I Quit Being a Stepmother (Cypress Gem) novel Chapter 34

Chapter 34

By 8:20 am, Carter still hadn’t shown up.

Rhea finally gave him a call.

“I’m on a last–minute business trip. I’ll be gone for four days,” Carter said flatly.

Rhea sucked in a breath. The suffocating frustration made her hang up without another word.

She would have to wait for him to come back to file for the divorce.

+25 BONUS

At 9:00 am, Rhea arrived at Scott Group. Louie was already waiting in her office.

“Ms. Ravelle.” Louie gestured for her to take a seat. “There’s something I need to ask you.”

“Go ahead,” Rhea said.

Louie asked, “Does Carter know that you’re working here? There’s a good chance you’ll run into him at future events. And when that happens, the two of you will be competitors.”

That was precisely why Rhea had submitted her résumé to Scott Group.

Carter had never seen her as a wife, so why should she keep standing on his side, worrying about his interests or opinions?

Rhea smiled. “During work hours, I’m just a risk consultant for Scott Group. Nothing more. It’s my job to generate profit, avoid loss, and compete in the market.‘

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Her calm confidence made Louie look at her with newfound appreciation.

“Alright, then. Could you join me on this business trip? It’s somewhere near Draventh.” Louie had purposely waited for Rhea to come into work. Otherwise, he would have left earlier that morning.

Draventh…

After some thought, Rhea replied, “That’s fine. Just give me a moment to make a call.”

She needed to talk to Alisha. After all, Carter was out of town, too.

Fortunately, after a few heartfelt talks, the kids were starting to come around. But they asked her to video call them every day after work, and Rhea promised to do just that.

“All done, Mr. Scott.”

They then got in the car.

Louie was serious when it came to business. “Take a look at the file. This project’s a newly built psychiatric facility. It’s massive, and they’ll need a huge amount of medical equipment.”

After saying that, he paused. “Jamison Group is bidding on it, too.”

Rhea froze for a second. She wondered if Carter’s business trip was related to this project.

On the drive, Rhea opened her laptop and began working on a risk evaluation plan for the project. Once they arrived on–site, she would verify details and assess their potential.

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Chapter 34

+25 BONUS

Could the deal turn a profit? How much? Would there be a massive upfront investment with no guarantee of returns?

Those were some of the things she had to take into consideration.

Rhea’s talent for the job wasn’t just a result of her intelligence. What truly set her apart was her instinct. She possessed a business intuition that couldn’t be gained through hard work alone.

Many successful entrepreneurs rose to the top relying on that very instinct.

And Rhea just so happened to have that gift.

When they arrived at Draventh, Rhea stepped out of the car and took a deep breath.

She hadn’t set foot in this city for years, but not much had changed. The towering buildings still stood tall, and the place remained just as bustling as ever.

They arrived at the hotel. Rhea rested for half an hour, then began researching the project. She marked every potential risk with clear notes.

After years out of the game, she was a little flustered at first, but she quickly got back on track.

She even reached out to a few seasoned professionals she had met through Liam at the time.

Once they heard she was back in the field, those veterans didn’t hold back. They passed along some inside information about the project.

Rhea was deeply grateful for that.

In just four and a half hours, Rhea had filled two pages with key information

“That was fast.” Louie was surprised as she handed over the notes.

“Do you have a minute?” she asked.

“Sure. Come in.”

They sat on the couch in his hotel suite.

Rhea said, “If the situation matches my analysis, then compared to Jamison Group, we don’t stand a chance.”

Louie raised an eyebrow. “Trying to kill my confidence already?”

Rhea smirked. “I can help you win.”

Louie raised an eyebrow. “How? Are you going to steal the project from your husband?”

“The bid isn’t finalized. Who says that it’s his already?” There was a quiet intensity in Rhea’s eyes, like something

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