to their office, Hazel inquired about the location of Tesco Empire. Chloe, however,


    expressed concerns about the owner’s prominence and influence. “He’s considered one of the most


    influential figures in the city,” Chloe cautioned, “He’s not someone we can easily challenge.”


    “Am not going there to fight. I just want to show them what we have, they didn’t even check. We were


    rejected cause we’re new. They think we’re unprofessional and I’ll equiped. We need to convince them.


    She urged.


    Chloe reluctantly agreed, and they set a n to meet go to Tesco Empire the following day.


    Hazel then mentioned that she had already taken Liam and Daisy to kindergarten, despite their


    scheduled start being the following day..Chloe was surprised and inquired about their reactions.


    “Daisy absolutely adored it and refused to leave with me, so I allowed. them to stay the entire day


    there,” Hazel exined, her voice tinged with the affection.


    In response to Chloe’s inquiry about Liam, Hazel chuckled, fondly recalling her son’s outburst. “He was


    livid,” she said with an affectionate. smile, and both women shared a brief moment ofughter,


    temporarily relieving the tension that had gripped them.