Chapter 5
Randy was trembling from head to toe, and by the time the security guards escorted him out, he could hardly keep his balance.
After those two were escorted out, the atmosphere in the conference room felt suffocating.
I glanced at the anxious staff and eased my tone.
I said, "Let me say it again. At Innova Tech, we only value your abilities.
"If you're willing to put in the work and have what it takes, this is where you shine.
"All that shady nonsense from before gets swept away, starting today. Meeting adjourned."
I turned and walked out, leaving behind a room full of people lost in their own thoughts.
Back in my office, I sank into my chair and let out a long, slow breath.
I'd finally gotten my revenge. But I wasn't nearly as thrilled as I'd expected. I just felt tired.
My phone buzzed. It was William.
"Getting used to it yet, Ms. Clayton?" William said, his voice laced with a smile.
"Thanks to you, we're still afloat for now," I joked.
He said, "Are you free tonight? Let's grab dinner."
William invited me. "Think of it as... your victory dinner."
I paused, weighing the invitation for a second.
"Alright," I replied.
That evening, we met at an exclusive private dining restaurant.
The place was secluded and quiet, just the two of us.
William poured me a glass of red wine.
"You've worked hard today," he said.
"It's alright," I said, swirling my wine. "I didn't expect you to give me so much power."
"I believe in your abilities," William said, his eyes fixed on me. His gaze was burning with intensity.
"And I trust my own judgment," he added.
His intense stare made me squirm a bit.
I quickly steered the conversation elsewhere.
"Did you manage to clean up all that mess with Melvin and Summit Group?" I asked.
William replied, "Pretty much. Melvin is facing at least ten years for business fraud and multiple other charges.
"We've pretty much rooted out the corrupt staff inside the company. Well..."
William shifted gears. "Everglow Tech has been making some big moves lately.
"Looks like they've figured out our minimum bid and are already talking to Innova Tech HQ, trying to steal the project out from under us."
I frowned. Everglow Tech had always been Summit Group's main competitor. They were known for their shady tricks.
I said, "The price Barbara leaked was just our initial quote. They have no idea about the core technical specs or our follow-up service plans."
"That's exactly why I wanted you at the helm," William said.
He held my eyes for a moment, the trust in his look unmistakable.
He continued, "You've been leading this project from day one. You're the only one I trust to see it through flawlessly.
"I'll take care of Everglow Tech myself. Just make sure you do your part."
His words gave me a sense of trust and security I'd never felt before.
Dinner was really enjoyable.
When it was over, William drove me home.
When we got to my building, he called out to me.
"Diana," he said.
"Yeah?" I replied.
He reached into the car and pulled out a beautifully wrapped gift box, handing it to me.
"A gift for your new position," he said.
I opened the box and found a diamond necklace. It was minimalist in design, but clearly worth a fortune.
"This is way too expensive," I said, trying to hand it back.
"You deserve it," William said, refusing to let me give it back.
He held my gaze, eyes deep and unwavering. "Diana, I don't want us to just be coworkers."
His words rang out in the stillness of the night.
My heart skipped a beat. William's confession sent ripples through the calm surface of my heart.
I had to admit, I liked him.
He was mature, reliable, and capable. When I was at my lowest, he was the one who reached out to help me.
Honestly, it was hard not to fall for a man like that.
But honestly, I was not ready for a relationship right now.
I rejected him. "William, thank you for your thoughtfulness. But I just stepped into this position, and I really want to focus on work for the time being."
William didn't seem disappointed at all. He just smiled.
He said, "No worries. I'll wait for you. If you need anything at work, I'm always here."
His thoughtfulness and the way he respected my space made me appreciate him even more.
In the days that followed, I devoted myself completely to work.
I cleared out the old guard, promoted fresh faces, and reorganized our business lines.
With me at the helm, the company gradually got back on track and regained its vitality.
Project coordination with Innova Tech HQ was going smoothly as well.
Everything seemed to be moving in the right direction.
But a week later, Everglow Tech laid a trap for me.
That day, I got a call from someone who said he was a "technical advisor from Innova Tech HQ."
He wanted to set up a video call to talk about the project's core specs.
Since things with HQ had always gone smoothly, I didn't give it a second thought.
At the appointed time, I clicked the video call link they sent me.
When the call started, I saw a few unfamiliar faces in the meeting room.
The guy in charge was a middle-aged man who introduced himself as Francis Weaver.
His questions were spot-on and super technical, hitting all the key points.
Thinking he was a real expert from HQ, I answered everything without holding back. We talked for a full two hours.
After I hung up, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.
I immediately called the project lead at Innova Tech HQ to make sure everything was legit.
What I heard made my blood run cold.