Anna saw Jake again at a charity gala.
She wasn't there to attend the gala as a guest—she didn't have the qualifications for that yet. She was there as an assistant to Ms. Martinez.
The event venue was adorned with a long red carpet stretching from the grand hall all the way to the plaza outside, flashes from cameras lighting up the evening.
Business moguls clinked glasses and exchanged pleasantries, while celebrities posing on the red carpet were all dressed in glamorous attire, their smiles dazzling.
Amidst the ebb and flow of people, Anna spotted Jake.
Today, he wore a beige suit, a red rose pinned to his chest pocket. He smiled frequently, chatting amiably with those who approached him.
Gone was the shy, youthful look he once had. Today, he was especially radiant. His smile revealed a charming dimple on one cheek, and he stood confidently beside the stunning Grace Evans, who was five-foot-nine and captivatingly beautiful.
"He's finally made it big. Partnering with Ms. Evans was a brilliant move."
"Absolutely! The gemstone product he managed has been selling like hotcakes recently, receiving rave reviews!"
"A sales figure of $480 million! When I first heard he took over, I was worried for Ms. Evans's investment, but it's become a huge hit."
"He was mocked a lot when rumors about his relationship with Ms. Evans first surfaced. Who knew he'd establish himself through sheer capability? Everyone's praising Ms. Evans's keen eye now."
"That's how society is. I remember when he used to run around all day with a gemstone sample, and no one paid attention to him. Now everyone's chasing after him..."
"He truly is hardworking and talented."
Listening to these murmurs from the corner, Anna felt a mix of emotions.
Was it resentment? Not quite, but the bitterness was undeniably real.
Even if he wasn't her ex-boyfriend, even if they'd only been colleagues, now he had achieved success while she remained a corporate underling. That sense of disparity was hard to ignore.
"What... What did you say? Mr. Liu, are you serious? Anna has already turned down all her assignments for the second half of the year to focus on this gemstone inspection project, and now you're suddenly replacing her?" Sarah's face turned grim, barely managing to control her emotions through sheer willpower.
Anna, who had been sitting quietly, sensed something was wrong and couldn't help but look over.
"Alright, I understand," Sarah finally said, the veins on her forehead pulsing, but she held back.
After hanging up, Sarah turned to Anna with a stern expression. "The 'Aurora Sapphire' project has a new lead. You won't be involved in the subsequent gemstone inspections."
Anna was completely stunned, almost unable to believe her ears.
She had been responsible for the quality inspection of this batch of sapphires. While it was just a part of the company's gemstone business, these stones were incredibly valuable and were crucial for the company's next step into the high-end market.
She had successfully completed the first batch of inspections, was about to start the second, and the third was already in preparation.
Seeing her shocked expression, Sarah sighed with a hint of helplessness. "The market hasn't been great lately. Trinity Mining and Horizon Jewelry just declared bankruptcy. The new investor is Prestige Minerals, and they want to prioritize their own resources and have their own people in charge."
"But why this project? I've already completed the preliminary quality inspections..." Anna's voice trailed off. "I've even specifically studied the optical properties of sapphires to prepare a quality report..."
"Anna!" Sarah couldn't help but interrupt her. "Calm down! This industry is like that. Even if you've finished the inspection and have a complete report ready, you can still be replaced in the end. It's already decided; don't dwell on it. You're still young; there will be other opportunities."
"Will there really be other opportunities?" She looked at Sarah steadily, her clear eyes filled with confusion and a touch of grievance.
Sarah had weathered many storms in the gemstone inspection industry and knew the unspoken rules all too well. But at this moment, she couldn't bear to meet Anna's gaze.
She wouldn't give up so easily, but she had already argued with Project Director Mr. Johnson. He told her that the new investor, Prestige Minerals, was preparing a new emerald project and planned to have her promising newcomer, Lisa, take charge of the main gemstone inspections.
Lisa was the most talented young appraiser under Sarah. Such an opportunity forced her to weigh the pros and cons.
Since this project was irretrievable, she could only try to minimize the losses.
"But Director Johnson praised my performance in the sapphire inspections, and Supervisor Lin also said I did an excellent job," Anna murmured, her head lowered, a stubborn look on her face.
It's those very people who are insisting on replacing you! Sarah thought coldly.
Those compliments were just superficial flattery—not worth believing.
"Have you been in contact with Jake lately?" Sarah suddenly thought of something and asked.
Anna was taken aback and shook her head.
"That's strange." Seeing her puzzled look, Sarah said, exasperated, "You're so naive! Grace Evans is one of the shareholders of Prestige Minerals! With your social skills, no wonder your project was taken over!"
Anna's mind buzzed, not knowing what to do.
After staying at home for two days, Anna realized she couldn't sit around any longer. After much internal struggle, she decided to swallow her pride and go to Prestige Minerals to find Grace, hoping to reclaim her project.
But when she arrived at Prestige Minerals, the receptionists wouldn't let her in, clearly stating that without an appointment, she couldn't see Grace. The receptionist's eyes were full of suspicion as they scrutinized her.
Of course, Anna didn't have Grace's contact information, nor did she dare to approach Jake directly for fear of angering Grace and causing herself more trouble.
So, she waited downstairs at Prestige Minerals for two days, constantly pondering how to appease Grace and persuade her to let go.
In truth, the relationship between Anna and Jake was more like family. After their breakup, she hadn't planned on having any further ties with him.
Having stood for so long, Anna sat down by the flower bed at the entrance of Prestige Minerals, unscrewing a bottle of water to take a few sips.
Cars came and went, continuously entering the company's parking area, and her anxiety grew.
"What's that girl doing?" As a black Bentley drove past the company's entrance, Michael noticed Anna staring off into space not far away.
Daniel was flipping through the mineral analysis reports of a new project and didn't look up when he heard Michael.
"Looks like she's here to see Ms. Evans. Supposedly, she's been waiting here for two days, but Ms. Evans hasn't met with her," the driver, Mr. Smith, explained. "I heard it's because she was replaced as the project lead for a gemstone inspection, and she's trying to get the project back."
Mr. Smith was well-informed and chattered on. Michael quickly understood the situation and turned to Daniel with a smile. "In that case, we bear some responsibility too."
This time, Daniel looked up at Michael.
"After Trinity Mining and Horizon Jewelry went bankrupt, Prestige took over their projects. The mineral inspection project you invested in had its lead replaced—that's related to us, isn't it?" Michael said with a grin. Though he mentioned responsibility, there was no trace of guilt on his face.
Prestige Minerals was just one of the subsidiaries under a mining company Daniel had previously invested in. Adjustments to inspection projects were trivial matters to him.
As the car was about to pass Anna and enter the parking area, she noticed the luxury vehicle.
The license plate and the car's make made her heart skip a beat; she knew the owner must be someone important.
She quickly stood up and jogged over to the car window, tapping on it.
Driver Smith stopped the car and looked back at Daniel in the rear seat for guidance.
Daniel remained composed, casually flipping through the documents in his hand, and finally nodded.
Only then did Mr. Smith slowly lower the car window. "Can I help you?"
Anna gave him a slightly nervous smile and asked apprehensively, "Excuse me, are you a shareholder of Prestige Minerals? I'm looking for Ms. Grace Evans. Is there any way I can contact her?"
The driver looked a bit troubled and glanced back at the rear seat.
Unconsciously, Anna's gaze followed his, but due to the angle, she could only see a pair of long, elegant hands flipping through documents, the faint outline of veins visible on the back.
This must be a mature, steady man.
"Turn right and enter through the second side door. There's a freight elevator there. Go up to the 27th floor, and you'll find her office at the end of the hallway," a low, magnetic voice came from the back seat. His tone was unhurried, carrying a hint of a local accent.
"Thank you, thank you so much!" Anna hurriedly expressed her gratitude, bowing deeply.