Swapping a Broken Heart for a New Start novel Chapter 1180

So, she really did know the president? The receptionist couldn’t believe it. Even Aiden had treated her with so much respect. Who was this woman? Did I just offend her? She watched the group disappear into the elevator, her heart racing with nerves, not daring to say a word.

Audrey Williams didn’t spare a second thought for the awkward scene downstairs. She followed Aiden out of the elevator and was soon ushered into Walter Wilson’s office. As she walked in, she saw him at his desk, completely absorbed in a towering stack of paperwork. He wore a sharp suit, and even though he clearly had his hands full, his posture was as straight and refined as ever. His rimless glasses added to the scholarly, almost distant charm that radiated from him… and Audrey couldn’t help but feel pleased with her own taste. The man looked absolutely magnetic.

When the door opened, Walter glanced up, lifting his brows just a little. “Honestly, I thought you were messing with me. Didn’t expect you to actually show up.” He stood to greet her.

Audrey grinned and strolled over. “Why would I mess with you? I said I’d come, so here I am. I don’t joke around about this stuff.”

They sat down on the sofa, and the secretary brought in drinks right away. There was no time wasted on small talk, not when business was waiting. Walter got straight to the point. “So, what’s this business meeting about?”

At first, he’d assumed she was just talking big, but seeing her arrive with an assistant and a stack of documents changed his mind. The Wilson Group and NextGen Technologies had never worked together before. Audrey switched easily into business mode. “We’re looking to expand in Harrisburg. I wanted to see if you’d be interested, Mr. Wilson.”

Walter laughed, shaking his head. “Harrisburg’s market is locked up by the main families. Breaking in won’t be easy. What makes NextGen Technologies think you can pull it off?”

Audrey’s eyes sparkled with confidence. “You might be surprised. Sure, we haven’t set up shop here before, but we know what’s going on. The big families control the main businesses, everyone else just picks up what’s left. I’m sure you’ve heard of NextGen Technologies, Mr. Wilson. If we’re going to do business, we want to make it big. We’re not here for scraps.”

Walter’s curiosity was piqued. “So what are you proposing?”

Audrey leaned her chin on her hand. “We’re not trying to destroy the Smiths. We just want to keep Jordan Smith too busy to cause trouble. And honestly, this partnership would be a win for both sides. The Wilson Group has room to grow. Dennis put together this outline before I left. Take a look. If you’re interested, Mr. Wilson, we could make a great team.” She finished with a playful wink.

Walter smiled, crossing his legs as he took the file from her. He was actually pretty excited about the plan, not just for the business, but because he’d had enough of Jordan Smith for a long time. With NextGen Technologies on their side, The Wilson Group could get ahead without much risk. It was all upside. Why say no?

He flipped through the document and was honestly impressed. Dennis Williams had tailored this plan around The Wilson Group’s strengths, targeting the exact areas where they went head-to-head with The Smith Group. The proposal wasn’t exhaustive, but it was detailed enough for him and Audrey to see the potential. The Wilson Group and The Smith Group had always been rivals, but the main difference was that The Wilson Group had fewer government contracts, which always put them at a disadvantage. That was thanks to the Smith family’s deep roots and generations of influence. No matter how hard The Wilson Group tried, they couldn’t close that gap.

But if this partnership with NextGen Technologies worked out, that could all change. NextGen had connections everywhere, not just in tech. They worked with all kinds of government agencies. Their experience could fit perfectly with The Wilson Group’s business, and together, they could finally tip the scales.