No Escape from Love novel Chapter 157

I shook my head.

"You're not still hung up on him, are you?" Alex's voice suddenly sharpened.

I shook my head again. "I just… think someone like him is kind of pathetic."

"That's exactly why I say you have terrible taste." He launched into another rant. "That brat from the Blake family has no real talent or skills, just a head full of tricks. I still don't understand what you ever saw in him."

As he droned on, I slowly closed my eyes and pretended to sleep, successfully dodging another lecture.

…

The next morning, I was woken up by a knock on my door.

I stumbled to open it groggily only to find someone standing outside.

"Ms. Ashford, good morning. My name is Lilian Lancaster. Mr. Hastings sent me to take care of your daily needs."

"What?" I snapped awake instantly. "Take care of my daily needs?"

"Yes, I'm your housekeeper." The middle-aged woman smiled warmly. She looked kind and gentle.

I was still processing this, but the doorway wasn't the place for a conversation. Stepping aside, I said, "Lilian, right? Come in."

She wasted no time. As soon as she stepped in, she began tidying up the kitchen and preparing breakfast. I quickly dialed Alex's number.

"Has Lilian arrived?" he asked as soon as he picked up.

"Yeah," I said. "But I really don't need this. I'm just an office worker. Why would I need a personal housekeeper? Isn't this a bit over the top?"

At the first meeting dedicated to the project, I presented the proposal I had spent the past two weeks refining.

"This collaboration focuses on Excel Group's new energy sector. Based on our company's capabilities and Excel Group's labor costs in this field, my proposed bid is 80 million dollars. If Excel Group raises concerns, we have a five-million-dollar buffer for adjustments."

Alex sat at the head of the table with an unreadable expression.

It was Oliver who nodded in approval. "Eighty-five million dollars is pretty close to our initial estimate. Barring any unforeseen issues, this should be a competitive bid."

I nodded at him to express my gratitude.

Alex remained silent while Oliver stood up. "Patricia and Samson, make sure to give Serena your full support. We need to win this deal with Excel Group."

Patricia, as always, was fired up like she had just taken a shot of adrenaline. Samson, on the other hand, didn't say a word.