"Boss. It is clear that Mr Peter has no intention of signing up with us and only wanted to humiliate you. And now, if he sees your proposal and realizes that it is sa as the one that Madam Collins just announced, things will go further south. The man is hell bent on getting revenge on you. I think we should take the file and leave."
lanie stared at the man as he spoke to the guests, his assistant following him with her file still in hand. She knew Ben was correct. That Peter wanted to use this file to embarrass her and bring her down. But she clenched her jaw," No, Ben. I am not leaving."
"Boss, you heard what he said!" Ben hissed urgently. "He's setting you up. If he opens that file—"
Even as her hand tightened on the glass with enough force to shatter it, she gritted her teeth and answered, "I said no. If I leave now, it looks like I'm running. And I refuse to give Madam Collins or Peter that satisfaction."
Ben looked like he was ready to argue, but the words never ca. Instead, his eyes flicked over her shoulder and his expression darkened.
"He's coming," Ben muttered under his breath.
lanie turned around just in ti to see Peter Berkus approaching, his gaze locked on her. The glass in her hand felt heavier as he stopped directly in front of her, one brow lifting as his eyes swept over her pale face.
"Did you really think," Peter drawled in a low voice edged with bitterness, "that I invited you here for a collaboration? After what you did to ?"
lanie sipped the drink in her hand as she looked at the man," And what did I do?"
Peter's expression darkened as he looked at her serene face,"Don't play dumb, lanie. You accused of plagiarism. Dragged my na through the mud and then cut off ties like I was nothing."
"Did I?" lanie asked. However, it was her tone that was mocking which irritated Peter who glared at her, while she continued, "Or did Madam Collins do that?"
Peter's scoffed. "Are you even your grandmother's blood? You really do have thick skin. Don't try to pin your bla on soone else now that all your bad decisions have thrown LuxeArt under the bus.
lanie shook her head, " My decisions brought down LuxeArt? Either, I have amnesia or you do, because I don't recall eting you in the last three years to accuse you of anything."
Peter's scowled deepened and he looked as if he was about to blow up as he said. "Of course you didn't say it yourself. You had Madam Collins pass the decision along like a coward!"
"Tsk tsk." lanie shook her head as she stared back at the man. "You must really trust Madam Collins. Don't you think it is odd? I had Madam Collins fire the old staff? I even ordred Madam Collins to break partnerships with our oldest suppliers? Oh, and I ordered Madam Collins to terminate your contract and then buy things from unknown artists? Wow. I must really hate LuxeArt to go to this extent to ruin it."
Peter's expression faltered for a split second as a flicker of doubt crossed his face. It was true. By the ti he had been 'fired' from LuxeArt most of the employees and suppliers had been changed.
But then he shook his head," I rember that you were the one who wanted to make changes. Madam Collins said that you had your own new ideas and did not want to carry on the old ways. And now you are unwilling to accept the consequences of your own decisions? Just accept your mistake."
lanie smiled at that and instead of answering this, she raised her glass in a toast, "Congratulations on your collaboration," and downed the drink one go before placing her empty glass on a nearby table. "I'll be leaving now."
As she gestured for Ben, he hurried out of the hall, already prepared to go away. He did not want to wait and see whatever Peter Bursky and Madam Collins had prepared to humiliate the boss.
While Ben made his escape to get the car, Peter's hand shot out and grabbed lanie, "Wait.We're not finished."
lanie gave a pointed glance at where the old man was holding her and he quickly let go but not before speaking harshly,"Take your useless ideas and go. I have no intention of signing up with you."
He gestured to his assistant, who stepped forward, the file extended toward lanie.
lanie smiled faintly but did not reach for the file. Instead she said, "Uncle Peter. There was a ti I used to call you that. It was why my first thought was to reach out to you."
"I ca here in good faith to clear the misunderstandings of the past. I knew you would be angry and rightly so, but I had hoped you would truly be willing to give a chance. But I can see that I was foolish."
She gently pushed the file back towards the assistant who sent an uncertain glance towards Peter, "This file... I'll leave it with you as a gift. Consider it a thank-you gift for the past decades of collaboration. A little sothing from to you."
With that, lanie nodded at the older man, turned her head to et Madam Collins' malicious gaze and then walked away, feeling a bit foolish for actually believing that things might turn around so easily.
Peter Bursky narrowed his eyes as his hands clenched. For a mont, lanie had resembled his ntor( her grandmother) and he'd been shocked. Because for so reason, despite being humiliated, she had kept her head high. He turned his head to look at the file in his assistant's hand and was about to take it when Madam Collins ca and stood next to him and smiled," Mr Bursky. Please do co with . I'd like for you to et a few people."
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