"Sara, tonight is our sister time."
"Alright!" Sara was genuinely touched. At least Janelle hadn't abandoned their friendship for romance. She truly was her best friend.
Haidilao's hotpot never disappointed. Hotpot paired with beer was the perfect combination. Janelle ordered plenty of Sara's favorite meats. Sara ate with pure delight. Finally, she cracked open a beer.
"Janelle, your stomach isn't great, maybe skip the beer? This toast is for you, congratulations on winning the project today. Honestly, I've always thought you were amazing. I knew you could do it." Whatever Janelle set her mind to, she achieved.
"Hmm, thanks."
"Why thank me? Once we've dealt with all those bad people, let's go to the border together and bring your godmother home! She must be so lonely there alone." No one liked being alone. Especially after the trauma she'd suffered.
"Soon. Everything here will be resolved soon." Both the Hills and the Rovellas.
Sara had also seen the news about the Hills. Online, the Hills were drowning in criticism. Their entire PR team was scrambling, but with little effect. Mrs. Hill must be utterly frantic right now. That kind of woman, unhappy herself, wanted everyone else miserable too. If it were just that, fine. But she had been instrumental in fueling the events five years ago.
"Janelle, whatever you want to do next, you have to tell me. I can help." They were best friends, weren't they? She hadn't been able to help at all during those five border years. That guilt had always weighed on her.
Janelle felt tempted. She poured herself a beer. "Sara, I mean it. Things on the border weren't as bad as you imagine." Whatever happened in the past was over. She had gritted her teeth and endured. Now, it was time for those who hurt them to face the consequences.
"Come on, let's have a proper drink together tonight."
"Okay!"
Meanwhile, at the Rovella Residence...
Westin and Amber were also having a rough time. Westin's project had made some progress, but whether it would win its bid was another matter. And now, Janelle had already secured hers. If this continued, Janelle would surely drive them out of the company.
Amber was in a foul mood, compounded by Westin's recent absences. Seeds of doubt had taken root. "Where have you been? The company is in crisis, and you're nowhere to be found?"
"Westin, if this keeps up, we'll lose everything! Is that what you want?"
"Say something! What does your silence mean?" Amber was truly breaking down. Hadn't they always been good? She was his "white moonlight." If she hadn't been, she couldn't have won him over so easily five years ago. Why was it like this now?
"Amber, take a good look at yourself. What's the difference between you and a shrew?" Westin hadn't wanted to say it, but he couldn't hold back. "Amber, do you even genuinely like me? I've worked so hard, but you never praise me. With you, it's always nitpicking." He had fought hard to become CEO of Blue Whale Co., Ltd. How many people in Graham City bowed and scraped before him? Yet at home, facing her, he was never good enough. His young secretary, however, looked at him with pure admiration – feeding his ego immensely.
"Westin, what are you implying? Are you picking a fight with me today?"
"Are you blaming me now? Everything I've done was for you and our daughter! Was it for myself?"
"Have you no conscience? Janelle is back, and she secured the Aleens project so quickly!"
"She bears us nothing but hatred! Aren't you afraid at all? I poured five years of effort into Blue Whale! To see it handed to someone else on a platter? How could I accept that?"
"What are you worried about? My project is still progressing. The bidding session is tomorrow. I will win." Westin still had confidence in himself. "Amber, have a little faith in me, okay?"
Amber felt utterly stifled. But facing Westin, she truly didn't know what else to say. Honestly, sometimes she felt this man lacked vision. But he was the highest she could reach. That's why she had lowered herself to please him.
"Westin, we fought so hard to get here. Everything I do is for us, for our daughter." Amber moved to embrace Westin. She wanted to feel his warmth; he hadn't touched her in days. Was he really seeing someone else? Otherwise, how could he resist?
But Westin disappointed her again. He pushed her away. "Alright, since you're so concerned about this project, I'll go personally oversee it right now. Satisfied?"
Amber stood frozen. Rejected. He had pushed her away.
Later, with Lillie...
Amber called Lillie over. Lillie was in a terrible mood herself, having just returned from the Hills. The Hills were in complete chaos. Nelson had been called to the company. She'd wanted to go with him, but he refused. Lillie couldn't understand why. Wasn't she his fiancée? What was wrong with going to see?
Mother and daughter were both struggling.
"Lillie," Amber said, "you must get into the Research Institute. Forget everything else these next few days; focus solely on preparing for the assessment." She had to prepare for the worst.
"Mom, are you saying Janelle might actually take back Blue Whale?"
"Hmph. If we can't keep it in the end, I won't let her have it easily. She wants Blue Whale? Fine, she can have an empty shell!" What if it was a Blue Whale drowning in debt?
Lillie immediately grasped her mother's meaning. "Mom, you really are my mother. Brilliant. Janelle won't have an easy life."
"Admittedly, we're not at that point yet. Right now, I dearly hope your father can win his project."
"Hmm, Dad might not lose. His project team is full of Blue Whale Co., Ltd.'s elite, after all."
Back at the Hotpot Restaurant...
Janelle and Sara finished their meal. Seeing it was still early, Sara dragged Janelle to "Nightfall" to unwind.
The moment Janelle and Sara arrived, they drew the attention of many wealthy heirs. News of Janelle defeating the Hills and securing the Aleens Group partnership had already spread through their circles.