Chapter 170 I Don't Want to Work With You

A misdial? Not a chance. Yvette was meticulous to the point of being obsessive, like a human precision instrument. There was no way she'd accidentally call me. I couldn't be bothered to figure out if she was lying or not. "Alright. I'll hang up then." But before I could end the call, she suddenly stopped me. "Owen, did Nancy say you're planning to quit?" I paused, phone halfway away from my ear. Her cold tone caught me off guard, so I switched to speaker and continued chatting with my college friends over text. They replied instantly, filling the screen with casual banter. "We're divorced now. Whatever I do is none of your business. Besides, weren't you the one avoiding me like the plague? If I stayed at Nancy's company, you'd run into me constantly since your two companies are so closely tied. Me leaving is a win-win for you, isn't it?" She was quiet for a moment before her frosty voice came through again. "I didn't ask you to leave. Nancy's company may be newer, but it's well-funded, well-connected, and has a strong network. It's perfect for someone like you—someone coming back into the industry with some name recognition. "And you're still Mr. Quenwell's last apprentice. That title alone could triple your value with the right marketing. Your past work might've sold for a few thousand or, at most, a couple hundred thousand. "But with the right promotion, your next projects could easily bring in millions, maybe even tens of millions. You could create your own game and hold the majority stake. You know how lucrative gaming is right now. Do I really need to spell it out for you?" The more she talked, the more off it sounded. I raised an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at my lips. "Yvette, are you trying to get me to work with you?" On the other end, I heard her chair scrape against the floor as she stood up, followed by her measured footsteps. "You were the champion of the Global VFX Competition, and I was the organizer. Isn't it natural for me to want to collaborate with you? If you're interested, you can join my company directly. Forget Nancy's company." I was stunned. Yvette was seriously offering to partner up? Knowing her, she probably wanted us to never cross paths again after the divorce. Why the sudden change? I let out a sarcastic laugh. "Didn't you say I wasn't good enough to work for your company before? What's this new angle you're playing now?" Her tone was casual like she couldn't care less. "You lied to me back then, pretending to be a loser. I treated you like one. Saying you weren't fit for the company was just protecting its interests. But now that you've proven yourself, of course I want to recruit you. What's the issue?" Her bluntness was so infuriating it made me laugh. Yvette had a way with words, and she didn't care if I wanted to hear them or not. "The issue, Yvette, is that we're exes. We just recently got divorced, and you want me working right under your nose? Doesn't that feel weird to you? Not to mention, aren't you planning to be with Randall? Imagine his reaction if he finds out I'm working in your company. He'd lose his mind." I was sure her voice remained indifferent, with an edge of mockery. "If you have a career and it's doing well, why cut off your own opportunities? Oh, and by the way, that girl you were with earlier—Clover? She's not your type. She changes boyfriends like clothes." Then, with a sharp undertone, she added, "She's younger than me, sure, but she doesn't even come close to matching my abilities. All she does is race cars and act like her standards are sky-high. She'll never settle down with one guy. Don't kid yourself into thinking you'll tame her. She can't give you happiness." I was speechless. What a revelation. Clover certainly seemed to be living her best life. But how the hell did Yvette dig up all this dirt on her in just a few hours? She'd only met her once this morning, and by evening, she had her whole dating history on file. Yet somehow, she hadn't figured out Clover and I were cousins. The way she was nitpicking and competing… if I didn't know better, I'd think she was jealous. I scoffed. "Why do you care if she makes me happy? If you're so invested in my love life, why don't I just marry someone you approve of? What about Nancy? "She runs a company, looks great, and knows me well. She's a little spoiled, but that's fine. She's been nothing but sweet and caring to me since I joined. She'd make a great wife, don't you think?" Yvette's breathing hitched audibly. "Don't even think about it. She's out of your league." Bingo. She was clearly rattled. If I actually went after Nancy, it wouldn't just make Yvette look bad—it'd embarrass her whole family. After all, the Jenning and the Lane families had been close for generations. Not that I had any real intention of marrying again. Nancy wouldn't be interested in me anyway. I leaned back on the couch, grabbed another spicy crawfish, and let out a lazy laugh. "You sure? I distinctly remember her saying she'd consider it if you and I ever split." Yvette let out a cold laugh. "Let me repeat myself. She's not interested in you. I won't let you off easy if you're stupid enough to try. Don't test me, Owen." Her ability to bully while sounding self-righteous was truly something else. I smirked. "You're awfully protective of Nancy. Are you two secretly in love with each other? This seems like a mutual admiration society to me." Her voice turned icier. "You're delusional. Get your head on straight before you talk to me again." I snorted, crunching down on another crawfish. "I'm just matching your energy, Yvette. I'll talk right back to you the way you talk to me." "And as for your earlier suggestion? Sure, I've got market value and name recognition now. But I don't need Hayes Corporation to boost me. Any decent company can do that. So, no. I'm not working with Jenning Group—because I don't want to work with you."