Chapter 249 It Will Succeed
The person paused at the door, then quietly tiptoed into the room. My heart tightened; I didn't need to guess to know it was Edward.
He slowly moved to the bedside, gently lifted a corner of the blanket, and lay down carefully. I could feel the mattress dip slightly under his weight, his familiar scent filling the air.
I was glad I was lying with my back to the door. I quickly shut my eyes, pretending to be asleep. Even though I stayed perfectly still, my heart was pounding.
Edward lay beside me for a long time without making a sound, but I had a strange feeling he was awake. After a while, he turned over slightly, facing me. His warm breath gently brushed against my neck, sending an almost imperceptible shiver through my skin, and my heart fluttered.
After a few more moments, Edward lifted his hand slightly, as if he wanted to touch me, but he stopped midway. After a moment of hesitation, he slowly lowered his hand, letting it fall weakly to the edge of the bed, accompanied by a barely audible sigh. That sigh hit my feigned calmness like a heavy hammer.
Was this really the same domineering CEO who would do anything to have me?
The next morning, I got up early, planning to head to Stellar Legal Advisors to handle some backlog before going to the Cooper Group to formally meet with the employees.
I should have gone to the Cooper Group to meet with the shareholders and employees long ago, but unexpected events had delayed my appearance. Now, there was no more room for excuses.
Seeing me get up, Edward quickly got dressed and mumbled, "I'll take you."
Without turning around, I refused, "No need, I can go myself. Stellar Legal Advisors is close by."
With that, I walked past him and headed for the door.
Edward stood there, slightly stiff, his feet seemingly nailed to the ground, standing still for a long time.
The door closed softly behind me, but it felt like it had shut off two worlds.
As soon as I stepped into Stellar Legal Advisors, Lila rushed over like a whirlwind. Her eyes scanned me quickly, and she immediately noticed the exhaustion hidden in my eyes.
Lila pulled me into her office, her voice full of concern, "Diana, how are things at home? Did Edward give you any trouble?"
Hearing Lila's question, I forced a bitter smile and shook my head slowly, "He's been polite on the surface, but every time I face him, I feel uncomfortable. I can't face him calmly."
I paused, then continued, "You know what? He proposed to me yesterday, with the ring from our wedding. He said a lot about how I was the best for him and that I and the kid were his true home."
Recalling last night's scene, I rubbed my temples.
Lila's eyes widened in shock. "Did you say yes?"
I shook my head firmly. "I have no time for him now. I just took back the Cooper Group, and I need to focus all my energy on the company. I plan to bring the Cooper Group back to its former glory. I can't be distracted by him."
I glanced at my watch and told Lila, "I need to get to the Cooper Group. There's a lot waiting for me. Only by doing my job well can I feel at ease."
With that, I grabbed my bag and headed for the door.
Lila, seemingly inspired by my determination, called out behind me, "Take it easy, don't push yourself too hard. You'll succeed!"
Filled with resolve, I arrived at the Cooper Group. As soon as I got out of the car, I saw Theo waiting at the entrance.
Seeing me, his eyes lit up, and he hurried over with a respectful smile, "Ms. Cooper, you're finally here. Everyone in the company has been eagerly waiting for you to lead us."
I nodded slightly and followed Theo into the office area.
Along the way, employees paused their work to greet me. I could see the hope and trust in their eyes. I smiled and responded to each of them, occasionally stopping to chat with familiar old employees.
"Ms. Cooper, now that you're back, we feel much more secure!" an experienced employee said excitedly.
I gently adjusted his name tag and said firmly, "Thank you for your hard work. Let's work together to make the Cooper Group even better!"
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Theo walked beside me, reporting as we went, "Ms. Cooper, many of the key people who worked with Mr. and Mrs. Cooper have returned to the company upon hearing that you're in charge again. They've been using their connections to help the company secure new deals. The Cooper Group has been growing rapidly, landing several big contracts. The team is more united than ever, and everything is moving in a positive direction. At this rate, reaching the top of the industry isn't out of the question!"
Theo's voice was light and filled with excitement and pride.
Listening to his report, I couldn't help but remind him softly, "It's good to be motivated, but let's not get ahead of ourselves."
Entering my office, Theo placed a stack of documents on my desk, hesitated for a moment, then said, "Ms. Cooper, there's something I need to report to you privately: many of the contracts we've secured were originally with the Howard Group."
I was taken aback, pausing with my hand on the documents, and asked, "What's going on?"
Theo hesitated but then explained, "I've heard that the Howard Group has been facing a lot of issues recently. Their internal management seems to be in chaos, and there have been many negative reports about them. This has led many of their partners to withdraw their investments. The Howard Group is now struggling."
I was shocked, my mind flashing back to Edward's careful care and the determination in his eyes. Even though I knew there was no future for us, hearing about his current troubles still made my heart ache a little.
"Ms. Cooper, are you okay?" Theo's voice brought me back to reality.
I composed myself and said, "I'm fine. You can go now."
Theo quietly left the office, leaving me alone with my thoughts.
I leaned back in my chair, closing my eyes. The sunlight outside, once warm, now seemed harsh. I crossed my hands over my forehead, gently massaging my temples, pondering. The business world was always unpredictable. If the Howard Group was truly in decline, what did that mean for our future?
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
