Chapter 5

Vincent felt both regret and admiration when he heard Mila's response. "Mr. Hall is truly fortunate to have someone as capable as you, Ms. Wright. No wonder his ventures have been so successful." "You flatter me, Mr. Cross. Compared to Mr. Hall, I admire you even more for building your empire from the ground up," Mila answered. Even though it was just the usual polite banter exchanged over drinks, Vincent was thoroughly charmed. "I always enjoy working with you, Ms. Wright. You have a way with words that puts people at ease. Here, a toast to you." "You shouldn't drink too much. Let me drink this one. Bottoms up for me. You can just take it easy." Vincent appreciated straightforward people, so he genuinely liked Mila's personality. After she finished her drink, he urged her, "Don't push yourself so hard. I'll only sign this project with you. No one else will do!" "I really have to thank you then, Mr. Cross!" Mila poured him another drink. Noticing her pale complexion, Vincent asked with concern, "Ms. Wright, are you feeling unwell? You look rather pale." "I'm fine." "Should I have my driver take you to the hospital?" Before Mila could decline, someone knocked on the private room door. A waiter entered. "Mr. Cross, Mr. Hall learned you were dining here and asked me to bring you this wine." Vincent glanced at the bottle—a Romani-Canti. A generous gesture indeed. But what puzzled him more was, if Matteo was also at Golden Cove, why wasn't he here with Mila? Before he could inquire, Matteo entered with Penelope in tow. "Mr. Cross, I hope you like the wine?" Matteo greeted Vincent, his gaze sweeping past Mila as if she weren't there. Matteo wore a crisp white dress shirt that was perfectly tailored, accentuating his lean, aristocratic frame. His suit jacket, however, was currently draped over Penelope's shoulders, an intimacy displayed without a hint of concealment. The bitter irony was that Mila had personally picked out that jacket for Matteo. "How could I not appreciate such a thoughtful gift from Mr. Hall? And this is…?" Vincent's gaze settled on Penelope, who had followed Matteo in. Instinctively, he guessed their relationship. A man giving his jacket to a woman spoke volumes without words. Vincent then looked at Mila. She was surprisingly composed, though her face seemed a shade paler than moments before. "Allow me to make introductions. This is Royal Investment's Head of Investment, Ms. Lewis. Penny, this is Mr. Cross from Treveur Corp, an old friend of Royal Investment," Matteo said. Penelope stepped forward to shake Vincent's hand. "Pleased to meet you, Mr. Cross. I look forward to working with you." "The pleasure is mine, Ms. Lewis." Treveur Corp had collaborated with Royal Investment on several projects, so Vincent was somewhat aware of the internal situation. The investment department had been established less than a year ago, and the Head of Investment position had remained vacant. Everyone assumed it was being reserved for Mila. After all, for the past year, Mila had been managing the investment projects single-handedly. Despite holding two roles, Mila had managed to make the investment department the top performer at Royal Investment within a year. Her efforts far exceeded anyone else's. No one had expected someone else to reap the rewards of the tree she had planted. Even Vincent, an outsider, felt a pang of sympathy for Mila. "By the way, Mr. Cross, Ms. Lewis will be your primary contact for the collaboration with Treveur Corp from now on. I brought her here to introduce her and get acquainted." Hearing this, Vincent instinctively frowned. "But it's always been Ms. Wright handling communications. This sudden change—" Matteo dismissed the concern casually. "Mila is just a secretary. Before Ms. Lewis returned, the projects were temporarily assigned to Ms. Wright for management. Now that the rightful person is back, things should naturally return to their proper place." Then, he even reassured Vincent, "Don't worry, Mr. Cross. Ms. Lewis holds a PhD in Finance from the WT School of Business in Meridia. She has previously worked at one of the most prestigious banks overseas. "She's a top talent I recruited at a high cost for Royal Investment. Her professional competence is beyond doubt." But Vincent's concern wasn't about competence. He simply felt bad for Mila, knowing how much she had poured into this project. Seeing Matteo hand it over to someone else so casually, even an outsider like him found it hard to watch. Mila, however, reacted with unsettling calm. Matteo was personally introducing Penelope to partners. That was clearly an act of support, paving her way forward. He was genuinely being thoughtful. A level of thoughtfulness Mila herself had never once received. So she spoke with detached calmness. "I will compile and hand over all project materials to Ms. Lewis as soon as possible." "I appreciate your help, Ms. Wright," Penelope said politely. Mila nodded faintly. As she picked up her bag to leave, she addressed Vincent. "Mr. Cross, you can discuss matters directly with Ms. Lewis now. I'll take my leave." Vincent wanted to ask her to stay, but he was in no position to do so. In the end, he could only subtly express his disapproval on Mila's behalf. "This is your company's internal decision. As an outsider, naturally, I have no objections. Business is business—who I work with makes little difference. "However, Mr. Hall, you know my style. I enjoy making friends over drinks. Back then, Ms. Wright earned my respect by downing nine shots of liquor. I wonder how Ms. Lewis holds her liquor?" "I may not drink as well as Ms. Wright," Penelope said graciously, lifting her glass. "But I'm more than willing to keep you company and share a couple of drinks, Mr. Cross." But before she could drink, Matteo took the glass from her hand. "She's not feeling well. I'll drink this for her." Then, without waiting for Vincent's response, he downed the shot in one go. Vincent knew Matteo was allergic to alcohol. That was why Mila had always been the one taking drinks for him at business dinners. In all their years of acquaintance, this was the first time he'd seen Matteo take a drink for someone else. Then what did Mila sacrificing herself and taking those drinks for him in the past even amount to? Mila stood outside the room, wondering the same thing. ... Back home, after taking her medicine and lying down, Mila received a call from Ginny. Ginny asked if Mila had been resting properly, if she was taking care of her health, and if she was strictly following her doctor's orders to avoid alcohol. Mila's answers were vague. Ginny immediately knew she was lying. "So you drank again?" "It was a business engagement. I didn't have a choice." Ginny exploded with rage on the other end of the line. "Are you trying to kill yourself? Have you forgotten that you nearly died from alcohol poisoning? How could that bastard still send you to these drinking sessions?" "It won't happen again," Mila promised. Ginny didn't buy that. "That's what you said before, too!" "I mean it this time." "How serious are you?" Mila thought for a moment and asked Ginny, "Do you know any good lawyers? One who can stand up to Royal Investment's legal team?" A frown tugged on Ginny's brow. "What are you planning?" "I'm thinking of terminating my contract with Royal Investment. But you know that I signed a long-term agreement with them before. The terms are heavily against me, and Royal Investment's legal department is notoriously aggressive. Most lawyers wouldn't dare take the case." Only then did Ginny realize Mila wasn't joking. She couldn't help but ask in astonishment, "Are you really Mila?" "The one and only." "Today is truly a day worth celebrating! My lovesick best friend has finally come to her senses!" Ginny was genuinely thrilled for Mila. If it weren't for Mila needing rest, she would have dragged her out for an all-night chat. "I'll handle the lawyer. I'll find you someone really good." Before hanging up, Ginny reassured Mila that she'd take care of things. Talking things out with someone lifted a weight off Mila's chest. Just as drowsiness began to pull her under, Matteo's call came through. She answered, her tone unnervingly calm, "Is there something you need, Mr. Hall?" "Bring me my allergy medication," he ordered, just as he always did. "Of course, Mr. Hall." After hanging up, Mila powered off her phone and settled in for a peaceful sleep. As for someone playing the hero and stepping in to drink on behalf of the damsel in distress, triggering an allergic reaction—what did that have to do with her?