Chapter 89
chapter 89
Jessica gave Travis a sharp side-eye, her jaw tight with frustration. She hadn’t prepared anything. Not a single proposal, not even rough notes. Mr. Smith had sworn the deal was already secured – that all she had to do was show up and sign. Now that lie was collapsing right in front of her.
Julia, sensing the tension, smiled politely and spoke first. “Okay, well… I’m ready p>
Jessica forced a small nod, trying to hide her panic. “I’m ready too,” she said quickly, though her voice
lacked conviction.
Betty was about to begin when she suddenly looked toward the door.
“Oh, before we start – meet our Assistant Sales Manager.,” Betty said with a respectful tone.
The moment she spoke, the sound of footsteps approached. Everyone turned.
Marcus stood at the entrance, calm and composed in a tailored navy suit, carrying an air of quiet authority. Julia’s eyes widened in genuine shock. Jessica felt her stomach drop. Travis looked the most rattled – his face went pale as he gulped loudly.
“He… he’s the Assistant Sales Manager?” Travis muttered, voice cracking. “Not a clerk p>
Betty frowned, clearly confused. “Why would you think he’s a clerk? Mr. Dustin Marcus is our Assistant Sales Manager. He oversees the entire eastern region p>
The silence that followed was suffocating. Jessica bit her lower lip hard, regret flooding her system. She had let Travis humiliate Marcus earlier, cutting him off before he could even warn them about the changed office. Now it all made sense – and it was too late.
Travis opened his mouth but nothing came out. For once, he had no clever insult ready.
Marcus walked forward without a word, stopping briefly in front of Betty’s desk. He placed a neat stack of files down gently, then gave a small nod.
“I’ll leave you all to it,” he said calmly. “I don’t want to influence the decision maker p>
With that, he turned and walked out, closing the door behind him with a soft click.
Betty cleared her throat. “Well then… if we can continue. Who will go first p>
Julia raised her hand slightly and nodded. “I can start p>
Betty gestured for her to begin.
For the next ten minutes, Julia presented with confidence and clarity. She detailed her company’s capabilities, what they could deliver, the value they would add, timelines, and even contingency plans. Her presentation was professional, well-researched, and passionate. Betty listened intently, nodding frequently with an impressed smile.
When Julia finished, Betty leaned back slightly. “Excellent. Very thorough p>
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Then she turned to Jessica.
“Okay, your turn p>
Jessica sat frozen for a long moment, dazed. Her mind was completely blank. She could feel Travis shifting uncomfortably beside her. The weight of her earlier arrogance, the insults they had thrown at Marcus, and her complete lack of preparation crashed down on her at once.
She swallowed hard, forcing herself to speak.
“I… uh p>
Her voice faltered. The words wouldn’t come. She had to gave herself a deep breath of disappointment
before starting to speak.
Jessica couldn’t even make any new point, because she hadn’t prepared, she just repeated what was
inside the file.
After she finished, she knew that, if they wanted to use this speech for thier evaluation, she had already
lost.
After some minutes, Betty finished with the both of them and said.
“okay, we will conclude our evaluation and we contact who we will accept p>
with that, they greeted properly as both made thier way out. Julia, instantly made her way out of the company, but Jessica, who was brewing with anger, face Travis with an anger face when they reached
the elevator.
She said, her voice tight with anger. “But you told me this Mr. Smith had influence. What was all that? You embarrassed me back there p>
Travis sighed, adjusting his stance like he was trying to stay calm.
“Maybe this is just a normal procedure,” he said. “It doesn’t mean anything. It will still be you they
choose p>
Jessica frowned, still unconvinced.
“Then why call Julia at all?” she shot back. “I could have come alone. Why make this a competition p>
Travis hesitated for a moment before replying.
“You know Langstone Enterprises,” he said slowly. “They are strict. They probably already had Julia on their list and already contacted her before you even met Mr. Smith. They just do this for a show p>
Jessica went quiet for a second, thinking it through.
Her expression darkened slightly, but she didn’t argue immediately. Maybe Travis was right. She would know soon enough.
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Just as the elevator dinged open, she froze on the spot.
Marcus was standing there
Jessica stepped forward just as the elevator doors opened fully, then hesitated when she saw Marcus standing there. Her pride wavered for a second before she forced herself to speak.
“Marcus…” she said quietly, then took a breath. “I’m sorry for back then. I shouted at you when you were just trying to help p>
Marcus looked at her for a brief moment, expression unreadable. Then he gave a small, almost
dismissive nod.
“Good you know,” he said flatly.
Jessica swallowed, nodding quickly as if trying to hold onto the moment. “Good to see you are doing well … becoming a sales manager. All thanks to Ms. Natalie, she must have made you the sales manager p>
Marcus scoffed under his breath, “is that what you think p>
Jessica added, “How else would you become a sales manager without her. you don’t even have the qualifications p>
Travis chimed in, “All thanks to being a gigolo. don’t you have no shame marcus p>
Marcus scoffed, “You are hust a big hypocrite Jessica. you always try to ridicule me at every opportunity. yet you want us together p>
“I am just trying to get you back on your sense. a woman, favouring you because you are giving her sexual pleasure. it won’t last p>
Marcus scoffed at this and decided to just walked away and leave.
Jessica’s voice tightened again. “Wait p>
Marcus paused without turning fully.
“Will you be among those that will decide who to pick for the contract?” she asked, eyes fixed on him.
“Sure,” Marcus replied simply.
Jessica’s face dropped a little. A thought immediately crawled into her mind, sharp and uncomfortable. What if Marcus decided to get back at her by rejecting her on purpose?
Marcus stepped into the elevator.
Travis, watching Jessica’s expression shift, leaned closer and spoke quickly, trying to steady her nerves.
“I’m telling you,” he said, forcing confidence into his tone. “He has no say in this. He just wants to bluff and show off. How could someone like him even pull something as big like this off. Mr. smith would help us”
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Cedella
Cedella is a passionate storyteller known for her bold romantic and spicy novels that keep readers hooked from the very first chapter. With a flair for crafting emotionally intense plots and unforgettable characters, she blends love, desire, and drama into every story she writes. Cedella’s storytelling style is immersive and addictive—perfect for fans of heated romances and heart-pounding twists.