Chapter 20 A Chance to Prove Myself

Elena Garcia's POV:

I was about to leave, but Albert motioned for me to sit back down.

I was worried that if I just walked out, I might piss off Marco, who was staring at me.

I said, "Maybe you guys can talk about whatever you want after I leave. It'd be easier."

"No, darling, we're done talking." Albert, back to his annoying self, looked at me and shifted the conversation my way. "Maybe I can give you some advice? Nothing as intense as Marco's, of course."

The recent drama had calmed me down. After all that craziness, my own problems seemed smaller in comparison.

Thanks to Marco's words, I tried to act like it was no big deal.

I pretended not to care anymore. "I want to get some praise from them, but in my own way, not by force. If you have better ideas, great. If not, that's fine too."

Anything but those extreme methods!

Albert laughed heartily, making me blush.

I knew this annoying guy would laugh at me!

It might be a small thing to him, but to me, it was super important!

I was desperate for my new family's approval!

Marco looked a bit flustered, probably realizing how ridiculous his previous suggestion was.

He pursed his lips, looking more like a sad puppy than a fierce wolf, avoiding my eyes. He asked, "Is the Garcia family always this tough on their kids?"

"James and Isabella? They do tend to spoil the excellent ones more. That's how elite families roll. If you don't have enough value, then you're just an accessory to the family." Albert put on his nonchalant smile. "And accessories don't need a voice or care."

"Sounds like you know a lot about it?"Marco asked.

"No, my friend, I'm not an accessory. I just hate this family vibe. If I were useless, your family's agent wouldn't have recommended me to you."

Marco nodded.

I was curious about their conversation, but I sensed it was dangerous, so I held back from asking.

"As for you, Elena. If you just want some praise, I think I can offer you a good opportunity." Albert's smile turned cunning. "When you saw James at the dinner table, did he seem unhappy? But I guess you didn't notice that while holding your acceptance letter.

But it's okay, I'll fill you in. James's company has been having problems lately. He's been busy dealing with it. Because of his arrogance, he lost a big client. That guy is now planning to have his stocks managed by another financial fund manager.

James has repeatedly invited that guy to meet, but has been rejected every time. In this situation, he desperately needs someone to help him turn things around through private socializing."

From what I had learned these days, I somewhat understood why rich people cared about socializing.

Socializing made some business deals more convenient and straightforward. When some ladies chatted, they might not just be talking about clothes or jewelry but also seeking cooperation for their families.

That was why some business deals, which people thought would go through multiple discussions, surprisingly quickly chose a partner. Because it was already settled through private socializing.

I asked, "What do I need to do? What can I do?"

"Well, I can't tell you that. You'll have to figure it out yourself." Albert looked at me, his eyes seemingly filled with anticipation. His smile made me uncomfortable. "But I must remind you, sweetheart. If you fail, then James will need someone to vent his anger on, so he doesn't think it's his fault."

This was a very risky suggestion.

If I refused, as he said, my parents would continue to see me as a worthless accessory to the family.

If I agreed, I'd have to deal with the fallout if things went south. My actions might even piss off James's business partner more.

Albert was watching me, his smirk practically screaming mockery.

He was waiting for my answer.

I took a deep breath, stood up, and thanked him.

Albert probably thought the potential consequences would scare me off, but he was wrong.

The worst part of my life was behind me.

I wasn't going to settle for the present. I craved recognition and more. "I'll prove my worth in my own way. My family shouldn't treat me like this."

Seeing Albert's surprised expression, I smiled confidently.

I could hardly wait to get back to my room and start digging up info on James's business partner.

There was all sorts of crazy news online. I needed to sift through it to find the useful stuff.

I believed this was a test from Albert.

I quickly found some news that seemed helpful, including reports of James's recent failed deals and his arrogance, just like Albert mentioned.

After organizing my plan, I didn't bother asking James to let me handle it.

He wouldn't give me a shot anyway. In his eyes, I wasn't the social candidate he wanted.

I admitted I was being bold, but sometimes life required a gamble.

After prepping everything, I told my parents I needed to go out. They didn't even look up, not asking a single question about my safety in a strange place.

I was a bit disappointed by their reaction.

I arrived at a luxury apartment in downtown Los Angeles.

James's business partner, a member of the Fisher family, Mrs. Fisher, lived here.

Mrs. Fisher had her own business near downtown LA.

Living in a luxury apartment made it easy for her to handle work quickly.

James always assumed his business partner was a man since Mrs. Fisher always had her secretary handle contract talks.

So when she first showed up in front of James, he was rude, accusing her of meddling in her husband's business because she was a woman.

Oh my god, even I had to admit James's behavior was incredibly stupid.

This even made it to some newspapers, slamming him for his arrogance towards women and calling him a ridiculous male chauvinist.

Mrs. Fisher also publicly stated she was considering ending their collaboration and looking for a better partner.

I sat in a nearby fast-food joint, thinking about how I could persuade her.

Asking an offended woman to reconsider the collaboration was obviously a tough sell.

I didn't have much social experience. Maybe my words wouldn't be smooth enough, making Mrs. Fisher think I was as foolish as my father.

Moreover, I just realized something when I got here.

Luxury apartments usually had security. I couldn't just walk up to Mrs. Fisher. The security even refused to tell her I wanted to visit.

My actions were pretty reckless.

Just as I was feeling stuck, I heard someone getting scolded.

I turned around and saw a fast-food employee yelling at a little boy. "If you don't have money and can't speak, then get out. You're blocking the customers behind you."

The boy's face turned red, looking helpless. He was rummaging through his pockets, searching for something.

I heard some customers' comments. "Did a pickpocket steal his wallet?"

"Why don't you help him?"

"Come on, maybe he didn't have money in the first place and just came here looking for free food."

Amid these comments, the boy's eyes started to well up with tears. He wanted to argue but just opened his mouth without any sound.

The employee was getting impatient, about to leave the counter. Maybe he was going to grab the boy and throw him out.

So I immediately stepped forward and shielded the boy behind me.