Chapter 1454

Tessa left the restaurant with the contract in hand, and by the time she stepped outside, her mood had lightened considerably.

Now that she’d secured this deal, what could those old men at the company possibly say about her?

She wasn’t useless after all. Everyone in the industry knew Mike’s reputation, yet she’d managed to close the deal over one meal.

It turned out negotiations weren’t as difficult as she’d imagined. Given time, she was certain she could surpass Aurora.

Just as she walked out of the restaurant, her phone buzzed.

It was a message from Aaron.

[When can you come over? I’m waiting for you.]

Tessa rolled her eyes.

She had just finished dinner, and he was already getting impatient.

Still, she needed his help, so she decided to meet him.

She had once planned to cut ties with him, but considering Lucas‘ position, she couldn’t afford to.

For now, Aaron was too useful to let go. He still had connections with the Carter family, and when it came to attending their events, he was undoubtedly her best ticket into high society.

Her thoughts drifted to Edwin, whom she had seen at a banquet before–that was her true goal.

To her, as long as she could reach her destination, the process didn’t matter.

People only remembered the winner, never the one who came second. Reaching the goal was all that mattered; everything else was a stepping stone.

Grace was the same way–she only cared about results, never the process, and never asked whether it had been difficult.

Tessa had understood that long ago. That was why she now relied solely on herself, and why she no longer cared about how Grace felt.

When it came to Grace, all Tessa needed to do was maintain her obedient daughter act. Nothing more.

She had always known exactly what she wanted–to eventually take full control of Walton Corporation herself, not spend her life being trampled under Aurora’s feet.

That night, Tessa arrived at the hotel.

The moment she stepped through the door, Aaron pulled her into his arms. She pushed his head away, teasing lightly, “Why are you in such a hurry?”

“You’ve been so busy with work lately, I barely get any of your attention,” he complained.

He liked her face, but not seeing her for so long had dulled the excitement.

Feelings needed constant nurturing–if he couldn’t even see her, what was the point?

“Well, I’m here now, aren’t I? Giving you a chance to nurture those feelings,” she said with a sly smile, wrapping her arms around his neck. His kisses fell on her skin, one after another.

At first, Tessa wasn’t entirely satisfied, but Aaron looked decent enough, and being part of the Carter family made him worth keeping around.

A woman’s body, when used wisely, was a powerful weapon, so why care too much about it?

As they moved together, Tessa spoke softly between breaths. “Aaron, there’s something I’d like to ask you for help with.”

“Do you really have to bring that up right now?” he said in annoyance, his tone edged with frustration. To him, her timing was nothing short of a mood killer.