Revenge is best served cold

I felt rather embarrassed after hearing how concerned Eric was, so I quickly

averted my gaze and lowered my head, focusing on my food.

I suddenly recalled that I had a board meeting today, so I quickly looked up and said, "I might come home late tonight, so your shoulder..."

I hesitated as I looked at his injured left shoulder.

Eric, seemingly unconcerned, smiled and said, "It's alright. I can take care of myself."

I felt much more at ease after hearing him say that.noveldrama

I quickly ate breakfast and rushed to the company. It was my first board meeting after reclaiming my identity, so I couldn't help but feel nervous.

I calmed myself down, then I pushed open the door and walked into the meeting room. I was immediately met with many scrutinizing looks. I had assumed I was early enough, but to my surprise, Dad was the only one not here yet.

There were eight people in the meeting room, including Jack, and a majority of them were looking at me with unmistakable hostility.

I had seen all these faces at a banquet before, so thankfully, I didn't have to worry about not recognizing anyone and embarrassing myself.

"You've finally arrived, Jae!" Mr. Plume, the COO of Brown Group, greeted me. He was the longest-serving member in the management ranks and also the one who had practically watched me grow up since I was young.

I smiled politely and asked, "How come you're all here this early, Mr. Plume?"

Mr. Plume, who wasn't fazed by the question, smiled as he explained, "It's because we're all early risers here, so we usually come in early to have a chat. It also helps us to build rapport."

I heard a derisive snort coming from the side before I could even say anything. I turned to the source of the sound to find Lucius Linden, someone who had recently joined the board within the past two years.

He shot me a disdainful look and said, "It's clear that we're all focused on work, unlike a certain someone who can afford to sleep in so late."

I regarded him indifferently as I slightly furrowed my brows and said, "It seems like

my father is the only one not here yet, Mr. Linden. Is it possible that you're referring to him?"

Lucius' face tensed up for a moment before he said, "How could that be?"

He then looked at me with a

het

mocking grin on his face, adding, "I hope you don't think I'm being meddlesome, Jae. Why does a young woman like you want to get involved in company matters? mean, wouldn't it be more

appropriate for you to marry into wealth and enjoy a life of luxury?"

I met his gaze and replied indifferently, "If you're aware that you're being meddlesome, I suggest you refrain from further comments, Mr. Linden."

Having said that, I glanced at the faces of all those present in the meeting room. It was clear that aside from Mr. Plume, who was sitting beside me, the others showed contempt toward me. It wasn't so much that they looked down on me but rather that they looked down on women in the workplace. It was why they all harbored a natural hostility toward my presence at the board meeting.

I sat calmly in my chair and said loudly, "I dont think there's a problem with me joining the board e of directors. I may not have been in the company for long, but I've still contributed by eliminating several detrimental figures in the company.

"In addition to that, even when I wasn't officially part of the company, the projects I advocated for generated over a billion dollars in revenue for the company. Why shouldn't I be a part of the board?"

It was then that Mr. Ward scoffed and asked, "What projects are you talking about? I don't think we've heard anything about that."

Upon hearing this, I looked at Jack and asked, "It's understandable that they're unaware of this, but I'm sure you're well aware of this, right?"

Jack's face showed a moment of unease. He, however, ignored me and turned his head away with a cold snort.

His reaction made sense since he wanted nothing more than to see me make a fool of myself. If it had been Elsa standing here, he would have already been arguing on her behalf.

I was just about to say something when the door to the conference room suddenly opened and Dad strode in. In that instant, the atmosphere suddenly became tense, and no one dared to say anything.

He looked different from the affectionate father I knew at home. He now radiated

the dignity of a leader. His eyes swept across the room before he demanded

coldly, "Who's the one who said that Jae doesn't belong on the board?"