Chapter 5 She Wouldn't Have Toyed With Him

Alan's kiss was intense and unyielding; their lips pressed together with such force that Vanessa could nearly count the individual lashes on his eyes. Her mind flashed back to that night at the hotel-the heat, the passion, every vivid detail flooding her senses.

Just as quickly, she snapped out of her reverie. She pushed against him with all the strength she could muster, but he didn't budge. Desperate, she sank her teeth into his lip with all her might.

The metallic taste of blood mingled between them, yet he appeared entirely unfazed. It wasn't until her breathing grew ragged, her body weakening as if on the verge of collapse, that she finally managed to shove him away.

"Leave! Now!"

Vanessa was seething. The one thing she couldn't stand was losing control, especially to a man she'd once dismissed as an innocent, inexperienced plaything.

Blood smeared Alan's lips in a deep red, but his piercing eyes never left hers. "Now you're kicking me out right after I helped you? You made a promise-you're nothing but a liar."

What promise was he even talking about?

If she'd had the slightest clue how unhinged he was, she wouldn't have toyed with him in the first place.

But...

As she looked at him now, an unsettling sense of familiarity crept over her.

Forcing herself to stay composed, she opened her mouth to say something, but before she could, he cast her a long, lingering glance and walked out without another word.

The lingering tingle on her lips from that fiery kiss only fueled her irritation further.

Just then, her phone buzzed loudly, breaking the tension. It was her secretary, Hayley Mason. "Miss Dawson, there's an emergency. The chairman has called an urgent board meeting to propose selling Splendor Company. You need to return at once."

"What did you say?"

Vanessa's expression darkened instantly, anger flashing across her face.

Splendor Company was her mother's legacy to her. How dare Phil try to sell it off?

Vanessa rushed outside and flagged down a cab, heading straight for the Dawson Group headquarters.

In the Dawson Group's conference room, Phil stood at the head, addressing the board. "As you all know, we're facing a critical situation. Selling Splendor Company is unavoidable, and it will go to the highest bidder. If there are no objections..."

A voice rang out, cutting Phil off mid-sentence. "Objection! Holding such a critical meeting without notifying me? That's hardly fair, wouldn't you agree?"

The doors to the conference room swung open, and Vanessa walked in confidently, with a flustered receptionist trailing behind, clearly unable to stop her.

Phil slowly sat back down, his eyes narrowing as he regarded her. "Vanessa, don't blow this out of proportion. Splendor Company has been bleeding money for years; it's a burden we can't afford. As the executive director, you should understand that."

"Miss Dawson, if Mr. Dawson has already made up his mind, it's best you don't interfere," someone from the board chimed in, their calculating gaze betraying ulterior motives.

Vanessa wasn't about to play nice this time. She laid her cards on the table. "Let me remind you-Splendor Company used to belong to my mother. She held 49% of its shares, and now they belong to me. No sale happens without my consent!"

"Vanessa!" Phil's expression turned grim in a split second.

Mentioning Janet was like stepping on a landmine. In the Dawson family, her name was forbidden, a shadow of Phil's deepest regrets and most bitter grudges. How dare Vanessa bring her up now?

But Vanessa stood her ground. "Dad, you said I should trust my judgment. Well, my judgment tells me to protect what my mother left for me. Nothing you say will change that."

"Alright then!" Phil let out a sharp laugh, his eyes as cold and unyielding as steel. "You're so determined to keep Splendor Company? Prove to me it's worth holding onto. Make it profitable in seven days, and I'll back off. If you fail, don't blame me for being ruthless!"

Making it profitable in seven days?

That was next to impossible! It was clear Phil was setting her up to fail.

But Vanessa had no other option. He wasn't leaving her any room to negotiate.

Clenching her teeth, she kept her composure, her eyes steady and determined. "Fine. If I land a promising deal in seven days, will that prove the company's potential?"

"Absolutely. I'll give you the opportunity. Let's see what you can do," Phil replied with a hint of mockery.

On the surface, he appeared to be offering genuine support, but deep down, he was waiting to see her falter.