Chapter 31: Place a Bet
“What’s she coming to beg you for?” Boris asked curiously, raising an eyebrow. “Looks like I missed quite the show.”
Boris Stanley, the Vice President of Ellison Group, was David Ellison’s most trusted confidant. Years of brotherhood and partnership had made them inseparable. Boris had played a key role in helping David secure his position at the helm of the Ellison family business.
Born into a prestigious family, Boris was every bit the charming gentleman, with flirtatious eyes that gave him the air of a playful Casanova. In stark contrast to David’s cold and indifferent demeanor, Boris had become the city’s most eligible bachelor now that David was married.
William, standing nearby, whispered, “Mr. Boris, Mr. Ellison just instructed that no other company is to hire his wife.”
Hearing this, Boris immediately began flipping through Caroline’s resume, his interest piqued.
He quickly skimmed it, then called out to David, who was about to leave. “Wait.”
David stopped and turned to him. “What?”
“Did you even look at Caroline’s resume during the interview?” Boris asked.
David’s expression remained neutral. “No. She’s just a recent graduate. What’s so special about her resume?”
He had barely glanced at it before tossing it aside, clearly dismissing her as unimportant.
Boris sighed, rubbing his forehead in frustration. “If it were up to me, I’d have hired her on the spot. But you? You just ruined my carefully planned recruitment fair for top talent!”
David’s lips thinned in annoyance. “What are you saying? Since when was your judgment for hiring this low?”
“She’s incredibly talented!” Boris shot back. “The skincare product she developed in school is still a best-seller, with stellar reviews and sales. If she joined Ellison Group’s R&D department with our resources and platform, she’d create even more hits!”
David’s eyes narrowed, his tone cool. “So, you want to hire her?”
“Yes. It’s not that she needs us—it’s that we need her. David, if you want Ellison Group to become a globally recognized skincare brand, Caroline is essential.”
After a pause, Boris added, “If she joins another company and starts her own brand, she’ll become our biggest competitor. We can’t let her slip away. We need to keep her at Ellison Group.”
David, unfazed, replied firmly, “I said no company will dare to hire her.”
Boris raised an eyebrow, an idea forming. “Then let’s bet on it,” he challenged, locking eyes with David. “Let’s see if any company is bold enough to go against you and hire her after your warning. You really don’t understand her value. What a shame.”
David’s gaze sharpened, his competitive streak piqued. “Let’s see who dares.”
“We’ll know in three days,” Boris said, leaning back in his chair.
“We’ll see,” David replied curtly before striding out, convinced that no one would risk everything for a mere product developer like Caroline.
Meanwhile, at a nearby coffee shop, Caroline and Anna sat across from each other.
“I’m so sorry, Anna. My impulsiveness messed up your interview,” Caroline apologized, feeling guilty.
“It’s fine,” Anna reassured her. “I wasn’t really expecting much anyway. Besides, if you’re not joining Ellison Group, I wouldn’t want to stay even if I got selected. We promised to work together. I’m not leaving you behind!”
Anna’s loyalty was unwavering, and she even tried to comfort Caroline instead.
“But, Caroline, are you sure today was the first time you met Mr. Ellison? You two seemed awfully familiar!” Anna pressed, her curiosity piqued.
Caroline hesitated, her mind briefly flashing back to their tense interactions. “It was the first time, I swear. But there’s a lot more going on than meets the eye…”
Anna didn’t press further, but the question lingered in the air. Could it really have been their first meeting? Something about their interactions felt far too personal for just a random encounter.
