Never Forgive Never Forget (Celeste and Philip) novel Chapter 113

A few days later.

The Hopkins Group's quarterly product launch was just around the corner.

It was the sort of event that drew the city's elite like moths to a flame—everyone who was anyone was desperate to wrangle an invitation, itching for an excuse to brush shoulders with the powerful.

Amanda was among them.

Just a few days ago, she'd learned that Derek had suddenly handed Jasper's project over to Alfred. What was originally a Robertson Group deal had, overnight, become a Duncan Group asset.

Normally, the Duncan Group breaking free from the need to please the Robertsons would be cause for celebration. But this time, the project lead was Alfred—and the Duncan Group's point of contact was Celeste.

That meant the newlyweds were now working in tandem, leaving Herbert and Amanda with nowhere to step in. Their daughter, Beverly, was growing more and more isolated within the company, pushed to the sidelines and ignored.

Their positions were hanging by a thread.

Alarm bells blared in Amanda's mind. She'd pulled every string and called in every favor just to secure tickets to the Hopkins Group's launch event, and now she was drilling her daughter with instructions.

"This time, you have to pull out all the stops. Dress to impress, do whatever it takes—Jasper is the future heir, and you need to make sure you win him over."

"If you don't, Celeste will walk all over us, and we'll be powerless to stop her. Sweetheart, our future is in your hands."

Beverly hadn't just managed to snag an invitation—she'd gone all out with her appearance.

Standing before her mirror, she admired the way her black velvet evening gown hugged her curves, the plunging neckline accentuating her figure. Her makeup was flawless, her expression seductive, every gesture calculated to captivate.

She flashed a confident smile.

"Relax, Mom. I'll get Jasper—if I can marry him and have his child, we'll be untouchable."

"If it comes down to a war of attrition, I'll outlast Celeste and Alfred. Neither of them has what it takes."

Amanda finally allowed herself a breath of relief after her daughter's vow.

With Beverly on the job, she was certain Jasper would soon be theirs.

...

Why? Why wouldn't Jasper even give her the time of day?

Hadn't she done everything right—dressed to kill, made herself irresistible?

Meanwhile, Jasper stalked away from the crowd, his expression stormy.

His assistant hesitated. "Wasn't that a bit harsh to Miss Beverly?"

"And why shouldn't I be?" Jasper shot back, his tone icy. "When the Duncans pushed Alfred to snatch my project out from under me, did they worry about being polite? As long as Alfred's around, I'll never get full control. What kind of heir does that make me—just a joke, for all to see!"

The assistant fell silent.

As long as Alfred held power, Jasper's ambitions would stay out of reach. He'd fought tooth and nail to secure the Silvercrest Emporium project for the Robertson Group, only for the Duncan Group to swoop in and steal it at the last minute.

No wonder Jasper wanted nothing to do with Beverly—she was, after all, a Duncan.

Still…