The next morning, Vincent arrived at the investment conference with Giselle in tow. Giselle wore a smug expression, clearly convinced that Gallagher Group would secure every investment and project without fail.

Vincent's mood soured the instant he noticed me sitting beside Leona. "Rebecca, why are you sitting with Leona? Stop embarrassing Gallagher Group and come sit next to me."

Since I refused to budge, Vincent's expression darkened. "Are you sulking again? I kept my promise. After we lock in today's investments and projects, I'll reinstate you as an executive and raise your salary to 15 thousand dollars a month. What more could you possibly want?"

I laughed despite myself. 15 thousand dollars a month? Did he really believe he was being generous?

"I don't need it, Vincent. Today, you won't secure a single investment or project," I said calmly.

Vincent's face fell as I kept pushing back. "Fine. Don't say I didn't give you an opportunity. I had thought of reinstating you for your work yesterday, but I see you don't know how to appreciate it. Don't think a new company makes you untouchable. Gallagher Group will claim every investment and project today, and Clarke Group will be left scrambling to sell off their shares!"

Giselle wrapped her arm around Vincent and laughed. "It seems you don't know anything about people. Every one of these investors has worked with Gallagher Group before. Do you think any of them would abandon a proven company for an unknown startup? If you get rejected, don't blame Mr. Gallagher or me when you end up on the streets."

I sneered. I knew every investor and project owner in the room, and I knew why they had chosen Gallagher Group before—they valued my proposals.

Without me, Vincent and his complete lack of social skills would have ruined the company long ago.

I leaned back in my chair, silently waiting for the conference to begin. Realizing they had made fools of themselves, Vincent and Giselle snorted in frustration and reluctantly took their seats.

The investment conference began without delay. Investors and project owners eagerly scouted for the companies they wanted to work with. They paused at our table one after another, while Vincent and Giselle were completely snubbed.

Panic spread across Vincent's face as he seized a former partner. "Trevor! Have you lost your mind? How could you pick some unknown company over us? Gallagher Group is the top in this industry! Didn't you remember working with us? You can't possibly be blind to our strength!"

Trevor Shepard's face darkened at Vincent's aggressive tug. He frowned, dropping all pretenses. "Gallagher Group? Vincent, I gave you credit before because Rebecca's proposal was smart, thorough, and valuable. But your proposal today? It's worse than garbage!"

The proposal slipped from his hands and tumbled to the floor. Bright pink cartoon stickers clashed sharply with the conference's serious atmosphere. What should have been a professional, black-and-white document was instead filled with colorful, decorative fonts and a single childish message. "Please invest in Gallagher Group for the sake of this cute cartoon!"

Vincent looked at Giselle with disbelief written all over his face.

Vincent snapped, "Giselle, was this your doing? Didn't I make it clear how critical today's conference was? This determines whether Gallagher Group survives or collapses! You swore you had everything under control and that the investments were guaranteed. Tell me, what the hell is this proposal?"

Giselle stepped back, nervously fidgeting with her fingers.

Tears welled in her eyes as she tried to explain herself. "Mr. Gallagher, I really cared about this conference. That's why I used the stickers I normally put on your car to decorate the proposal. Didn't you say my cartoon stickers were cute and that everyone would like them? If the investors and project owners won't invest in us, it must be Rebecca's fault. After Gallagher Group fired her, she's probably been talking badly about us."

Vincent looked at Giselle's pitiful expression, and the scolding he had prepared never left his mouth.

He turned toward me and snapped, "Rebecca, was this your doing? Did you go around telling the investors and project owners lies about Gallagher Group and cost me every investment?"

I looked at him as if he had lost his mind. "Vincent, are you serious? Do you really believe that? The only reason you didn't get a single investment is that Giselle's proposal was a mess. You still have the nerve to blame me?"

Vincent's anger flared. "I've always been responsible for the company's proposals. Giselle just took over, so it's normal that she's inexperienced. If you hadn't thrown a tantrum and run off, leaving her to handle it at the last minute, how could she have messed it up like that?"

I couldn't help but laugh. Ignoring Vincent's nonsense, I turned to the others. "If no one here intends to cooperate with Vincent and Gallagher Group, then let's ask him to leave. This conference isn't for people who are just here to stir up trouble."

The investors and project leads, who had long lost patience with Vincent's company, immediately jumped in with scorn.

"Have some shame. You were the one who let Giselle take over the proposal, and now you're blaming Rebecca?"

"I've never had any respect for you. You strut around like a nouveau riche, never bother to show up, and leave Rebecca to handle everything. Without her, your company wouldn't even be worth looking at."

"Rebecca's already joined Ms. Clarke's company. Vincent, you might as well call it quits and start dumping your shares. You're only making a fool of yourself."

As the investors fired barb after barb, Vincent's face darkened with fury.

He glared at me fiercely. "Rebecca, remember—you're my girlfriend! How could you join another company and embarrass mine? Was this your way of getting back at me because you're jealous of Giselle?

"I'm giving you one last chance. Apologize right now, come back, and bring every investment and project to Gallagher Group. Crush Leona's company, and I'll forgive you. If not, don't think we can stay together!"

I laughed, and Leona rolled her eyes at him. "Rebecca broke up with you a long time ago. You think you're special, but you're worthless. Your ability is nothing, and so is everything else!"

Leona was right. When I worked alongside Vincent building the company, he knew nothing. I had done all the work to bring it to this scale. Even if the company eventually ended up in his name, without me, he was nothing.