The Ex-Wife They Begged To Keep - Chapter 40: Chapter 40

Albert shouted angrily, "Where the hell have you been? With all the company matters waiting for your attention, you went and made a scene at Serena's company. What the hell were you thinking?"
Victor was still hungover, his head splitting with pain, when his father's furious shouting blasted through, making his irritation even worse. "Dad, I can handle my own stuff. Just stay out of it."
"You handle it? Bullshit. The divorce is final. Just let it go. Why are you still meddling in her life? Serena is no longer your concern. Get your ass back here NOW," Albert demanded.
Victor shouted, "No way I'm going back. I swear that I'm bringing Serena back with me, no matter what."
"I- If you don't return immediately, I can replace the Powell family heir at any moment. The choice is yours," Albert threatened.
The call was cut off abruptly. Victor slammed his phone onto the bed with a dull thud.
Eliza listened in from the sidelines, realizing that Albert was even more protective of Serena than she'd thought.
Victor slumped back against the headboard, eyes tightly shut, brows deeply furrowed.
Eliza gently walked over to him and murmured, "Vic, don't be upset. Mr. Powell is just concerned about you."
Victor growled, "All he ever does is push me around. I swear I'll bring Serena back, no matter what."
Eliza gently coaxed him, "Don't be angry, Vic. Let's go back home first. We can figure out another way later."
"Go back?" Suddenly, Victor was struck by his father's threatening words over the phone.
He pressed his fingers hard against his temples. The hangover headache fueled his irritation, yet paradoxically cleared his mind. He gave a tired wave. "Fine, let's just go back for now."
When Eliza heard that Victor had finally agreed to return home, she felt as if a huge weight had been lifted off her chest and quietly let out a sigh of relief.
"Everyone, quiet down," Max said, clapping his hands to get everyone's attention. "The Galaxy Mixed-Use Commercial Complex is one of our most crucial projects this year.
"Each team is to submit a preliminary design proposal, and the final selection will be jointly decided by both the client and our senior management. I expect everyone to take this seriously and deliver your absolute best work."
The meeting room instantly erupted in hushed but excited murmurs.
"Galaxy? That project is a real cash cow."
"Yeah, if we land this one, our year-end bonuses will be huge."
"Competition's going to be fierce. Let's all go all out."
After Max's announcement, Serena approached Stacey's desk. "Stacey, about the preliminary draft for the Galaxy Project, may I take a shot at it?"
"You want to take charge of the first draft?" Stacey asked.
"Yes." Serena nodded, her hands unconsciously clasped together.
Stacey paused, her sharp gaze fixed on Serena, her tone measured and deliberate. "Serena, if you take charge of the preliminary draft, it means the team's time and resources will be allocated to your proposal.
"That's a significant responsibility. It's not something to take lightly."
Serena said earnestly, "Stacey, that's exactly why I want to take on this challenge. I've already done some preliminary research on the project background and have a few ideas. I'd like to see if I can develop a proposal that meets the project standards."
Before Stacey could respond, a shrill voice abruptly cut in. "Serena, this isn't some school gardening competition.
"Do you really think just doing some background research is enough? If your draft turns out to be a mess, you will embarrass yourself and drag the whole team down with you."
Serena shot back, "Erika, you can't seriously believe everyone else is as useless as you, can you?"
Erika, momentarily tongue-tied, blurted out defensively, "I-I was just warning you not to bite off more than you can chew."
"Thanks for the reminder, but I don't need your help," Serena said coolly.
Erika sneered, "If you screw this up and embarrass the whole team, don't regret not heeding my warning."
"That's enough, Erika," Stacey's icy voice cut in, instantly shutting her up.
"Stacey, I'm just stating the facts. Let's see if she won't end up begging for help when things get tough," Erika retorted.
"Done with your work? Get back to your station—now," Stacey snapped.
Erika's face fell. She opened her mouth as if to speak, but the words died on her lips. Not daring to say anything more, she sank back into her seat.
Serena watched as Erika stormed back to her desk, then turned to Stacey with determination. She took a deep breath and said firmly, "Stacey, I'll be fully prepared. This time, I want to push myself and take on this challenge."
Stacey pondered for a moment, her gaze sweeping over Serena.
The Galaxy Project was, after all, one of the company's most crucial initiatives this year. Still, by entrusting it solely to Serena, Stacey wanted to gauge her true capabilities.
"Since you're so confident, I'll entrust you with drafting the preliminary proposal this time," said Stacey.
"Thank you, Stacey. I'll definitely give it my all," Serena smiled.
The office fell into a hushed silence as everyone tuned in to the exchange, listening intently. When Stacey agreed to let Serena take charge of the preliminary draft, colleagues shot Serena a mix of curious, skeptical, and envious glances.
For a moment, a subtle but palpable tension settled over the office. Everyone was lost in their own private thoughts and calculations.
Serena returned to her workstation and opened the files for the Galaxy Project. She immediately dived into her work, brainstorming various design concepts in her mind.
Engaged in an iterative process of refining and perfecting, Serena strove to bring each idea to its fullest potential.
After hours of work, Serena gazed at her creation with a satisfied smile. Though there were still many details to refine, she was confident this draft was more than enough to demonstrate her capabilities.
Early the next morning, Serena arrived at the company on time and handed over her preliminary design draft to Stacey. "Stacey, here's my preliminary draft. Please have a look," Serena said.
Stacey took Serena's draft, giving it a casual glance, only for her gaze to abruptly freeze.
Her indifferent expression was instantly replaced by astonishment. She unconsciously straightened up, poring over the pages with growing intensity.
Inwardly, she marveled, 'This draft far surpasses anything I anticipated.'
Stacey submitted both Serena's preliminary draft and the team's proposal to upper management.
A few days later, the company held a project review meeting.
Max stood at the front of the conference room, surveying the assembled staff as he made the announcement. "Everyone, the final partnership plan for the Galaxy Project has been finalized."
He paused, and the room instantly fell silent, all eyes fixed on him. "The senior management and the client have unanimously decided to adopt the proposal of Stacey's team."
Stacey's team members beamed with excitement, their faces lighting up with joy.
Max continued, "Especially Serena's preliminary design—the client was extremely satisfied, praising it as highly innovative and practical."
At that moment, Max brought up Serena's draft and projected it onto the large screen for everyone to see. Gasps of amazement rippled through the conference room.
"Wow, this is absolutely stunning. This design is phenomenal. It perfectly captures the essence of the Galaxy Project."
"Is this really just a draft? It looks even more polished than our final version."
"Serena is incredible. How did she come up with these ideas?"
The room buzzed with excited chatter as even the most skeptical had now been utterly convinced by Serena's talent.
Stacey maintained a smile as she listened to the praise around her. Yet Serena's exceptional performance stirred an undercurrent of unease within her.
Unconsciously, Stacey tightened her grip on the folder, a thin sheen of sweat forming on her palms.