Chapter 464 Ishara's Scheme Against Sidney
Eleanor's eyes squinted in understanding. "Got it. Thank goodness your father isn't home either!"
That night at the Rodriguez residence, Ishara overheard Amy's daughter lashing out as they left. "That little bastard can't swim; I'll push him in again next time!" It was a problem that needed dealing with.
-
At three o'clock, Winnie called a meeting with the sales team at ST Jewelers to begin their session.
Carlos had given her a challenge when she took the job which was to devise a jewelry marketing plan with a target of 20 million in presales within a week.
Her internship hinged on this. For her, a seasoned jewelry professional, it was a piece of cake. She understood that her father wanted her to demonstrate her skills to the company in preparation for her transfer to the Blanchet corporate headquarters.
The meeting was in full swing when suddenly, the conference room door was knocked open.
Ishara entered, coughing delicately. She glanced at her colleagues and then at Winnie. With timid hesitation, she began, "Winnie, are you discussing the marketing plan for next week's 20 million target?"
"Would you care to join the meeting?" Winnie said icily, her expression clearly unimpressed. "Since you're late, you might as well take a seat."
Ishara, however, smiled mysteriously, a sly glint in her eyes. "I'm sorry, Winnie, but I'm not here to participate in the meeting. I'm here to compete in the marketing plan proposal. Simply put, your team and mine will each submit a jewelry sales plan, and the company will select the better one to implement. Competition breeds excellence, and I would very much like to learn from you. Our father also encouraged us; he said whoever comes out on top will earn a 4% share of Blanchet family stock!"
Her tone was disarmingly innocent.
Winnie's smile grew more pronounced, her eyes gleaming with amusement. All this chatter, just for that measly 4% stake in Blanchet. Initially, she had offered to handle the 10% herself and told Ishara she could earn her 4% if she wished. It wasn't long before Ishara became impatient and devised this sales department competition.
Mid-meeting, Ishara barged in unexpectedly, suggesting a challenge with the assumption of Carlos's approval, leaving Winnie completely caught off guard.
To outsiders, it might seem like a trivial contest, but the stakes felt unusually high.
Colleagues surrounding them mirrored the surprise on their faces.
Melanie glanced at Ishara, her lips curling into a mocking sneer. "Ishara, just this morning you were making coffee for Mr. Lawrence. How well-versed are you really in sales strategies and jewelry? Maybe you should stick to discussing your love life because this job is not as simple as you think."
Ishara's lips tightened in a hurt expression as she turned to Winnie. "Winnie, I admit I have much to learn and have never worked while ill. I'm asking for a bit of leniency from your team... I know it was wrong to just make coffee for Mr. Lawrence this morning, but from now on, I'm serious about my work. I see this competition as an opportunity to learn from you. Please, give me a chance."
Winnie scoffed; the irony was not lost on her. Melanie had only spoken the truth, but Ishara seemed to suggest she'd egged Melanie on to belittle her.
If Winnie refused, she might be perceived as making things difficult for Ishara.
With a nonchalant lift of her eyebrows, Winnie countered, "As for the competition, I'll have to consult our father first. It appears you're quite enthusiastic about securing shares. Or perhaps, after a prolonged illness, you've miraculously gained the strength to join in?"
The colleagues exchanged glances at Ishara as they muttered among each other.
"Ah, so she's after the shares. And here she was, talking about learning."
"Yeah, she's been sick for so long. Why haven't we seen her at this 'tiny' company ST before?"
Ishara's eyes reddened with anger. With just a twist of her words, that schemer Winnie had brought the deliberately blurred focus sharply into view—the shares.
Speculations about her motives multiplied among the staff.
Fighting back tears, Ishara insisted, "Winnie, those shares are merely a reward system my father established; I never truly regarded them with seriousness. Please don't misconstrue my intentions. I've been part of the Blanchet family since childhood—I could have obtained shares if I desired. Moreover, you're a jewelry expert, Winnie. Considering your expertise in this competition, what could possibly concern you?"
Winnie almost laughed at the facade, finding the lofty talk about the Blanchet family's shares amusing. She questioned Ishara's entitlement to them, considering she hadn't contributed anything. It was just a way to placate everyone else.
By highlighting her jewelry expertise, Ishara subtly implied that even if Winnie won, the victory would be tainted.
"Well sister, since you don't care about the shares at all, you surely won't be upset if you lose. Plus, you're just trying to learn, right?" Winnie said with a sly smile as she fixed her gaze on her.
Speechless from the rebuff, Ishara managed a weak reply, "Yeah, but I'll work hard to come up with a great plan, too."
The ringtone of Winnie's phone cut through the moment—it was Sidney, calling from his smartwatch.
Her eyes flickered with concern; Sidney knew better than to call during work hours unless it was important.
Realizing she couldn't afford to waste more time with Ishara, Winnie stood up. "As for the contest, I'm sure the company will make an announcement tomorrow. I'll abide by their decision. This meeting is adjourned—Ishara, if you have anything else, feel free to continue."
Ishara watched her rush out, a sense of foreboding twinged inside her, wondering if her mother had succeeded in her scheme. She discreetly sent a text to Eleanor.
-
In the corridor, Melanie caught up with her.
Once they stepped into the elevator, Melanie found the courage to voice her thoughts, "Ishara seems oblivious to the intricacies of jewelry sales. She lacks the necessary skills, yet she's vying with you. I understand she's eyeing shares, but what gives her the confidence that she can emerge victorious?"
Squinting slightly, Winnie made a sharp retort while dialing her son, "If she wants to beat me, she'll surely find some tricks."
"That's true, especially now that Lawrence is backing her at ST..." Melanie mused.
The elevator doors opened and the call connected; Winnie had no time for further chat. She hastily waved goodbye to Melanie. "I've got a personal emergency; I need to go. We'll talk tomorrow."
"Sidney, son, what happened?"
From the other end of the smartwatch, a weak voice came through, "Mommy, I’m at the Blanchet family's place and I almost drowned."
"What?!" Winnie felt a chill run through her body as she stopped in her tracks.
Without asking how he had ended up at the Blanchet's, she blurted out, "Sidney, don’t you know how to swim? Don't scare Mommy!"
"Mommy, don’t worry. I just swallowed a lot of water. If you’re not too busy, could you come pick me up now?"
"What exactly happened? Did someone push you? Who did this to you?" Winnie couldn't help thinking of Eleanor's two-faced smile.
"Lirou, what else do you want to do? Don't make me fight back. Ah!" A series of chaotic sounds followed, and then the call abruptly ended.
Winnie noticed that the other voice sounded like a little girl’s voice.
Regardless, Winnie’s heart was racing, almost choking her with anxiety. She dashed to the parking garage without hesitation.
Her car flew down the road, and even when Carlos tried to call, she was too distracted to pick up.
As they approached the Blanchet family's villa on Camellia Mount, a Bentley swiftly overtook and skidded to a stop on the curve ahead.
Lawrence, a tall figure casting a long shadow in the dimming sunset, strode confidently toward Winnie's car.
Winnie slammed on her brakes, their gazes locking, both sets of eyes filled with the same concern for their son.
When their son was implicated, a peculiar solidarity enveloped them. Winnie, her head lifting in concern, exclaimed, "Sidney's been in an accident at the Blanchet's!"
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