Chapter 255 Friends and Enemies
I instinctively turned my head and locked eyes with the newcomer. It was Fiona from the Griffin Group. Awkwardness hit me like a ton of bricks. My ex, David, was her husband, and their wedding got crashed by Aria because of me. I was super anxious that Fiona might hold a grudge.
"Didn't expect to see you here," I forced out, trying to break the ice with a strained smile.
Fiona smiled gently. "Yeah, small world."
After a beat, I couldn't help but ask, "I heard David's running the Ignis market now. You two are partners in business and life, huh?"
Fiona nodded, a hint of pride in her eyes. "Yep, we split the work and make a great team."
I thought bringing up David would make things awkward, and I was ready for her to give me a hard time. But her next words floored me.
She smiled softly and said, "David's a great husband. I should thank you for letting him go."
I stood there, stunned, my mind blank. I didn't expect her to say that.
After a moment, I found my voice and stammered, "I'm really happy for you both. I truly wish him all the best."
"I'm sincere," Fiona said, her tone earnest like she could read my mind. "The reason the Cooper Group won the bid this time was because I arranged it."
Fiona gently took my hand and continued, "We can be friends too, can't we?" Her eyes sparkled with hope.
I widened my eyes in disbelief. "We can be friends?"
Fiona's gaze was sincere, and she said firmly, "Of course."
Hearing this, a wave of warmth filled my heart, and all my worries melted away.
I was overjoyed. "Ms. Griffin, thank you so much. Thank you for giving our company such a big project despite everything."
Fiona gently patted my hand and said warmly, "Don't dwell on the past. I see you're capable and driven, which is rare. I admire that. I understand you and David are history. I trust him, and I trust you too."
I nodded, feeling even more respect for her.
Fiona smiled and continued, "It's tough for us women in the business world. I hope we can work together again."
As she spoke, I noticed Anne standing quietly nearby, looking detached.
Fiona followed my gaze and saw Anne. She raised an eyebrow, a hint of coldness in her eyes. "Looks like someone's not happy. I won't keep you." She gave a faint smile and turned to leave.
I waved at Anne from a distance, but she ignored me. I didn't mind and turned to greet other guests.
After Hayden's funeral, I threw myself into work. With Fiona's help, our project with the Griffin Group went smoothly. Plus, Theo handled the miscellaneous tasks, letting me focus entirely on work.One time, Theo brought me some documents and couldn't help but say, "Diana, your determination is something else. I know you’re all in to make the Cooper Group a success. I believe you can do it."
I looked up from my computer and smiled. "Theo, I couldn't do it without you. I'd be lost without your help."
Theo nodded, but then his face got serious. "Diana, there's something I need to talk to you about. Since Edward stepped back from the Howard Group because of family stuff, things have changed. Now that Anne's in charge, her style is way different from Edward's."
I frowned, curious. "Really? What's her style?"
I knew Edward was all about steady business development and long-term partnerships. But I wanted to know what Anne was up to.
Theo sat on the couch and said, "Anne's more aggressive. She's always rolling out new strategies to grab market share fast. But behind the scenes, she's gunning for us."
I leaned back in my chair, thinking. "That's surprising. I thought Anne just wanted to stabilize things during a tough time for her family. Looks like she's trying to prove herself quickly," I said.
It didn't take long for Anne's resentment toward the Cooper Group to show.
During a crucial business negotiation, we were about to seal the deal with a partner. But Anne got wind of it and swooped in with the Howard Group team, offering crazy good terms, even if it meant slashing their profit margins, and snatched the project away.
Afterward, I confronted Anne, trying to keep my cool. "Anne, why did you take the deal from the Cooper Group?"
Anne looked at me coldly and said, "Business is a battlefield. It's all about skills. Now that I'm running the Howard Group, I have to secure the best interests of my company."
I stared at her in disbelief. "Do you realize that cutting profit margins like this messes up the industry balance? This lose-lose approach helps no one."
Anne sneered, her eyes full of resentment. "Did you think about my benefit when you took all of Dad's inheritance?" she shot back.
At that moment, I finally got it. Her hatred hadn't faded; it had just found a new outlet in the business world, growing deeper and deeper.
From then on, Anne's attacks in the business world ramped up, and we were constantly at odds. She even had her team spread false rumors, trashing the Cooper Group's product quality. The market was in chaos, and many clients started doubting us.
Edward, hearing about all this, mustered the strength to come see me.
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