Free Web NovelChapter 230: Chapter 230 The Tables Turn
Only then did Ryan set down his coffee cup.
“I’ll handle it.”
He made his position clear.
The knot in Samantha’s heart instantly loosened. She knew Ryan would find the exposure of his relationship with Rose just as unacceptable as she did.
She didn’t want it, and Ryan wanted it even less.
Rose’s attempt to act aloof during that phone call had clearly backfired. It hadn’t made Ryan willing to deliberately leave the news alone just to accommodate her wishes.
Rose had miscalculated.
Oliver joked, “Anyway, Rose’s face wasn’t shown in the photos. Ryan covered it, so she never actually appeared in public.”
“In that case, what’s wrong with explaining later that the woman in the photo is Sam?”
A flicker passed through Samantha’s eyes before she replied casually, “I don’t need to borrow someone else’s identity.”
Now that Ryan had decided to have the photos removed, she felt much more at ease.
At least there would be an explanation for the fans later.
However—
“I have my interview the day after tomorrow. That’s something worth celebrating.”
Unlike Rose, who was supposedly entangled in romantic complications just to gain attention, Samantha had something truly important ahead of her.
Oliver looked over. “Did you get the notice?”
Samantha smiled. “It’s confirmed.”
“Then you’re definitely in. Professor Byrne usually accepts three candidates, and with your background, you’re practically guaranteed a spot.”
Samantha knew it as well. Her background and résumé were among her greatest strengths. With three openings available, she was confident she would secure one as long as she performed well in the interview.
So much had happened recently.
Her doctoral application was her strongest card.
It was the only way to restore her reputation.
Perhaps it would even erase the humiliation she had suffered at the Knight family’s home.
With that in mind, Samantha looked at Ryan. She deliberately avoided mentioning the photos again, acting as though she didn’t care at all.
“Ryan, could you accompany me that day? I’d feel more at ease if you were there.”
Ryan leaned back in his chair and nodded calmly.
“Sure.”
******
Rose never managed to get in touch with Ryan.
Nor did he return her call.
He never told her where he was going. He was as elusive as ever, appearing only when he wished to.
She had no idea where to find him.
Rose felt truly powerless.
Ryan had always refused to address any issue between them directly.
Fortunately, she was still able to reassure Ariel.
It wasn’t as though a knife was hanging over her head.
However, Caleb noticed that something was off. He recognized the clothes and shoes in the photo because he had seen Rose wear them before.
Rose could only explain, “It was just an accident. It won’t affect my current relationship with him. I already have the divorce certificate. We’ve completely gone our separate ways.”
Caleb knew how hard Rose had been working to obtain the divorce papers.
After all, transferring Ariel’s custody required proof of divorce.
“That’s wonderful news. Officially getting divorced and reclaiming your freedom is worth celebrating.”
Without wasting a second, Caleb rushed out to order a cake.
Rose’s mood lightened.
Now she truly felt reborn.
With the divorce certificate in hand, all that remained was Trevor’s return so they could resolve Ariel’s situation. She no longer had to worry about Margaret threatening to withhold or revoke the divorce.
She had no more concerns.
Rose didn’t spend much time dwelling on the news.
The second phase of her project was about to begin, and there was one important matter she needed to handle.
She needed to visit Sky High to discuss future order volumes and pricing.
She also needed to discuss the optimization of several components in person, since no one understood the technical details better than she did.
Rose made an appointment with President Oscar at Sky High.
She was scheduled to arrive at three o’clock in the afternoon.
Sky High’s factory was considered an industry benchmark.
Rose planned to tour the facility again before the meeting so she could prepare for a more targeted discussion.
President Oscar seemed exceptionally easygoing, always wearing a smile. When he met Rose, he treated her warmly and showed no disrespect despite her relatively weak position within G.S.
He personally guided her through the large factory.
“I’ve heard a great deal about you, Miss Bennett. After meeting you today, I must say your knowledge of components is truly impressive.”
President Oscar genuinely seemed to appreciate Rose.
He was also very open to discussion.
Rose was surprised.
Although Samantha had joined Sky High, the company itself still maintained a cooperative attitude.
However, the phrase I’ve heard a lot about you struck her as somewhat odd.
“You know me?” Rose asked.
Just as President Oscar was about to answer, a work call came in.
Rose immediately gestured toward him.
“It’s fine. Please take the call. I’ll look around on my own.”
Sky High’s factory was enormous.
It even had its own independent research laboratory.
They still hadn’t had the opportunity to discuss pricing in detail.
Rose was escorted to a private meeting room.
She had barely taken her seat when the door opened again.
The moment she saw Samantha, she wasn’t particularly surprised.
She had known before coming that Samantha, as one of Sky High’s recent investors, would most likely be there.
As soon as Samantha entered, she gave Rose a cold glance.
Her assistant said, “Miss Bennett is here to discuss the details of the next collaboration.”
Samantha walked to a chair, crossed her legs, picked up the quotation sheet, and asked, “So, what price is G.S. offering?”
Rose immediately sensed the air of superiority in her tone.
She got straight to the point.
“I’d like to keep the unit price for each component below 1,800.”
Samantha let out a derisive laugh. “Do you think Sky High is running a charity? If we can’t make a profit, we might as well shut down. My absolute bottom line is 1,980. If you don’t like it, you’re free to find another supplier.”
Rose knew perfectly well that Samantha was deliberately making things difficult.
The first batch had been agreed upon at 1,920, yet Samantha was now raising the price unilaterally.
“Who exactly do you think you’re speaking for?” Rose asked.
Samantha frowned. “That seems to be an internal matter at Sky High. Rose, what exactly are you questioning?”
She tossed the quotation sheet onto the table and smiled lightly. “It’s not that we can’t negotiate. It simply depends on how sincere you are. I’m not unreasonable, but your attitude needs adjusting. If you can satisfy me, I might consider your offer.”
Rose’s eyes remained emotionless.
She stared at Samantha’s smug expression.
Samantha was trying to make her grovel.
Ever since Samantha became a shareholder of Sky High, Rose had anticipated this day.
Samantha would inevitably use her position to place herself above her, squeeze her dry, make things difficult, and trample on her dignity.
But this was Rose’s project.
It involved the company as well.
She would not run away.
Avoiding Samantha would accomplish nothing.
“Rose, pride is the most useless thing once you enter the workforce. That’s the first lesson you need to learn. Your dignity isn’t worth much. You’d be better off gaining something valuable for yourself. That’s a much better deal.”
Samantha raised an eyebrow and smiled.
Rose would fail to report back successfully.
G.S. would be dissatisfied.
With no one supporting her, what future could she possibly have?
Ever since Rose had allowed the media to photograph her with Ryan, she should have realized she had made a mistake.
Rose understood that Samantha had no intention of handling this professionally.
She wanted to humiliate her.
She wanted Rose to suffer.
Rose said nothing.
Her phone suddenly chimed.
She glanced down at the message from Leo.
Then she looked at the notification.
Rose asked slowly, “So there’s no room for negotiation?”
Samantha’s phone rang as well.
She saw the notification from NYU informing her of the interview location.
The smile on her lips widened.
“I told you, you can show me your sincerity. If I’m satisfied, everything can be negotiated.”
As she spoke, she curled her lips into a smile. “You could try begging me.”
“I’ll give you time to think about it, but I’m busy. I need to prepare for my doctoral interview.”
In other words, she had no time to waste on Rose.
Rose had already seen Samantha’s true nature once she gained power.
But—
She slowly took out her phone and looked at Leo’s message again.
[PhD application interview. You need to come and serve as one of the interviewers. The school has already sent you the schedule, right? Don’t be late.]
