Chapter 3

The next morning I went to the office as usual.

I could do without Ethan, but Era Media had all my blood, sweat, and tears poured into it.

Even if I left, I needed to arrange the company's affairs properly.

Besides, I could still collect steady dividends every year.

I was calculating who to promote to replace me on the front lines so I could provide remote guidance, when Sales Manager Amy stood at the elevator entrance looking completely defeated.

She was a company veteran who'd been with me through countless deals large and small.

I'd never seen her so crushed.

"Miss Clara, last night we sent the quote to Mr. Ethan. Assistant Lily said he was asleep and that she'd handle it."

"But she accidentally sent our bottom-line pricing sheet to the client as well."

"Now the client is demanding we cut our price by 20%, but our profit margin is only 30%."

Her voice choked up.

"This is a project we've been working on for half a year. If we proceed now, we'll lose money. If we don't, we'll lose this client completely."

I nodded while pushing open Ethan's office door.

Lily was lying on her side on the sofa bed. Ethan was spoon-feeding her water.

This sofa bed was from back when we first started the business, when Ethan bought it to force me to rest.

He said: "My office is your exclusive rest area."

So even when the company moved later and we bought our own property and renovated,

I still moved this sofa bed along with us.

Now another woman was lying on the sofa bed, and he was carefully watching over her.

Just like we used to be.

My chest tightened, but strangely, it didn't hurt anymore.

Seeing me, Lily immediately sat up.

"Clara, don't misunderstand. I fainted from guilt, so Ethan was just giving me sugar water."

I remembered that the first time she met Ethan, she called him her sister's boyfriend. I didn't know when that had changed.

I ignored her and went straight to slap the report on Ethan's desk.

"At the client's current asking price, if we want to secure the project, we'll lose $120,000."

I glanced at the two of them.

"Which of you is going to cover it?"

Lily's eyes immediately reddened.

"It's all my fault. I should have woken Ethan up. I just felt bad that he was so tired."

"I'll go find Mr. Li right now. I'll beg him!"

Ethan frowned tightly at the document and didn't stop her.

Amy and I stood there with no intention of stopping her either.

She found herself in an awkward position, frozen in place.

I crossed my arms and looked at her.

"Lily, crying or begging doesn't work in business!"

She threw off the cashmere blanket, but after just two steps she collapsed to the floor.

It was such a clumsy performance that I felt arguing with this kind of person was beneath me.

But Ethan, the supposed business genius, believed it.

He helped Lily up and carefully settled her on the sofa.

"Clara, you're always so aggressive."

"Does everyone in the world have to revolve around you?"

I freed one hand to tap on the desk.

"Don't give me this irrelevant nonsense. $120,000. What are you going to do about it?"

His eyes were bloodshot.

"If taking this project means losing money, then we just won't do it!"

I let out a cold laugh.

"Do you remember how much we drank, how many all-nighters we pulled to win this client in the first place?"

"Besides, this isn't the only project we have with them! If we drop this, how many times $120,000 will we lose?"

"Ethan, did a dog eat your brain?"

He glanced at me impatiently, muttering "so petty,"

Then he pulled out his bank card and threw it in my face.

"It's just $120,000. I'll cover it for her. Happy now?"