Chapter 40


    "Let Strata King Group have their moment with that tempting opportunity. Once we''ve got our stock prices back on track, we''ll be back in the game stronger than ever," Evangeline mused, her fingers gently tracing the contours of the ring her grandfather had cherished for s "However, you know the saying that goes, ''Gordon rules the north, Foster owns the


    south. Strata King may be the brainchild of Walter Gordon, but it''s the Gordon family that''s pulling the strings. They''ve outpaced the original Gordon Group and now sit at the top of Halcyonia''s corporatedder.


    "If we challenge Strata King, we''re challenging the Gordons head-


    on. And despite the old bonds between our families, in business, there''s no room for stepping aside. If we abandon the northern markets for charity work in the northwest, what will that say about the Foster name?" someone said.


    "Who''s saying I''m ducking Strata King Group? That''s the biggestugh I''ve had all day!" In that instant, Evangeline''s dormantpetitive edge roared to life.


    Her gaze was fierce as she swept it over the crowd. "The northern market? Consider it imed by Foster Group."


    She understood her grandfather''s determination to expand north-it was all for her sake.


    With the Foster family''s roots deep in the southern soil, and her own marriage taking her far from home, her grandfather had feared she would be left without a safety. That was why he had pushed northward.


    "Today, I might let Strata King Group snag a juicy morsel, but tomorrow, I''ll make Walter regret it. He''ll cough up everyst bite he''s taken."


    Someday, she would repay Walter for every bit of trouble he had caused her.


    ''Walter, I''ll see you on the battlefield of business, Evangeline vowed silently, with a steely resolve.


    At her words, a shiver ran through the room, and no one dared to speak up.


    She was every!


    the Foster heiress-fierce and unflinching. Not even Walter, a


    giant in his own right, could intimidate her.


    "Another thing. My grandfather''s health scare is behind him, and he''s out of the woods. If anyone''s thinking of jumping ship, now''s the time. If you''re staying, keep it straight.


    "Just a friendly heads-up: it won''t be long before the chairman reims his seat. And he''s not like me-he doesn''t have a soft spot like a woman might. Betray Foster Group now, and you might just disappear without a trace," Evangeline dered with icy rity. The room fell into a deathly silence.


    No further objections were raised.


    Who would have guessed that seemingly spoiled heiress couldmand the room with just a few sentences?


    Evangeline was wiped out after a marathon of meetings, sinking into her office chair. like a deted balloon. Yet, the documents kepting, and she powered through them with sheer willpower.


    She could not afford to let a single slip-up ruin the day''s hard-won progress, especially with Asher and Wade pitching in.


    Wade flipped through a report and said, "About setting up the charity medical project, the nning team thinks we should get a star to plug it, really crank up the outreach."


    She nodded. "Smart move. Let''s test the waters on a few tforms. However, we''ve got to snag someone with star power and a squeaky-clean rep."


    Wade pointed to a couple of suggestions in the document, "We''ve got Julia, the violin prodigy fresh from abroad, but she''ll cost us a pretty penny. Then there''s Casey Lane, the new darling of the silver screen. Roslyn''s name had been in the running too, but after her recent fiasco, she was out of the picture.Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    "Julia?" Evangeline let out a derisive snort. She was out of the loop that the otherworldly Julia had thrown her hat into the showbiz ring.


    "Yes," Wade stammered, "the team didn''t know about the bad blood between you two."


    With a dismissive nce and without raising her head, Evangeline said, "Scrap Julia.


    Bring in Casey."


    "Will do. Oh, and Miss, the Foster family''s charity g tonight is basically your bigeback as their darling daughter. You''ve got to shine as the heir. The Gordons will be there, too." "Got it, handle it," she said, already thinking ahead to the evening''s event.