Damn it! Monique had shown up at the worst possible moment. That other woman was simply unforgettable—well worth the fortune he'd spent to keep her by his side. Recalling the passion she had stirred in him just moments before, Ernesto headed straight for the bathroom. "Ernesto, what are you doing?" "Let's go again." "But aren't we going to the company?" "There's still time. It's early—we can manage one more round..." "You..." The sound of running water mixed with Monique's half-hearted protests echoed from the bathroom. By the time they had freshened up and prepared to leave for Lewis Group, it was nearly nine o'clock. At the company headquarters, senior executives and shareholders had already begun to gather. It wasn't a special occasion—rather, it was the final countdown to Chloe's partnership negotiation deadline. Only one hour remained. Sixty minutes—that was all. So far, the only party that had extended an olive branch to Lewis Group was Myers Group. Early that morning, as soon as the corporate offices opened, representatives from Myers Group had arrived. Lawyers and journalists were already on site. Fifteen minutes earlier, Arthur had made his entrance, dressed in a tailored suit, and taken his place at the negotiation venue. Everyone present watched as he sat there with an air of calm authority, sipping coffee alone. Behind him stood Donald, holding the partnership agreement—a proposal worth two billion dollars. This was Myers Group's show of sincerity. All Lewis Group had to do was give the nod, and the contract could be signed immediately. The accompanying press corps stood ready to release the announcement, making the partnership public and drawing market attention. A two-billion-dollar capital injection would undoubtedly generate significant buzz and focus financial interest on both Lewis Group and Myers Group. For Lewis Group, it was the optimal choice—and arguably the only viable one. The Lewis Group shareholders watched the scene with clear anticipation. Myers Group had raised its offer from five hundred million to two billion—a several-fold increase. It was nothing short of a rescue package. Anyone in their right mind would recognize that an offer like this from Myers Group was absolutely, undeniably, not to be missed. Turning five hundred million into two billion, with Myers Group actively pursuing the deal—any rational person would know what to do. Now, Arthur, the president of Myers Group, sat waiting for Chloe, the acting head of Lewis Group, to appear and agree to what was clearly a win-win partnership. Only about ten minutes remained before the negotiation window closed. Where was Chloe? The shareholders had gathered, all waiting for this final moment—to see whether Chloe could actually alter the fate of Lewis Group. She was the one who had insisted on seeking new partners. Yet with the deadline looming, there was no sign of her. Perhaps she had already fled, too ashamed to show her face. This was no way for the person in charge of Lewis Group to behave. "Do you think Chloe will show up in the next ten minutes?" "She's not here at this point—I doubt she'll come. When the public scrutiny gets intense, she'll probably just take whatever money is left and disappear abroad. I thought she seemed so confident when she announced she'd replace the partner and turn Lewis Group around in a month. Turns out she's just another overconfident... arrogant... young woman." "By the way, where's Mr. Lewis? Why haven't we seen him? After all, Chloe is his daughter. If she can't clean up this mess, he'll be the one facing the fallout." "I think Mr. Lewis is in deep trouble now! Otherwise, why hasn't he shown up with time running out?" "Only a few minutes left—Chloe must be hiding somewhere, too scared to face the music." The shareholders chatted among themselves, speculating freely, their expressions a mix of amusement and schadenfreude."I'm afraid you're going to be disappointed." A light, clear voice cut through the murmurs as Chloe, dressed in a sharp business suit, appeared before the crowd. Beside her stood two figures—Zachary in a crisp suit, and Melinda. Melinda cut an especially striking figure. Today, she'd deliberately opted for an outfit that echoed Zachary's—her way of standing by Chloe. Well, more precisely, for the sake of the occasion. This was a make-or-break battle. If the assistant turned heads this much, one could only imagine how dazzling the boss would shine.