She hesitated for a few seconds before finally opening the door.
On the welcome mat sat a paper bag filled with the herbal medicine Evelyn had brewed for her.
Seth was already gone.
…
On Wednesday, Noreen had arranged to meet Scott at Winrich to discuss a potential project. She told him she’d reviewed his proposal and was genuinely interested.
Scott arrived at Winrich brimming with confidence. As he waited for the elevator, he ran into Ethan, who was coming downstairs to pick up Bianca.
“Well, if it isn’t Mr. Quigley,” Ethan called out, his tone oozing smugness. Lately, everything seemed to be going his way; even his cheeks had a healthy flush.
Put side by side, Scott and Ethan might as well have come from different worlds.
One radiated wealth and success; the other looked worn down, barely scraping by.
Ethan’s sense of superiority only grew as he took in Scott’s disheveled appearance. “Having trouble out in the real world, huh? I told you before—business is business, dreams are dreams. You can’t eat ideals for breakfast.”
“You’re way too stubborn, you know that? You never understood I was looking out for you, and you still turned on me.”
Before Scott left the company, he and Ethan had a shouting match in the office that everyone heard. It had been a humiliating scene for Ethan.
He’d always believed that since he invested the most money, he deserved the final say. Scott, in his mind, was just an employee—someone who had no right to challenge him.
Ethan straightened his designer jacket, making a show of it. “Just so you know, Aurelion Group has invested in my company again—more than last time, actually. If things aren’t working out for you out there, I could take you back. Let’s call it a favor for old college buddies.”
“But…” Ethan lifted his chin, “there’s a condition. You’ll have to apologize to me in front of the whole company. Admit you were wrong. Only then will I take you back. Of course, you’d just be an employee this time—not a partner.”
The elevator chimed.
Scott kept his expression blank. “Could you move? You’re blocking my way.”

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABEL
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Never Mistake a Queen for a Lapdog