NE had reached his current position purely through his own talent, bolstered later by the praise and adoration of many. This combination had elevated his pride to an almost unreachable height.
He was used to rejecting others and never the one being turned away. If it weren’t for his connection to Julian, he wouldn’t have paid any attention to Aurora’s newly established company.
Though Aurora’s company wasn’t small, as a new entity, it lacked the refinement and completeness of older, more established firms, especially in operations. NE had been genuinely concerned that Aurora’s company wouldn’t be able to effectively promote his perfume. Without a solid platform, no matter how good the product was, it would have little value.
Julian, over all these years, had never personally vouched for anyone-Aurora was the first. Even if it was just for Julian’s sake, NE had to give Aurora a chance.
He felt that, by turning down countless qualified, established companies with whom he had worked multiple times before, and giving this opportunity to Aurora, she should at least show some gratitude. But not only was she ungrateful, she even dared to challenge him face-to-face.
NE’s pride felt as though it had been ruthlessly trampled. Watching NE’s growing anger, Susan felt giddy with delight.
Why should such a fine perfume be wasted on Aurora? She didn’t deserve it. Now that NE and Aurora had fallen out, there was no chance of future collaboration.
NE was highly respected in the industry. By offending him, Aurora’s company was bound to face significant hurdles. A single word from NE could dissuade most industry players from working with her in the future.
This was the harsh reality of their business world. Aurora, an experienced professional, should have known better. Perhaps her connection to Susan had caused her to speak too harshly, but even if someone else had been in her shoes, what she said wouldn’t have been considered overly inappropriate. She had merely spoken the truth.
However, certain designers had fragile egos and couldn’t tolerate even the slightest criticism.
The more the situation escalated, the more Susan reveled in it. Aurora, emboldened by Julian’s backing, dared to act so arrogantly. Offending NE so early in her career? Susan could already foresee Aurora’s downfall.
Even if Aurora didn’t secure this endorsement, watching her suffer was enough to put Susan in a great mood.
Aurora, facing NE’s rising emotions, spoke firmly: “Since you’ve made yourself clear, it seems we have no choice but to part ways. I can’t reach your heights. But let me say one last thing: everything I just said was the truth. If my words upset you, I apologize.”
Aurora stood up, and Ian and Heather followed her lead. The two had been silent throughout, afraid to worsen the situation for her. They were well aware of the recent scandal surrounding Susan. Even as bystanders, they felt NE’s stance was questionable. In their eyes, NE was letting personal grievances jeopardize the perfume’s future.
From Aurora’s perspective, her concerns were valid. She couldn’t risk her company’s reputation or money to accommodate someone else’s personal vendetta.
In the past, NE had terminated contracts on the spot when others had crossed his bottom line, leaving company heads scrambling to apologize. Businesspeople often had to swallow their pride-not for NE himself, but for his product. With NE’s merchandise driving profits, no one dared offend the golden goose.
It was this reverence that had elevated NE to his current position. He fully expected Aurora to apologize after his harsh words. But to his shock, she responded with unyielding defiance.
NE’s hands trembled with rage. How dare a mere rookie lecture him?
“Miss Montgomery,” NE sneered, “your backbone is impressive. But when the day comes that you have no orders, don’t come crying to me. I have a hard heart, and nothing pleases me more than watching others cry.”
This was a blatant threat. For a fledgling company like Aurora’s, losing NE’s support could be a devastating blow.
Aurora furrowed her brows at his words.
True, NE was talented. But now, Aurora realized his temper far outpaced his ability.
“Don’t worry,” she replied calmly. “Crying isn’t my style. It seems we truly have no reason to collaborate. Not everyone can be a master. A true master isn’t just skilled; they’re also humble. But humility is something I don’t see in you. Perhaps your temper outweighs your talent. Refusing to work with you is the safest choice for my company. If you want her to endorse your perfume, be my guest. I won’t stop you. But I won’t mind watching both of you go down in flames. Let’s go.”
Aurora turned and left with Heather and Ian, leaving NE seething with rage.
“Miss Montgomery,” NE growled through gritted teeth, “you’ll regret this.”
Aurora didn’t look back. “The same goes for you. Make sure she endorses your product. This might be the last time anyone hears about you.”
Susan watched Aurora walk away, her heart brimming with joy. Aurora had offended NE-her future was doomed.
Julian’s main business wasn’t in cosmetics. Once NE spread the word among industry insiders, how could Aurora survive in this field?
“Marcos, I’m sorry,” Susan said, feigning remorse. “This is all my fault. I messed up your deal.”
But inside, she was elated.
“It’s not your fault,” NE reassured her. “It’s that woman’s. I’ve been in this industry for years, and now a rookie dares to criticize me? This time, I’ll work with you, and we’ll show her. Let her see whether this perfume gets celebrated or buried.”
NE’s competitive spirit was fully ignited. He wanted to teach Aurora a lesson, to show her what true professionalism looked like.
He picked up his phone and called Julian. “Julian, I only agreed to give Miss Montgomery the perfume agency because of you. But your Miss Montgomery? She’s been nothing but hostile to me!”
“What happened?” Julian asked, having just returned to the office. He had thought this deal was a sure thing, but NE’s tone suggested otherwise.
“What happened? That little girlfriend of yours just pointed her finger at me and criticized me! A rookie acting so high and mighty-what kind of attitude is that?” NE’s voice was filled with fury. Julian knew NE rarely lost his temper, so Aurora must have hit a nerve.
“What exactly happened? Aurora has always been polite.”