The Ex-Wife They Begged To Keep - Chapter 24: Chapter 24

After much deliberation, Serena made up her mind to see Peter in person. Without wasting another moment, she flagged down a taxi, gave the driver the address, and soon arrived at Peter's company.
"Excuse me, I'd like to see Mr. Peter Lyles," Serena said politely to the receptionist.
The receptionist gave her a quick once-over and asked, "Do you have an appointment?"
"No, but I've been in contact with his assistant, Shane, and..."
"If you don't have an appointment, Mr. Lyles won't see you." The receptionist interrupted Serena, her eyes already dropping back to the paperwork in front of her.
Serena had no choice but to pull out her phone and dial Shane's number. "Shane, I'm at the front desk of your company now. Does Mr. Lyles have a moment to meet with me?"
Shane replied, "Ms. Gray, Mr. Lyles is really busy right now. We will contact you later to discuss your design proposal. Why don't you go back for now?"
Serena's grip on her phone tightened. She insisted, "Shane, this project means a lot to me. I'll wait downstairs, however long it takes."
Shane replied in a cold tone, "You can wait until tomorrow morning, but Mr. Lyles still won't see you."
Serena didn't respond but hung up the call. She found an empty couch in a quiet corner of the lobby, sat down, and waited in silence.
A lot of people walked through the lobby, yet no one paid her the slightest attention.
Keith happened to pass through the lobby just then. His gaze drifted idly over the surroundings until it suddenly stopped at a couch in the corner.
Keith paused his steps. He saw Serena, head bowed, clutching a roll of paper tightly in her hands. She curled slightly inward, looking tired.
Noticing someone looking at her, Serena looked up and saw a man walking toward her. She thought, 'Keith? What is he doing here?'
"Serena?" Keith greeted her.
"Mr. Brannon? What are you doing here?" Serena asked in surprise.
"I'm here for a business meeting."
"Oh, I see."
Serena bit her lower lip, unconsciously tightening her hold on the rolled-up drawings. She pushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear, trying to compose herself.
Keith's gaze dropped to the papers in her hands, and he asked, "And you? What are you doing here?"
Serena replied, "I came to see Mr. Lyles. I wanna talk about the design proposal, but he's too busy to meet with me."
Keith frowned slightly. "You mean Peter?"
As they spoke, a man stepped briskly out of the elevator. He wore a wide smile on his face and extended his hands. "Mr. Brannon, welcome."
A flicker of hope lit up in Serena's heart upon seeing Peter.
"Mr. Lyles, good to see you," Keith replied with polite warmth.
While Peter and Keith exchanged greetings, Serena seized the brief moment and stepped forward, offering the design drafts with a nervous smile. "Mr. Lyles, hello. I'm Serena, the designer working on your home project."
Peter had been about to continue speaking with Keith, but the interruption made him pause. He noticed Keith's gaze hadn't strayed from Serena since the moment he stepped into the lobby.
"Do you guys know each other?" Peter asked, mildly surprised.
"Yes. Seri did me a big favor not long ago," Keith said.
The way Keith used her nickname made Peter's smile falter ever so slightly. Peter couldn't help the thought that crossed his mind. 'What exactly is going on between them?'
"Oh, so you're Ms. Gray. I had no idea you and Mr. Brannon were acquainted. My apologies," said Peter.
Serena felt a wave of relief wash over her, thinking, 'Thank goodness I ran into Keith.'
"Mr. Lyles, I have some new ideas about the design proposal we submitted earlier. I'd really like to discuss with you in person," Serena instantly said, not wanting to waste the opportunity.
Peter glanced over at Keith and noticed that he was still watching Serena intently. After a brief pause, he said, "Ms. Gray, can you come here at nine tomorrow morning? We'll have a proper discussion about it."
Serena nodded and said, "Sure. Thank you, Mr. Lyles."
She stole a glance at Keith and saw his eyes were still on her. A warmth bloomed in her chest. She knew Keith did that and called her by her nickname just to help her.
Keith caught the grateful look in her eyes and held her gaze for a moment. His lips pressed together slightly, and a barely perceptible smile played on his lips.
The next morning, led by the receptionist, Serena arrived at Peter's office.
"Please have a seat, Ms. Gray," Peter said, gesturing toward the chair.
"Mr. Lyles, about the design proposal we previously submitted..." Serena came to the point.
However, before she could finish, Peter cut her off. "To be frank, Ms. Gray, I'm not satisfied with your proposal." After a brief pause, his tone became serious. "I'm looking for a team with more experience and proven capability."
Serena had thought that with Keith's support, things might go more smoothly. She hadn't expected Peter to reject their work so directly.
Her slender fingers clenched tightly around the folder in her hands. "Mr. Lyles, I know I'm new to the team, but I've put a lot of thought and effort into this project. It means a great deal to me."
Peter had been ready to reject her, but Keith's words and attitude toward Serena from the day before echoed in his mind.
He frowned and thought, 'Keith Brannon is known as a shrewd and capable businessman in this industry. If he holds this girl in high regard, there must be more to her than meets the eye.'
After a moment's hesitation, Peter swallowed his refusal and said, "Ms. Gray, I can give you another chance."
"Thank you so much, Mr. Lyles. I'll do my very best," replied Serena.
Just then, a soft knock came at the office door.
Peter said, "Come in."
Shane entered the office, walked over to Peter, and whispered in his ear, "Mr. Lyles, Mrs. Lyles's prenatal check-up is coming up soon."
Peter glanced at his watch and then looked back at Serena. "That's all for today, Ms. Gray. Shane will send you a list of revised requirements. Can you come back in three days? I expect a proposal that can impress me."
Serena nodded and left the office. Peter gave her another chance, but it was clear he remained dissatisfied with the original proposal.
As she walked out, Serena suddenly recalled Shane's mention of Peter's wife's prenatal check-up. The image of an expectant father flashed in her mind.
She thought, 'As an expectant father, the house he needs must be different. His home needs more than just elegance—it needs warmth, safety, and even playfulness. And we completely overlooked the needs of a child in our design.'
As Serena went back and stepped into the office lobby, she nearly collided with Erika.
Erika stood there with her arms crossed and glared at Serena. "Well, well, our great designer finally decides to show up. Where have you been during work hours?"
Serena replied, "I had a meeting with Mr. Lyles from Lyles Group."
Erika sneered, "Mr. Lyles? Don't make me laugh. You think someone as busy as him would waste time meeting with you? You were just slacking off, weren't you?"
"You don't get to decide whether I was slacking or not," Serena replied coldly.
Her nerves were already frayed from the meeting with Peter, and Erika's sarcastic tone only made things worse.
Seeing Serena's grim face, Erika grew even more smug. She glanced at Serena up and down and said with a mocking smile, "I said you'd never pull off this project. Might as well quit now. Don't embarrass yourself."