Chapter 82

My heart felt colder by the day, but her ignoring me no longer made me angry.

The renovation of the Harmonia Hotel was progressing rapidly because we paid well, and everything was running smoothly. With three months of renovation underway, I was already in discussions with operators about promotional activities.

When Tracy found out I had spent a significant amount on advertising, she opposed it during a meeting. Her reasoning was that good products don’t need deliberate promotion; doing so could cheapen them and lower their perceived value.

Jared had stormed off yesterday because of me. Hearing Tracy’s objection, I furrowed my brows. I worried that after spending the night with her, Jared might listen to her and cut my budget.

Jared, sitting at the head of the table, turned his gaze to me. “What’s your take on this?”

I immediately stood up and opened my prepared promotion plan. I emphasized that the future is about diversification, with the advent of online platforms and the reign of traffic, making promotion essential.

Jared, being at the helm of the company, was actually sharper than me. So, when I mentioned “traffic is king,” I saw his eyebrows noticeably twitch in approval.

Tracy’s objective was cost-saving for the company, but there was an underlying intention to restrain me.

Fortunately, Jared didn’t cut my promotional budget. Instead, he called me into his office to ask if I was confident. I couldn’t guarantee success, but I assured him I’d do my best.

Seated behind his desk, Jared leaned back with his long legs crossed, playing with a Rubik’s cube in one hand while scrutinizing me. “Where did you get this ‘traffic is king‘ idea from?”

I thought, ‘If I told you the truth, it would probably shock you.’ So I made up a story about market research.

Jared’s eyes showed a hint of suspicion. “Do you have a mentor guiding you? Who is it?”

I looked at him, puzzled. “What mentor? I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Is it Nathan?” Jared suddenly dropped the name.

My heart skipped a beat, but my face remained calm. “I’ve only met him.”

“When did you meet him?” Jared asked casually. “Couldn’t have been right after my introduction that you two started meeting privately right away.”

I was stunned, looking at him in disbelief. “Are you having me followed?”

Jared put the Rubik’s cube back on his desk and walked over to me, hands in his pockets, looking down at me with a commanding presence. “Someone I know happened to see you two together,” he said.

I didn’t buy his story for a second. Knowing how calculating Jared can be, I thought, ‘He must have noticed my recent change—less dedication to home, less love towards him—and started investigating my whereabouts, suspecting I might be involved with someone else.’

I responded calmly, “Mr. Hallman and I know each other from a donation event years ago. There’s nothing personal between us. We had dinner because he wanted to express his gratitude.”

Jared raised an eyebrow and gave a mocking smile. “Come up with a reason that I’ll actually believe.”

I frowned, thinking, ‘Has Jared lost his mind today? Why is he digging so deep into my personal life all of a sudden?’

“This is the reason. Believe it or not, it’s up to you.” I had no patience to explain further. I thought, ‘When it comes to feelings, the more you explain, the worse it sounds. I’m not stupid.’

Seeing my irritated expression, Jared lowered his voice, adding coldly, “Is it because he’s younger than me?”

I looked at him with a range of emotions on my face, then chuckled, “So what if he’s younger than you? He simply is younger.”

Jared’s face darkened instantly, and a storm brewed in his eyes.