Chapter 13
Aria stumbled, hitting the ground hard.
Clutching her stinging cheek, she stared at Shea in disbelief. “How dare you hit me?”
“You rebel! Have you lost your mind?” Justin exclaimed, stunned as Shea struck Aria right before his eyes. He felt his authority challenged instantly. “How dare you?”
“What’s there to be afraid of?” Shea said calmly, clapping her hands as if she’d just touched something dirty.
Looking down at Aria from above, Shea let out a cold laugh. “Didn’t you just accuse me of hitting you? If I didn’t turn your accusation into reality, wouldn’t that make your performance meaningless?”
Aria was stunned. Shea had never been this aggressive before.
“I was just letting you have your way earlier. Did you really think I was so easy to push around?” Shea’s lips curved slightly. “I never forget a slight.”
“You… you’re a bully!” Aria’s fury nearly brought her to tears.
Justin trembled with rage beside her.
“If you don’t provoke me, I won’t provoke you,” Shea said, then casually pulled out a leather chair and sat down.
“Dad, you know my limits. I don’t hold grudges, but if someone crosses my line…” Shea shot Justin a pointed look, then glanced at Aria, who was struggling to get up from the floor. “Those things Aria just accused me of? I might do them on a whim one day.”
Justin caught the implication. His face darkened because he knew Shea was capable, and it only made the frustration boiling inside him grow stronger.
“So, I suggest people mind their own business and stop spouting nonsense. Wouldn’t you agree, Mr. Carrington?”
Justin’s face darkened. He didn’t respond, but he simply turned and walked away.
Seeing Aria still lingering, he barked sharply, “Get out of here! You’re an embarrassment!”
Aria’s eyes welled up with tears as she followed Justin out of the office, looking utterly dejected.
It wasn’t until they were long gone that the employees who had been watching outside erupted into cheers.
“Holy crap! Shea is amazing!”
“Ms. Carrington, that was incredible!”
“Shea is so cool!”
“You’re a true role model for all of us!”
They shouted with increasing intensity, the excitement radiating around them.
Shea caught sight of her colleagues giving her thumbs-up, and a small smile tugged at her lips.
In a distant, overlooked corner, Victor, who had seen everything, gave a slight nod. He reached for his phone and made a call.
The line connected instantly, and Victor quickly summarized what had just happened.
“Mr. Grant, you can relax. Mrs. Grant is exceptionally sharp. She never lets herself fall even the slightest bit behind!”
Even he couldn’t help but feel a spark of admiration.
No wonder she managed to charm Hansen himself!
“Alright, alright, enough with the compliments. Back to work. No slacking!”
Shea grinned and gestured to her teasing colleagues, signaling them to get back to their tasks.
Laughter rippled through the room as everyone returned to their stations with renewed energy.
Only Reese stayed by Shea’s side, her expression filled with concern.
“What’s wrong?” Noticing Reese’s expression, Shea said, “Reese, don’t frown like that. Smile, you’ll get wrinkles if you keep it up.”
“Ms. Carrington, I can’t smile.” Reese let out a soft sigh. “You’ve been so busy preparing for the
wedding, I didn’t dare tell you, but I discovered that Aria has been secretly contacting people on
our team.”
Shea froze, but she wasn’t exactly surprised.
This was exactly the sort of thing Aria would do.
Seeing Shea’s calm reaction, Reese grew anxious. “How can you not be worried at all? Even though
you got the project back, there’s no guarantee Aria won’t sabotage it behind the scenes!”
What if someone on the team has already been swayed by her? What if they undermine the entire
project?
Reese continued, “Shea, I know you, but I know human nature even better. Your work is
exceptional, yet everyone in the company now knows you’re not the Carrington family’s heiress. With Aria targeting you at every turn, it’s only a matter of time before others start pushing you out.
Reese spoke as she followed Shea into the office, casually closing the door behind them.
Shea sank into her chair and sighed softly. “I’m aware of all the issues you mentioned,” she said.
Reese nodded and, as if making a firm decision, looked at Shea earnestly. “Shea, you should leave Carrington Group and start your own business. With your talent, you can absolutely make it
succeed! Staying at Carrington Group is far too limiting for you. And if you’re willing, I will be the first to join you.”
Staring at Reese, who looked at her with unwavering sincerity, Shea felt a flicker of surprise.
She knew Reese admired her, but she hadn’t expected her to trust in her abilities so completely that she would be willing to leave and follow her at a moment’s notice.
A small smile tugged at Shea’s lips. “Actually, I’ve already considered everything you mentioned.”
Reese’s face brightened immediately at her words.
“But now isn’t the right time,” Shea said calmly. “With the Solis Group project back under my control, I need to see it through. Only by securing full ownership of this project can I gather enough capital to leave Carrington Group.”
She let out a cold chuckle. “Given Justin’s narrow-mindedness, striking out on my own now would only invite retaliation.”
Simply starting her own company wouldn’t be enough. She needed resources, solid projects, and capital in hand. Only then could she truly stand up to Justin.
“Shea, you always think things through,” Reese said, her eyes sparkling like tiny stars.
She hadn’t idolized the wrong person, after all.
“Go ahead, Shea. Do what you need to do. If you need anything, just tell me. I’ll give it my all!” Reese declared with unwavering resolve.
Seeing Reese’s unwavering trust and loyalty, Shea felt a surge of emotion.
“But honestly, following me doesn’t guarantee your future,” Shea said, wanting to be clear. Though touched, Shea felt she needed to be honest. “While I may dislike Justin and Aria, Carrington Group’s prospects are still strong. If you join me, you’ll be starting from scratch. Everything will be uncertain.”
Yet Reese’s expression didn’t falter. She even smiled.
“Shea, I’ve never told you this before, but the real reason I joined Carrington Group was because of you.”
Shea froze. “Me?”
It was completely unexpected.
