When Rachel Saintclair stood at the door of the private room in Grove Restaurant, her heart was filled with trepidation and unease. The moment she learned that she was to be the company's representative to meet Henry Edwards, she immediately called the director, Vincent White, and clearly stated that she couldn't take on this responsibility.
What exactly did Vincent White say at that time?
"Rachel, it's been ages since our company landed such a big cooperation deal. This is a golden opportunity! The contract between Winston Group and us will expire in two months. Do you really have the heart to see us remain dependent on Winston Group and unable to develop independently?"
"But... this situation of being dependent on others isn't something I can change single - handedly," Rachel Saintclair rolled her eyes and retorted helplessly. The brand Majesty wasn't solely her creation, and it wasn't just Majesty that had a contract with Winston Group. Vincent White was surely overstating the situation.
However, Vincent White's next words left Rachel Saintclair with no room to refuse.
He said earnestly, "Even if you don't consider the company's future, you should think about your own prospects, right?"
Vincent White then explained, "It was after Henry Edwards saw your design works that he specifically proposed to cooperate with our company. This designer is quite extraordinary. Even Winston Group's repeated sincere invitations were turned down by him."
"He rejected Winston Group's offers and chose to cooperate with us instead. Even though he knows that Majesty is part of Winston Group, the courage and determination he showed in putting Winston Group aside are truly remarkable."
He looked at Rachel Saintclair meaningfully and said, "Rachel, both Winston Group and Henry Edwards present invaluable opportunities in your career. And this task can only be accomplished by you."
Vincent White's words still echoed in Rachel Saintclair's ears. On reflection, whether from the perspective of the company's interests or her own future development, she couldn't decline this cooperation. For Majesty, this was undoubtedly a rare chance to break free from the dependence on Winston Group and achieve independent development. Moreover, Henry Edwards' decision to choose them over Ethan Winston had already created a certain reputation for Majesty in the industry.
Personally, since Henry Edwards specifically requested to meet Rachel Saintclair, their collaboration was bound to make them stand out rapidly in the design field.
This was indeed a once - in - a - lifetime opportunity that was hard to come by.
If she refused, it would be very likely that she'd never have a chance to turn things around in her life.
After all, she had already offended Winston Group.
This was no longer just an appreciation between two designers but a fierce competition of interests between two companies.
In any case, this cooperation must succeed, and failure was not an option.
Rachel Saintclair let out a deep sigh. At this moment, the door of the private room seemed like an invisible barrier, separating her from the world inside. The two sides of the door seemed like two completely different worlds.
She really couldn't figure out why Henry Edwards insisted on seeing her. Didn't he hate her to the core? If Vincent White knew about the past between them, he surely wouldn't have insisted on giving her this task.
However, even if Vincent White knew, what could be done? Now she was pushed to this critical point, with no way out, and Vincent White could only try his best to mediate.
It seemed that Majesty was about to face a severe challenge.
With her hand on the doorknob, Rachel Saintclair's heart rate accelerated involuntarily. Pushing open this door would mean stepping into a new world. But she wasn't ready to face Henry Edwards. She had even fantasized about never meeting him again in her life. She was certain that Henry Edwards felt the same way, given the deep hatred he harbored for her.
Rachel Saintclair thought that Henry Edwards had specifically named her to participate in this cooperation just to embarrass her in public.
But what could she do? She really had wronged Henry Edwards in the past.
She seemed to be able to hear the lively noise coming from inside the private room. It was as if countless pairs of eyes were staring intently at this door, waiting for her to enter and make a fool of herself.
Since she was already here, she had no choice but to face it. She would deal with whatever came her way.
She took a deep breath and pushed the door open abruptly. At that moment, Rachel Saintclair forcefully suppressed the urge to turn around and run away.
"Oh, here comes our great designer! Come on, take a seat!" Vincent White greeted her with a big smile, welcoming her warmly.
To her surprise, none of the situations she had worried about occurred. There was no mockery, no embarrassment. All the terrible scenarios she had imagined didn't materialize. It was like punching into cotton, and her previous nervousness and worry seemed unnecessary.
She scanned the dining table nervously, carefully looking at each person's face, but she couldn't find the one she had been thinking about day and night.
"Rachel, come. Let me introduce you. This is Mr. Hudson from Sunray Jewelry, this is the director Gavin Green, and these are the brand operators..."
As Vincent White introduced them one by one, Rachel Saintclair nodded mechanically. Finally, she couldn't help but ask, "Um... where is Henry Edwards... the designer?"
Mr. Hudson burst into laughter first and teased, "It seems that our beautiful Rachel has a special interest in Henry. With so many handsome guys here, she only cares about asking about Henry."
Rachel Saintclair immediately responded with a charming smile and sat down next to Mr. Hudson naturally. "You're kidding, Mr. Hudson. I'm just curious about what this Henry Edwards looks like. He must be quite something to attract the attention of so many bosses."
At the dinner table, Rachel Saintclair demonstrated excellent social skills. After a few rounds of drinks, she had the bosses in high spirits.
Mr. Hudson tried to take advantage of her several times, but Rachel Saintclair skillfully defused the situations. Pretending to be drunk, she took the opportunity to leave the table and hid in the restroom.
She stayed in the restroom for a long time and really didn't want to go back to the private room. Just thinking about Mr. Hudson's greedy face made her feel nauseous.
Although Leonard Winston could be overbearing at times, compared to these people, he gave a completely different impression. At least Leonard Winston had never been so blatant in his inappropriate behavior towards her, and he had a handsome and charming face.
However, when she remembered the pleading look in Vincent White's eyes before she left...
Rachel Saintclair sighed helplessly. This dinner was really difficult. But as long as Henry Edwards wasn't present, she, Rachel Saintclair, wouldn't give in easily! Could these lecherous people be more difficult to deal with than Leonard Winston?
"Rachel Saintclair, come on!" She cheered herself on, looking at her reflection in the mirror.
However, if Rachel Saintclair could have foreseen what was to come, she would have either stayed in the restroom longer or come out earlier.
Then she wouldn't have run into that person.
Henry Edwards stood there quietly. His eyes, which had once been filled with tenderness, were now, at the sight of Rachel Saintclair, instantly deepened, with a piercing coldness and intense hatred hidden within.
He was wearing a light - blue shirt with the cuffs slightly rolled up, still maintaining a clean and tidy appearance.
He walked towards her step by step, his steps steady yet with a hint of aloofness. Rachel Saintclair's mind went blank, and all the sounds around her seemed to fade away.
Rachel Saintclair couldn't understand why she would bump into Henry Edwards right after coming out of the restroom. It seemed that he had known she was here and had been waiting for a long time. Even more strangely, he seemed quite satisfied with her reaction, as if he had been expecting this stunned expression from her.
A voice in her head kept shouting: Run away!
But her legs felt as if they were filled with lead, and she couldn't move. She could only watch helplessly as Henry Edwards approached her step by step.
"Rachel Saintclair, long... time... no... see."
Henry Edwards stared intently at Rachel Saintclair, getting closer and closer. The distance between them became so close that Rachel Saintclair could clearly see the fine hairs on his face.
His appearance had hardly changed. Compared to three years ago, he had become more mature and handsome. Now, having shed his youthful innocence, he was more confident, exuding a powerful aura. Rachel Saintclair was fully convinced that as long as he stood there, he would be the center of attention, radiating charm.
And at this moment, this "radiant figure" was saying "long time no see" to her word by word, which seemed like a final judgment on her.