Chapter 14 Truly Regretful
“You want my help? Then give me the title I deserve. Project work should be handled by the project department anyway.”
Stella didn’t even turn around as she calmly tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
The project department was one of the core teams at Johnson Corp.
If Stella got in…
James worried she might pull some tricks behind the scenes.
But if the projects continued to stall, Johnson Corp’s cash flow would become dangerously unstable.
As he hesitated-
Stella pulled open the office door.
“In that case, I won’t bother pleading with Moses. Do as you please, Father.”
“…Fine! I’ll allow it!”
Bang!
low it!”
Stella shut the door again with a loud slam.
The sound rang out like a declaration of victory in this power struggle.
James’s face turned ashen as he added, “But since your return, you haven’t closed a single deal. Getting you into the project. department is easy, but earning everyone’s respect won’t be. That’ll take time to assess…”
Of course. There was always a condition.
Just then, Luna stormed in. “I heard everything from the hallway! You’re being ridiculous, Stella. The project department is full of the company’s top talent. Dad’s only thinking about you–he doesn’t want you going in empty–handed. But instead, you’re threatening him?”
There it was.
His daughter.
James looked at Luna with nothing but fondness as he pulled her close
“See? Your sister gets it. You can join the department, but you’ll need to show results. Otherwise, you’ll just be in over your head.”
“Dad’s always so thoughtful.” Luna clung to his arm, then gave Stella a smug smile. “And there are only so many desks in the department. We’re recruiting next week. If you don’t have results, you’ll be stuck in the hallway.”
One week, huh?
Stella’s expression didn’t change.
Back when she was starting a company with Shane, she spent an entire month hopping from dinner to dinner and still landed seven or eight contracts.
She may have played the part of a canary for a few years–but she was never truly useless.
One week. I’ll sign a deal by then.”
“Hah! Don’t just talk big, Stella. You’ve spent years playing house and pining over love–you think the business world is that easy? Words mean nothing. Put it in writing. A real bet. If you lose, you leave Johnson Corp.”
Luna sneered.
1/4
Unity Corp had grown fast these past few years. Shane’s name was everywhere.
No one even mentioned Stella anymore.
She was sure Stella was just a parasite. No real talent.
But Stella said calmly, “If it’s a bet… then if I win, you give up your position as vice president.”
“Fine!”
Luna, still high off her imagined victory, agreed without thinking.
The moment she said it-
Stella tapped her phone and replayed the audio. Then she turned and walked off.
“The deal is sealed.”
Crap!
Luna had agreed without thinking!
She didn’t want to gamble everything she had–but Stella moved so fast, there was no chance to take it back.
Luna gritted her teeth. No way Stella could pull this off.
Back at the PR department, people suddenly began treating Stella much more normally.
Most likely on James’s orders–hoping she’d hurry up and get the Landons on board.
One colleague rushed up to her in a panic.
“Stella! There’s a last–minute meeting with a potential client,at noon. Can you cover for me? My dad was rushed to the hospital–I need to go!”
Stella didn’t have much on her plate, so she agreed.
The coworker bowed in gratitude several times, handed her the time and location, then hurried off.
Stella arrived at the hotel as instructed, eyeing the lavish lobby with a frown.
“A small project worth less than a million needs a place like this?”
Weird.
Was the deal fake? Was this just some tiny firm trying to bribe a Johnson Corp employee?
Suspicious, she carefully found the designated VVIP suite and opened the door.
A burst of confetti exploded in her face.
Red roses filled the entire room. And right in the center, Shane was down on one knee, holding out the pink diamond ring she used to love.
“Star, marry me!”
“Marry him!”
“Marry him!”
Hotel staff and hired extras chanted behind him.
But Stella felt… nothing.
214
Yes, she used to love that pink diamond ring.
Back when Shane was a nobody–back when Unity Corp could barely afford to attend an auction–she and Shane had sat in the farthest corner, holding hands, watching the brilliant ring on display.
Back then, Shane had whispered:
“One day, I’ll buy you the prettiest pink diamond ring.”
She’d been completely swept away, leaning on his shoulder in a daze, silently watching from the shadows.
Until-
Before she could ever wear that ring, Wendy was already wearing the matching pink diamond necklace.
Wendy had stood in front of both of them, playing coy.
“Shane, I don’t deserve something this beautiful. You should give it to Stella instead.”
“She has something else.”
Shane had stopped Wendy from taking off the necklace.
And what did Stella get?
A kiss on the forehead.
That was it.
So yeah-
Her love and loyalty had never meant anything to him.
And now, this late ring?
Also worthless.
She stepped back into the hallway. The doorway split her and Shane into two different worlds.
“I don’t need trash.”
Trash?
Shane’s brows furrowed deeply. The crowd behind him fell silent.
He got to his feet and approached her.
“Star, wasn’t this your favorite ring? You always looked at this series in the catalogs–at the auctions…”
Mid–sentence, he stared down at the ring in his hand and chuckled bitterly.
“Right. That was back then. You probably deserve a bigger, more expensive ring now. I’ll get you something better-”
“You should spend that money fixing your head.”
Stella cut him off coldly, sweeping her eyes over him.
“Don’t bring me castoffs no one else wants. I don’t want them. They’re dirty.”
She turned and walked away.
Her heels clicked crisply across the polished floor.
Shane leapt to his feet. His knee ached from kneeling too hard–but he didn’t care.
3/4
He stumbled forward and grabbed Stella’s arm, his voice trembling with panic.
“Star, please, just hear me out. I know I messed up. I really regret everything I did.”
His eyes locked on hers, full of pain and desperate remorse.
