Though Miranda rejected him, Eric was undeterred. He could sense from her tone that she held a hint of fondness for him.
He knew his gesture of cooking for her had clearly won her over.
Just as he was about to say something to maintain the pleasant atmosphere, Miranda’s phone suddenly rang.
Her hands were covered in flour, and as she reached for her pocket, she paused. Noticing her hesitation, Eric quickly wiped his hands clean, walked over, and naturally retrieved her phone from her pocket. He pressed the speaker button.
It was her lawyer, John.
John’s tone was apologetic. “Miranda, Broad’s lawyer just contacted me, pushing us to finalize the divorce paperwork.”
Miranda was taken aback. “Didn’t he always resist getting divorced before?”
“I’m not sure,” John replied. “But judging by his lawyer’s tone, he seems quite eager this time.”
Miranda, uninterested in speculating about Broad’s change of attitude, answered decisively, “Alright, tell him I’ll see him in court in three days.”
Eric ended the call.
Miranda lowered her head, lost in thought, as she continued kneading the dough. Eric slipped the phone back into her pocket but couldn’t resist asking, “Do you need help with anything on the day of your divorce?”
Miranda smiled and shook her head. “Thanks, but no.”
Eric leaned against the table, a grin on his face. “I thought you might feel a little down.”
“Are you kidding?” Miranda said with a lighthearted tone. “I’ve been waiting for this.”
“That’s good to hear,” Eric replied.
As for Broad, Eric silently vowed that on the day of the divorce, he’d make sure Broad wouldn’t forget it.
—
In the CEO’s office, Broad was on the phone with his lawyer.
“So, you’re saying Miranda didn’t hesitate at all and immediately agreed to the divorce?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Alright, I understand.” Broad ended the call without further discussion.
His face darkened, a storm brewing in his expression.
He had always been proud and had grown accustomed to Miranda’s submissive attempts to appease him. He had assumed she would continue to beg for reconciliation, as she had in the past. Her nonchalance now made him realize he might have truly lost her for good.
A complex mix of emotions swirled within him-was it regret, or just his possessiveness rearing its head?
A knock at the door interrupted his thoughts.
“Come in,” Broad said in a low voice, pulling himself out of his turmoil.
Lane, his secretary, entered with good news. “Simba has finally agreed to meet with us.”
Broad’s expression immediately softened. Westbrook was a powerful yet discreet company, known for its stringent standards in selecting business partners. Despite his repeated attempts to contact Simba, he had always been politely declined.
Could this mean they had finally recognized his sincerity?
Lane’s excitement was evident. “This time, Simba reached out to me. He said he was dissatisfied with previous partners who lacked the necessary environmental certifications. That’s why they’re considering us.”
Broad nodded. His company had strong credentials in the environmental sector. If Westbrook indeed had such requirements, then he was undoubtedly their best choice.
He quickly checked his schedule and instructed Lane, “I want to meet him immediately.”
Determined, Broad decided this partnership would be his ticket to regaining full control of his company.
Three hours later, Broad and Simba walked out of the meeting room, both impeccably dressed in suits.
Broad shook Simba’s hand firmly, a smile on his face. “Mr. Simba, here’s to a successful partnership.”
Simba responded sincerely, “Indeed. Let’s hope we both reap great rewards.”
After seeing Simba off, Broad returned to his office with a spring in his step. He could feel the envious gazes of his competitors within the company. He knew they resented his ability to secure such a lucrative deal.
The next day, Westbrook’s initial payment for the project was deposited into the company’s account, boosting Broad’s confidence even further.
During their meeting, Simba had casually shared a piece of insider information. “Mr. Broad, I admire your capabilities. Let me give you a heads-up-next month, there’s going to be a price surge in some of the eco-friendly materials we will be using.”
His words were vague, but Broad, with his years of business experience, understood the implication.
Simba was subtly advising him to stockpile materials before the prices rose.
Convinced of Westbrook’s sincerity, and with the funds already in hand, Broad wasted no time. He instructed his procurement team to purchase the materials in bulk, preparing for Westbrook’s inspection.
This partnership reinvigorated Broad. For a moment, he almost forgot the pain Miranda had caused him.
He felt like his old self again-a proud, unstoppable man who could overcome any obstacle.
He was certain that on the day of the divorce, when Miranda saw his success, she would immediately regret her decision.