To be fair, Mr. Aleen's critiques were spot-on. Truly worthy of someone from Imperial Capital; his vision and insight were top-tier. He effortlessly pinpointed the issues in each project.
Mrs. Hill was deeply uncomfortable with Mr. Aleen publicly dissecting her project's flaws. She didn't believe there was anything wrong with it at all. Finally, for Blue Whale Co., Ltd.'s project, Mr. Aleen couldn't help but lavish praise.
"Honestly, the most impressive project today was Miss Rovella's. For someone so young to possess such vision and boldness makes one eagerly anticipate Blue Whale Co., Ltd.'s future."
"Therefore," Mr. Aleen announced, "I declare that for the next three years, the Aleens Group will enter into a comprehensive partnership with Blue Whale Co., Ltd. This is our first project together, but it absolutely will not be the last."
Thunderous applause erupted following Mr. Aleen's announcement. While they hadn't won the bid, the other companies recognized their own shortcomings. Regardless, with the Aleens Group choosing Blue Whale Co., Ltd., the latter now had limitless potential.
Mrs. Hill's displeasure was palpable. She stood up abruptly from her seat, abandoning any pretense of decorum, and stormed out of the venue. The Aleens Group would surely regret today's choice! Seeing their CEO leave, the Hills employees had little choice but to follow, though they felt it was deeply undignified. One always maintained appearances, but with the boss gone, staying was pointless.
"Mr. Hill, leaving already? Upset?" Janelle stepped into Mrs. Hill's path.
Mrs. Hill's face darkened further. "What are you gloating about? Thinking that partnering with the Aleens Group puts you above us?"
"Janelle, mark my words. I will drive you out of Graham City one day!" Mrs. Hill spat venomously.
"You're that powerful, are you?" Erik appeared beside Janelle. "Since Mrs. Hill boasts such strength, I won't hold back." He usually wouldn't bother with a woman, but seeing her bully his woman right in front of him? That was unacceptable.
"Hah!" Mrs. Hill couldn't help a scornful laugh. Just a nobody thug from who-knows-where. Did he really think he could touch her? "Overestimating yourself!" The Hills were Graham City's wealthiest family; even the Rovellas were insignificant in comparison, let alone this jumped-up nobody.
However, Mrs. Hill had barely stepped outside when her secretary rushed to her, panic-stricken. "Mrs. Hill! The entire company is waiting for you!" A sudden PR crisis had erupted, leaving the whole company scrambling.
"What? What do you mean? What happened?" Mrs. Hill was completely bewildered.
The secretary thrust her phone forward. News feeds showed the Hills headquarters besieged by reporters. "Mrs. Hill... someone has filed a real-name report against the Hills!"
"What?!" Mrs. Hill, already furious, felt her world crashing down. "Fine. I understand." She immediately tried calling the powerful backer behind the Hills. The line rang unanswered. Enraged, she hurled her phone to the ground.
Mrs. Hill headed back to Hills HQ, only to find her car blocked by a swarm of reporters. Getting inside was impossible.
"Mrs. Hill, there are simply too many reporters here. We can't drive through!" Flashes kept going off. It seemed half of Graham City's press corps had descended.
"Mrs. Hill! Please step out and speak with us!"
"That's right! Is the Hills Group refusing media interviews because you're guilty?"
"The public has a right to know! The Hills must give us an explanation!"
Seeing Mrs. Hill stubbornly remain inside the car, the onlookers lost control. Whatever they had in their hands – trash, bottles – they hurled it at the car.
Terrified by the allegations circulating online – allegations backed by the real-name reporter likely holding evidence – Mrs. Hill dared not face the press. Being publicly contradicted would be humiliating.
"Mrs. Hill! What do we do now?" the secretary pleaded.
"Call security! We have plenty of security guards! Can't they clear these people?" Mrs. Hill snapped, facing such chaos for the first time and feeling utterly frazzled.
Security arrived swiftly, but their presence only inflamed the crowd's anger.
"Heartless capitalists! Only care about your profits, not the lives of ordinary people!"
"Exactly! Their factory pollution gave my son cancer! And when it happened, they did nothing!"
"I'll risk my life today to fight them!"
"That's right! The Hills are black-hearted! They use substandard materials on construction sites..."
Voices rose, sharing grievances and accusations. The situation spiraled completely out of control. Some started smashing the car itself.
The secretary was terrified. The scene was pure pandemonium. "Mrs. Hill! They're smashing the car!" The crowd looked genuinely enraged. If they broke into the car...
Meanwhile, at the Aleens Group...
In stark contrast to Mrs. Hill's disaster, Janelle's side was jubilant. They signed the contract with the Aleens Group on the spot. Backed by this powerhouse, Blue Whale Co., Ltd.'s future looked incredibly bright.
"Miss Rovella, I'm certain we will have a very pleasant partnership," Mr. Aleen said warmly. Janelle's project had received near-unanimous approval. The young woman was truly impressive.
Janelle shook his hand. "Mr. Aleen, I'm still young and have much to learn. I hope for your guidance in the future."
"You are far too modest. While young, creating such a perfect project shows your capability. I believe Graham City's future belongs to you." Bold, daring, and supremely capable – success was inevitable for someone like her.
Mr. Aleen personally escorted them out.
Once safely in their car, Linda finally broke down, tears streaming down her face. Kevin, bewildered, patted her shoulder awkwardly. Weren't they just celebrating a major win? Why was she crying?
Linda cried tears of pure joy and relief. The pressure since taking on this project had been immense. They'd faced countless problems. And now... they'd succeeded, and spectacularly so. The emotion overwhelmed her.
Janelle handed her a few soft tissues. "Linda, you've worked incredibly hard these past weeks. Go home and rest properly. Tomorrow's the weekend – everyone, take a good break." They all deserved it after such intense effort.