He Sent Me Overseas to Marry Her, I’m Staying Overseas to Never See Him Again Chapter 07
The crisis around Project Polaris exploded across the States.
Bennett stopped calling me, probably because he was too busy putting out fires everywhere.
On the third day, Mina forwarded me an internal message.
Bennett had pledged his shares in headquarters as collateral to cover the losses from Project Polaris.
I looked at the message, and something inside me shifted faintly.
He had gone that far just to protect Tessa’s reputation.
“Ms. Rowan, has Mr. Hale lost his mind?”
Mina stood beside me, furious on my behalf.
“That company was the empire he built from nothing, and he’s risking it all for Tessa?”
I set down my pen and gave a cold laugh.
“He isn’t doing it for Tessa. He’s doing it for that pathetic pride of his.”
“He can’t admit he chose the wrong person. More than that, he can’t admit that without me, he can’t clean up his own mess.”
Just then, my office door was pushed open.
A man in a navy suit walked in. It was Bennett’s aide, Miles Carter.
“Ms. Rowan, Mr. Hale sent me to ask you to come back.”
I did not even lift my head.
“Bring me back’? Mr. Hale’s vocabulary must be deteriorating if he thinks a request involves sending his assistant to breach my private office without an appointment.”
Miles stood there awkwardly, his voice carrying a trace of pleading.
“Ms. Rowan, I’m begging you. The company is in chaos. You’re the only one who can save it.”
“Mr. Hale said that as long as you’re willing to return, he can revoke the branch’s independence and give you the VP position at headquarters.”
The more I listened, the more absurd it became.
“Miles, go back and tell Bennett I have no interest in a position at headquarters.”
“As for Project Polaris, that’s Tessa’s responsibility now. Let her solve it herself.”
Miles gritted his teeth, then took an envelope from his pocket and placed it on my desk.
“This is from Mr. Hale.”
I opened it and found a receipt for a diamond ring. The date was half a month ago.
Right around the time he went to City Hall with Tessa.
On the back of the receipt, someone had written a line.
[Claire, this was supposed to be for you.]
I looked at the receipt and felt sick.
A diamond ring supposedly meant for me, bought at the same time he was legally marrying another woman.
This kind of too-late devotion was cheaper than dirt.
In front of Miles, I tore the receipt to pieces.
“Go back and tell him to save this kind of thing for his new wife.”
Miles’s face turned ugly.
“Ms. Rowan, do you really have to be this ruthless?”
“Mr. Hale has already offended the board trying to save the project. If you don’t step in, he removed.”
I smiled, stood, and walked toward him.
“That’s his problem. It has absolutely zero relevance to my life. Security will show you out.
After Miles left, Mina looked at me with concern.
“Ms. Rowan, if the board really starts tearing into him, will it affect the London branch?”
I shook my head.
“The agreement is already in effect. We’re an independent entity now.”
“If he gets removed, that’s actually good news for me.”
Just then, a text came in on my phone.
it was from an anonymous number.
Unknown: [Claire, do you really think you’re safe just because you ran overseas?]
I stared at the message, my brows drawing together.
Before I could react, Mina suddenly pointed out the window and shouted, “Ms. Rowan! Look downstairs!”
I walked to the window and looked down.
Several black sedans had stopped in front of the company entrance.
A group of people in black suits were getting out, holding protest signs.
The signs read: [Claire stole company secrets and fled with corporate funds.]
For a moment, I went still.
Bennett had actually resorted to something this filthy?
To force me back, he was willing to smear my name like this?
I picked up my phone and dialed the number I had thought I would never call again.
The call connected quickly. Bennett’s voice sounded unnervingly calm.
“Claire, you finally decided to contact me.”
I clenched my teeth and spoke into the phone.
“Bennett, have you completely lost your goddamn mind? You would actually drag my name through a public media execution?”
Bennett gave a soft laugh on the other end.
“I told you to behave.”
“As long as you break free back to the States, these coordinated press releases vanish into thin air. Don’t force me to deploy federal agencies, Claire. Just come home.”
I looked at the people causing a scene downstairs, and anger burned up through my chest.
“Fine, Bennett. If you want to play, I’ll play with you to the end.”
I hung up and turned to Mina.
“Send the evidence of his misuse of company funds to every board member.”