Chapter 25 Myra pressed her lips together and finally looked at the man sitting at the head of the table. The sunlight streaming through the full-length windows accentuated his sharp features, making them appear even more prominent. A cigarette dangled from his left hand, and his necktie was loosened slightly against his stark white shirt. His long legs were crossed as he examined the two design drafts in front of him lazily. In contrast to his usual stern demeanor or the gentleness he’d shown in the morning, he now looked like a confident young professional, his presence shining with an almost magnetic allure. It was no wonder that women were constantly drawn to him like moths to a flame. The man in front of her certainly had the potential to cause trouble.
“Miss Stark, do you have an opinion about me, since you’re staring so intently?” Tony’s cold, distant voice snapped Myra back to reality. He tapped the ashes from his cigarette, his black eyes locking onto hers, like dark whirlpools threatening to pull her in. A faint smile curled at his lips, adding a touch of warmth to his otherwise indifferent expression.
Her heart skipped a beat. Myra quickly glanced around. Elsie was staring at her with disdain, as if deliberately trying to provoke her earlier, and Sasha wore a more complicated expression. Myra cleared her throat, trying to regain her composure.
“I was just waiting for your confirmation on the Chase Group’s design draft, Director Hart,” Myra explained, her voice steady despite the fluttering in her chest. “After all, I can only be at ease once you confirm that the Chase Group’s design is not plagiarized.”
“Is that so?” Tony’s voice was quiet but rich with a hint of something that sent an uneasy shiver through Myra. The last part of his sentence rose slightly in pitch, as though he was hinting at something more.
Without even looking at him, Myra knew his lips must be curled into a smirk. She suddenly recalled their accidental kiss from the night before and blushed faintly, her thoughts drifting back to the ambiguous question he had asked her earlier in the morning. She forced herself to calm down.
“Yes, I need to know if the draft from the Chase Group is fine,” Myra continued, straightening her posture and making her gaze neutral.
Tony studied her for a moment, his black eyes assessing her with an unreadable expression. He finally nodded, his lips curling into a faint smile. “I have confirmed that the design drafts from both the Chase and Hay Groups are not plagiarized.”
Elsie let out a laugh, almost too loud, as though she was trying to draw attention to herself again. She pretended she couldn’t help it as she grabbed Tony’s arm. “That’s wonderful!” she exclaimed, her heart racing as she felt the firm muscle of his arm under her touch.
Elsie seemed completely unaware of Tony’s darkened expression, or perhaps she was just too focused on her own agenda. When Myra saw her touch him, a deep feeling of disgust bubbled inside her, but she couldn’t stop it in time. Elsie, clearly pleased with herself, turned to face Myra as she returned to her seat.
Sasha, who had been observing them closely, smiled at Myra. “It seems like Director Hart is very pleased with the Chase Group’s design draft. The Hay Group really needs to step up.”
Myra could tell that Sasha was trying to provoke her, but she didn’t rise to the bait. Instead, she simply nodded in response.
Tony stood up, preparing to leave the conference room, and Myra’s gaze followed him as he exited. There was something about the way he carried himself that seemed too purposeful to be anything other than deliberate. Did he not notice that Elsie was throwing herself at him, or was he pretending not to?
As they all made their way out of the building, three Bentleys were parked outside, waiting for them. It seemed that the Hart Group had arranged to send them straight to the Ritz Carlton. Myra noticed Tony arriving last, having changed into a new suit. He paused when walking past her, his eyes locking onto hers for a brief moment before he headed toward the Bentley Mulsanne.
Elsie, eager to stay close to him, hurried to the car, but just as she reached it, Leo stepped in her way, blocking her path with a polite but firm smile. “Miss Foster, our director prefers not to share his car with others. Please take the one behind.”
Elsie’s smile faltered, but she knew she had no choice. Grumbling quietly, she made her way to the second car. Myra observed this exchange from a distance but continued walking toward her designated vehicle. However, before she could enter, Leo stopped her too, his expression unreadable.
“Miss Stark, Director Hart mentioned that he wants to discuss some points with you regarding the Chase Group’s design draft. Please enter the car in front.”
Myra raised an eyebrow at the clear disparity in treatment. She could feel Sasha and her designer’s eyes on her, their expressions a mix of envy and judgment. With a tight grip on her composure, Myra replied evenly, “Whatever the issue is, it’s best to discuss it at dinner later. Everyone should be included in the conversation so we can come up with a solution.”
Without another word, she walked past Leo and headed for the car that Elsie had reluctantly taken. Leo stood there, visibly taken aback, as Myra entered the car and the window rolled up, signaling the end of their exchange.
The other designer, standing by Sasha, glared at the back of Myra’s head as the cars began to drive away. “I was wondering what makes the Chase Group’s design so great. Turns out, it’s all smoke and mirrors. I guess they don’t have any true capabilities, which is why they sent two clueless women to represent them!”
Sasha glared at him, her voice low with warning. “Lower your voice! Do you want the Hart Group to hear you?”
The designer, clearly agitated, shot back, “Miss Hay, if this goes on, how will the Hay Group ever defeat the Chase Group?”
Sasha’s gaze was fixed on the two cars disappearing down the street. Her lips pressed into a tight line as she thought about the situation. Then, a glint of determination flashed in her eyes. “Don’t worry. The Hay Group will find a way to work with the Hart Group this time.”
The ride to the Ritz Carlton was uneventful. Elsie didn’t seem to notice the tension between Myra and Leo, and kept to herself, clearly excited about the evening. Once at the restaurant, Elsie eagerly made her way to Tony’s side as he stepped out of the car. Tony’s expression, however, was unusually cold, and Leo made sure to stay close to Tony, effectively blocking Elsie’s attempts to get too close.
Frustrated, Elsie shot a glare at Leo, but he ignored her completely.
Inside the private room, Myra took a seat beside Tony, the last available one. She could feel Elsie’s jealous gaze burning into her, but she didn’t acknowledge it. Instead, she allowed herself a small, quiet moment of triumph. It was clear to her now that Tony wasn’t as blind to Elsie’s advances as he might have seemed.
Just as Myra was settling into the uncomfortable atmosphere, her phone rang loudly in the quiet room, cutting through the tension.