Chapter 81:

Though Amelia had earned glowing reviews for her business proposals in college, the cutthroat world beyond campus was a different beast altogether. She wasn’t sure her abilities would be acknowledged by Wyatt, who had been navigating the business world for years.

Rather than handing back her phone after reading the proposal, Wyatt tapped it against the passenger seat. Catching the signal, Davin glanced up in the rearview mirror and then turned to take the phone from Wyatt’s hand. After Amelia nodded her approval, Davin read the proposal.

Surprise flashed across Davin’s face as he skimmed the opening pages. By the time he finished, he was beginning to sweat a little. Anxiety coiled in Amelia’s chest at their reactions. When the phone returned to her hands, she asked, “Is there something seriously wrong with my proposal?”

“There are a few tweaks needed, but it’s leagues ahead of anything Davin has managed so far,” Wyatt replied with a faintly amused look toward the front seat. “Honestly, are you sure you deserve that million-dollar annual salary, Davin?”

After all his years with Wyatt, Davin found himself sweating for real for the first time. He wanted to ask Amelia how she had put together such a strong proposal so quickly, but he bit his tongue, not wanting to look foolish.

While Wyatt and Amelia began diving into the finer points, Davin quietly pulled out his own phone, intent on recording the conversation. Listening to Wyatt dissect each issue and pinpoint solutions, Amelia was struck by a wave of nostalgia, as if she’d been dropped back into a top-tier business lecture in college.

Honestly, she thought, if Wyatt ever went bankrupt, he would still make an exceptional college professor. That thought vanished as quickly as it came—no one from the Stewart family was likely to face bankruptcy easily.

𝘕𝖾𝘸 с𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦r𝘴 е𝘃𝘦rу 𝗐e𝘦𝘬 o𝗻 𝗴а𝘭𝘯o𝘷е𝗹ѕ.𝗰o𝘮

As the car rolled to a stop in the construction zone, a swirl of grit swept over them. After getting out of the car, Amelia reached into her bag and retrieved a baseball cap she had prepared.

Her usual bright style and long, loose hair often made her seem vibrant. With the black cap and pale gray tracksuit, she looked every bit the diligent college student.

As soon as Amelia began working, every ounce of her energy went into carefully surveying the grounds, snapping pictures, and jotting down notes, completely unaware that Wyatt’s eyes tracked her every move.

Suddenly, a familiar yet grating female voice interrupted them. Striding onto the site in a crisp white suit and sky-high heels, Elena exuded a sense of competence. However, after only a few steps, her confidence faltered as her heels sank into the loose earth. She let out a frustrated curse, but upon spotting Wyatt and the others, she instantly pasted on a smile and walked over as if nothing had happened.

“Mr. Stewart, I’m the lead on this resort project. Let me know if you need anything—I’m happy to assist.” Elena addressed Wyatt this way because of his words last night.

After returning to the Green family household, Elena couldn’t contain her anger. Her parents were also furious upon learning what had happened at the Moonlit Restaurant. Kevin Green and Carlotta Green were dissatisfied with Wyatt’s behavior, yet they were unwilling to give up on making him their son-in-law. After hours of debate, they decided to hand the resort project to Elena, hoping Wyatt would recognize their daughter’s capabilities. Carlotta’s final advice rang in Elena’s mind: a woman’s competence outweighed her looks—a truth that had her wading through dust and mud despite her displeasure.

When she learned that Wyatt intended to entrust the project to Amelia, her smile vanished instantly. Annoyance flared, and as she eyed Amelia’s youthful look, jealousy twisted inside her. She said mockingly, “Mr. Stewart, this project is huge. Miss Flynn is still new to the business world. I doubt she’s ready for something of this scale.”

Amelia replied, her tone steady but edged with steel, “Nobody is born a veteran—every expert started out with zero experience. You haven’t even seen what I can do, so on what grounds are you doubting my ability to run this project?” Secretly, Amelia had worried about whether she could pull off a project of this scale, yet Elena’s thinly veiled jab only steeled her resolve.

Veiled contempt only fanned the flames of her determination to handle the project well. Now, her mind was set—she would make this project a success, no matter what.

Wyatt stood firmly at Amelia’s side, quietly impressed with the way she held her ground.

Those words landed like a challenge at Elena’s feet, but she ignored Amelia and turned to Wyatt. “Mr. Stewart, is it really wise to hand such a major project to a rookie? What if something goes wrong? Can she take responsibility?”

Wyatt’s reply was cold. “I have full confidence in her. And if the project fails, that’s fine—it’ll just provide her with valuable experience. Either way, I stand by my decision.”