At the meeting, he noticed me with just one glance, his gaze lightly sweeping over my face as he nodded and smiled at me.
We had spent fifteen years together, and even though he had never really taken care of me, I had called him ‘dad’ for fifteen years. Seeing him again now felt like encountering the most familiar stranger, a feeling I couldn’t quite describe.
“This is an internal meeting of The Lynch Group, not a large-scale one. There are a few things I want to emphasize. Firstly, the pre-sale of the new development…” Ethan spoke, while Carter and Cameron sat on either side of him.
It seemed he was still evaluating their abilities. At this stage of his life, in the prime of his years, he wouldn’t be considering who to pass The Lynch Group’s future onto. Whether it was Carter or Cameron, they were just employees to him.
He treats his own son like that, let alone an outsider like me.
This power struggle within a prominent family wasn’t limited to just between siblings, but also existed between father and son. Ethan appeared to be affectionate and loving towards them on the surface, but having witnessed their coldness and distance over the past fifteen years, I couldn’t help but find it pathetic.
I let out a sigh.
Suddenly, I heard Ethan call out my name, “I’d like to give special recognition to Laura during this meeting. Although she hasn’t been with the company for long, her contributions to the agreement with Fly Construction Company are invaluable. Furthermore, the press conference for the new development was exceptionally well done. I’ve read the press release she provided to the media, and it’s quite impressive.”
“I hope that The Lynch Group will have more employees like Laura in the future, who work with greater enthusiasm and dedication in their positions. Miss Laura is a graduate of a prestigious overseas university, she is diligent, conscientious, and dedicated. Such employees are worthy of learning from by everyone in The Lynch Group!”
My heart pounded.
As soon as he finished speaking, the conference room erupted into thunderous applause. I lowered my head. I wasn’t accustomed to being praised publicly because I always felt like I didn’t deserve it. I was only suited for quietly surviving in the corner. Good things never seemed to find me, and when they did, it usually meant trouble was on the horizon.
Sure enough, after Ethan finished speaking, Cameron let out a disdainful hum and chuckled mockingly.
“What’s wrong?” Ethan glanced at him.
Cameron straightened up. “Chairman, are you mistaken? The case with Fly Construction was clearly won by me.”
“Cameron, I didn’t want to bring this up, but since you mentioned it,” Carter said coldly, looking at him, “While I was responsible for the agreement with Fly Construction, your name was signed in the responsible column. Have you exceeded your responsibilities? Furthermore, you know best how the Fly Construction case was won. Mr. Baker is still lying in the hospital because of you. If this were to get out, how would people in the business world view The Lynch Group? They’d think we’re no different from the mafia!”
Cameron glanced at Carter, then at me, his gaze unsettling.
“Why isn’t Edward holding us accountable? Does he dare?” He stood up, his demeanor cold, his sharp eyes fixed on Carter’s face, “Carter, you know Edward is a womanizer, yet you let Laura go and sign an agreement with him. What’s your intention? Laura is just your subordinate. Do you expect her to sell herself for you?”
“You…”
“Forget about the Fly Construction matter for now,” Cameron narrowed his eyes. “Let’s talk about the press release. Since the establishment of The Lynch Group, I’ve never heard of anyone sending a woman to a construction site in a skirt and high heels! Carter, you’ve really set a precedent…”
“Cameron!” Ethan’s voice was stern.
The conference room fell silent.
Now I truly understood what it felt like to be an ant on a hot pan.
Ethan’s face looked grim. Carter seemed indifferent, with a cold smirk.
Cameron stood there. Suddenly, he looked at me, “Laura.”
I was startled and looked up, meeting his gaze.
“Stand up.”
I was stunned, feeling helpless.
Cameron walked up to me and pulled me up from my seat.
“Your grievances should not go unaddressed,” he whispered. “Make him apologize!”
Cameron, are you out of your mind?
I stared at him blankly.
The entire conference room’s attention was focused on me.
“Make him apologize!” Cameron furrowed, looking like he was about to get angry.
I was at a loss. I didn’t know why Cameron was doing this. For me? To regain my dignity?
When he tore apart my dignity, he never bothered to help me regain it so earnestly.
He could bully me however he liked, but when others did, he felt like they were encroaching on his territory and had to seek revenge.
But did he understand? I didn’t care about what others did to me… Only him, only his bullying and humiliation, could cause me fatal harm!
I shook off his hand, looked at him coldly, and said softly, “What did Vice President Lynch say? I’m just doing my job, and I don’t need anyone to apologize.”
“Laura!” Cameron’s eyes widened.
“Vice President Lynch,” I raised my voice, “We’re in the middle of a meeting now. Please return to your seat… If you have anything you want me to do, I’ll find you later, privately.”
“Cameron, stop messing around,” Ethan spoke up. “Come back and let’s continue the meeting!”
Cameron didn’t move, his gaze gradually dimming before turning back to his familiar indifference toward me.
“If you don’t want to continue the meeting, then leave the conference room,” Ethan said sternly.
I felt a chill in my heart and turned to see Carter’s cold smirk.
When the meeting ended, it felt like everyone let out a sigh of relief.
Carter walked out with Ethan, and the others left one by one. Only Cameron remained, seemingly rooted in place as if nailed there. His gaze stayed on me the whole time.
His stare made me uneasy. I packed up my notebook and headed for the door, but he grabbed me. “Laura, are you defying me?”
“What’s wrong with you!” I struggled free.
“I fought for justice for you!”
“I’m begging you, Mr. Lynch!” I glared at him. “Can you let me go? Are you fighting for justice for me? You’re just using me to strike at Carter! Do you think I can’t see through it?”
“Cameron, I’ve said it before. I’m just here to work. I work for The Lynch Group, The Lynch Group pays my salary, it’s that simple! As for your brothers’ rivalry, scheming, I’m not interested, and I don’t want to get involved!”
“Laura!”
He forcefully pulled me back, pressing me down onto the conference table.
My heart pounded with shock. There were surveillance cameras everywhere in this conference room. If Cameron dared to do anything here…
“Let go of me!” I almost screamed hysterically.
“Laura, I’m not letting go.” His iron-like grip held me in place, his hot body pressing against mine without any gap.
“Your behavior is not that of a qualified ‘plaything’!” he sneered, one large hand encircling my waist.
“What do you want?”
“Let me tell you, Laura…” He looked into my eyes. “A qualified plaything is someone who can satisfy her master anytime, anywhere!”
His muscular chest pressed against me.
His eyes, filled with indifference, his mocking lips, and every warm breath in my ear… all declared how insignificant and lowly I was in his presence!
“Get off me!”
I summoned all my strength and slapped him again.
This slap was loud and clear, filled with hatred. I put all my strength into it, and it left my hand tingling.
“Get away from me, Cameron!” I was like a madwoman. “If you dare to touch me again, I’ll kill you! Try if you don’t believe it!”
He remained unmoved, holding me even tighter.
He was still as shameless as before.
I burst into tears.
I didn’t know what came over me, but at that moment, I couldn’t bear it anymore. Cameron hesitated for a moment, his trembling palm pressed against my back, hot like a blazing fire.
“Laura…”
“Get lost, get lost!”
Just as he hesitated, I screamed and pushed him away.
“You bastard, Cameron!”
“You have a wife, why do you treat me like this?”
“Three years ago, you kicked me out of Jerez State just to marry Queenie. Three years later, you’re forcing me again to satisfy your perverted desires! Cameron… why? You’ve always been selfish, you’ve never thought about my feelings!”
I spat out these words in one breath, swiftly pulling my clothes up and jumping off the table.
As I brushed past Cameron, he gently grabbed me. “Laura…”
His voice, low and hoarse, spread through my heart like poison.
“Let go.”
“If you were me, and finally caught someone, would you easily let go?”