Unexpected Fiancée

Chapter 37: An Unusual Meeting

Chapter 37: An Unusual Meeting

"Florence, I told you to leave," Patrick commanded, his voice as cold as a frozen cellar, chilling her to the bone.

"Patrick," Florence gasped, her eyes widening in disbelief.

"But I haven't explained the prospectus to you yet," Patrick retorted, a hint of impatience in his tone.

"Let it go and exit."

"But my brother instructed me to explain it to you thoroughly," Florence protested, her expression pained and sorrowful.

Patrick banishing her from the meeting room in Jane's presence was humiliating for her. Patrick's attitude had shifted drastically ever since Jane entered the picture. Once indifferent to her, he now barely acknowledged her existence.

Seeing Florence's exasperation, Jane couldn't help but take pleasure in her discomfort. With a taunting sneer, she added, "Do you doubt my fiancé's ability? Do you think he can't comprehend it on his own?"

Ignoring her protests, Florence reached out to grasp Patrick's arm urgently. "I didn't mean that, Patrick."

However, Patrick briskly pulled his arm away, his expression clouding with frustration. "Leave."

Reluctantly, Florence complied with his order, casting a furious glare at Jane before exiting the CEO's office.

"Well played," Jane remarked to Patrick after Florence's departure.

"So, I'm not a stranger after all?" Patrick quipped, a hint of humor in his voice. "Why did you call me your fiancé?"

Jane grinned and shrugged. "Well, you love Candy, right? I'm just helping you keep the other women at bay. You wouldn't want Candy to know that so many women are vying for your attention."

The mention of Candy stirred complex emotions in Patrick.

"If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave," Jane declared, making her exit.

Florence stood outside the CEO's office, her face etched with anger. Seeing Jane emerge from the room, she extended her leg, attempting to trip her.

Jane, however, effortlessly sidestepped the attempt.

"My fiancé just requested that you leave the company. Why are you still lingering by the door, acting like a gatekeeper?" Jane scoffed, mocking Florence.

"What did you say, Jane?" Florence seethed.

Jane had compared her to a guard dog! Jane dismissed her, turning to Morton, who had witnessed the whole scene. "We don't typically allow outsiders to loiter in our company for extended periods, do we? Why don't you escort her out?"

"Jane, how dare you try to force me out?" Florence exclaimed, her anger boiling over. Her body trembled with fury.

The fact that Patrick had requested her exit was somewhat expected, as he was the owner of the company. However, Jane had no authority to evict her.

"Miss Doyle, please leave!" Morton directed Florence, preventing her from approaching Jane with hostility.

Meanwhile, Jane, unperturbed, returned to her desk without giving Florence a second thought.

Moments later, the office landline rang once more, with Patrick on the other end.

Jane, frowning, answered, "Patrick, why are you calling again?"

"Come to the conference room for a meeting," Patrick instructed from the other end.

"A meeting? What meeting?" Jane inquired, bewildered.

"The meeting concerning the Lady Fashion collaboration," Patrick responded in a hushed tone.

"Very well."

Arriving at the meeting room with the project documents, Jane discovered that Patrick was already seated at the head of the table, donning a meticulously tailored black suit that accentuated his commanding presence.

His expression remained characteristically impassive, projecting an air of nobility and authority. In attendance were Monica, Sherry, and Cara Gunter, the project's designers.

Upon Jane's entrance, all eyes turned towards her.

"Next time, try not to be tardy," Patrick remarked, giving her an indifferent glance before signaling her to take her seat.

Jane found herself perplexed. "Late? I wasn't informed of the meeting."

"Didn't you receive the email?" Monica interjected, pretending to be surprised. "Or did you forget about it? That would be quite careless and irresponsible."

Patrick was known for his high expectations of his employees, and lateness to a meeting due to carelessness could result in severe repercussions, even termination.

However, Jane was undaunted. She smiled at Monica and replied, "I did not receive it. My email records are comprehensive, and any deleted emails can be retrieved. I'm not foolish enough to lie about this." Published by Nôv'elD/rama.Org.

Monica's face darkened, her anger palpable. Was Jane insinuating that she was foolish? She turned to Patrick, suggesting, "Mr. Pansy, if Jane isn't prepared, perhaps we should reschedule this meeting for another time."

"That's unnecessary," Jane stated confidently, preempting Patrick's response.

Patrick, wearing an expression of surprise, asked, "But you mentioned you were unprepared."

"I was unprepared, but it won't hinder the meeting," Jane replied with unwavering confidence.

The room was shocked by Jane's poised demeanor. She strolled to the whiteboard and picked up a marker. "As the project lead, I should know the project inside and out. I should be able to provide a comprehensive overview of the project at any time without the need for special preparation."

Monica, aware that Jane had taken over the project only recently, was eager to witness her failure in front of Patrick and the team. However, Jane's self-assured demeanor left her astounded.

Seated comfortably in his chair, Patrick observed Jane with a contemplative gaze, wondering if she could indeed present the project without adequate preparation.