Chapter 191 Debra Wants to Seize Power
The secretary quickly turned on the TV and switched to the news channel.
The reporter said, "Welcome to the 3 o'clock news. First up, today's top story. International movie star Ada Smith arrived in Mugden last night, drawing a lot of attention from fans and media. She's here to hold her wedding in her mother's hometown, fulfilling her seriously ill mother's wish. The Wellington Group and KS WORLD were competing to host her wedding. After days of negotiations, she finally chose her ideal hotel."
Edward's mouth went dry, and his throat tightened. His eyes were glued to the screen.
"That hotel is KS WORLD. Congrats to KS WORLD for securing the hosting rights for Ms. Smith's wedding!"
Edward's heart sank, his ears buzzed, and his head throbbed with sharp pain.
Meanwhile, a hint of glee appeared on Debra's face.
'The worse things get, the more useless Edward looks, and the better my chances to take over!'
The screen then showed Ada being interviewed, explaining why she chose KS WORLD.
Ada said, "The Wellington Group is great too, but I just prefer KS WORLD's wedding plan. It's all about personal preference, not the hotel's capabilities."
Patrick couldn't listen anymore. He grabbed the remote, turned off the TV, and threw it onto the table.
"There's no point in worrying about temporary losses now. We've lost completely! Not only did we fail to secure Ada's wedding, but your efforts last night only helped others. Now, how do you plan to fix this?!"
Edward's face was pale, and just as he was about to speak, Debra quickly interjected, "Patrick, calm down. Don't get worked up."
She had learned well from Tiffany and knew that defending Edward would only deepen Patrick's resentment towards him. "Ada said it was a personal preference, not about the Wellington Group's capabilities. Edward did his best. We should blame Evelyn for being too cunning!"
"In business, it's all about strategy and deception," Edward said coldly, his icy gaze stinging Debra. "Evelyn didn't do anything wrong. We were negligent."
Debra's eyes darkened as she gritted her teeth, thinking, 'You're divorced, and you still want to protect her? What were you thinking before? But this is good. The more you protect Evelyn, the more you're digging your own grave!'
"Edward, did you lose to Evelyn on purpose?" Patrick asked coldly.
"No," Edward lowered his eyes.
"I need to remind you that you're already divorced from Evelyn. She has no connection to the Wellington family anymore! Next time you meet, you'll be enemies, not even friends! Evelyn is scheming and sinister, repeatedly causing us trouble. I've spared her out of respect for your marriage, but that doesn't mean I'll continue to tolerate her!" Patrick's neck veins bulged as he slammed the table in anger.
Edward stared at Patrick's furious face, his eyes burning red, fists clenched tightly.
"Edward, are you defying me? What's with that look?" Patrick's voice trembled slightly.
'When Amanda jumped off that building, Edward looked at me with the same cold, venomous eyes! Even now, his stare gives me chills,' Patrick thought.
"I've divorced Evelyn. Even if she's no longer mine, you can't touch her," Edward said, stepping closer, his anger barely contained.
Patrick's shoulders shook as they locked eyes.
Debra, intimidated by Edward's fierce gaze, quickly composed herself. She forced a smile and walked around the desk to stand behind Patrick, massaging his shoulders. "Patrick, don't argue with Edward over Evelyn. She may have the upper hand now, but it's not over until it's over. Anything can happen."
"Debra, do you have a way to turn things around?" Patrick asked eagerly, catching her implication.
"Patrick, if you let me take full charge of the Ada project, I can win her back!" Debra said confidently. "Even though she's announced her choice, plans can change, right?"
Edward's eyebrows furrowed.
'Debra's always been ambitious, wanting power in the Wellington Group, but she lacks the ability. This time, she's openly competing with me, acting like she's sure to succeed. Something's fishy,' Edward thought.
"Good! You're indeed my most valued daughter, ambitious and determined!" Patrick smiled, holding Debra's hand tightly. "I'll leave Ada's wedding entirely to you! You and Edward can do the handover later. Edward, stay out of this to avoid getting entangled with Evelyn again. Let Debra handle it!"
Edward's face was icy, and he remained silent.
When there were achievements, Patrick wouldn't praise him. But when there were mistakes, Patrick would be the first to punish him. Patrick looked down on him as an illegitimate child and feared Edward was too outstanding, wanting to keep him in check.
"Thank you, Patrick, for giving me this opportunity!" Debra happily hugged Patrick's neck.
"If you succeed, I'll reward you well!" Patrick patted Debra's head affectionately. "What do you want? A seaside villa? A top-tier sports car?"
"No, I don't want any of that." Debra's eyes twinkled. "As your daughter and a member of the Wellington family, I want to contribute. If I secure Ada, can you make me the general manager of the hotel? I believe my management skills won't be inferior to Evelyn's!"
Edward's breath hitched, and his lips curled coldly. 'So, this is what Debra wants.'
"Alright, I promise you! If you succeed and prove your capability, I'll hand the hotel over to you!" Patrick agreed wholeheartedly.
"Thank you, Patrick!" Debra glanced at Edward with a cold sneer. She could already see Edward's downfall once she took over the hotel!
