Chapter 337

Chapter 337:

A sudden, reckless thought flared in Wesley’s mind.

He felt an urge to keep Gabriela close, to hide her away where no one else could reach her. He wanted her world to revolve solely around him.

But just as quickly as it came, the thought scattered like smoke.

Wesley, ever composed and unfailingly courteous, would never impose, especially when Gabriela’s heart clearly held no space for him.

Sensing the quiet stretch between them, Gabriela offered a brief farewell before slipping into the car she’d booked in advance.

𝘛𝗁𝘦 𝘣e𝗌𝘁 r𝖾vіе𝘸𝗌 𝗼𝘯

She really needed to get her own car. This constant back-and-forth between home and the office was wearing thin.

After returning home and feeding her baby, Gabriela lingered for a moment, savoring the quiet, before reluctantly heading back to the office.

She and Kaleb spent the afternoon polishing a proposal before heading to meet with a representative from GD Fashion Week.

Though the Haynes Group was modest in size, it had a solid reputation, having successfully organized several well-regarded domestic fashion shows.

And Gabriela, always strategic, had offered competitive rates sharp enough to pique the interest of GD Fashion Week’s representative, Addie Larson.

“Miss Haynes, I’ll present your proposal at our meeting and get back to you as soon as we reach a decision,” Addie said with a professional smile.

“Thank you, Ms. Larson,” Gabriela replied.

Once the meeting wrapped up, Gabriela felt a flicker of confidence. The profit margin on the project wasn’t much, but the opportunity to step into the international market was worth every concession. Landing this deal could open doors to bigger contracts.

But by the third day, that optimism came crashing down.

Gabriela froze when she received Addie’s polite but firm rejection.

“Sorry, Miss Haynes,” Addie said. “We’ve decided to go with a partner who’s a better fit for this project. Hopefully, we can work together another time p>

The words stunned Gabriela.

Addie had seemed genuinely impressed with her proposal, and Gabriela was certain no other company of Haynes Group’s size could have matched the terms she’d offered.

Someone must have swooped in and stolen the deal, but who could it be?

Keeping her voice steady, Gabriela asked, “Ms. Larson, if you don’t mind me asking, which company did your team decide to partner with p>

The answer hit her like a slap. It was the Apex Group.

For a moment, Gabriela just stared at her phone in disbelief. Wesley? Of all people, why him?

When the call ended, frustration welled up inside her like a storm she couldn’t contain.

She had sworn during a board meeting that she would land the GD Fashion Week project.

Noticing her distress, Kaleb spoke gently, trying to ease the sting. “It’s okay. We’ll find another business partner. And our project with Bradly is almost wrapped up. Once the final payment is received next month, the executives will have no reason to criticize you p>

But Gabriela knew it wasn’t enough. As the CEO who had all but vanished right after taking charge, she needed more accomplishments to establish her presence in the company.

“Uncle Kaleb, I will speak with Mr. Moss,” she said, her tone sharp with resolve.

Kaleb blinked, surprised. “Do you really think there’s a chance p>

“There is,” Gabriela replied with quiet certainty. “He was my boss once. Maybe there’s still some goodwill left p>

For Apex Group, the GD Fashion Week project was barely a blip on the radar.

For her, it was everything.

Once her mind was set, Gabriela headed to Apex Group that very afternoon.

Billy greeted her in the lobby and guided her to the reception room.

“Miss Haynes, please wait here for a moment,” he said politely.

A faint flush colored her cheeks. “Billy, you can just call me Gabriela p>

But Billy only offered a practiced smile. “You’re the CEO of Haynes Group now; it’s only proper I address you as Miss Haynes p>

In truth, she was someone Wesley valued, and Billy made sure to treat her with care.

The hours dragged by as Gabriela waited, her confidence slowly eroding with the setting sun.

It was almost dusk when the quiet hum of the building was broken by the sound of footsteps.

Wesley’s stride carried an air of quiet dominance, each step deliberate.

Listening to those steady steps approach, Gabriela felt a flicker of unease.