Chapter 1263

Chapter 1263 Reaped What She Sowed

After a brief moment, Byron and Annie settled into the meeting area.

"I must apologize for my assistant's over-enthusiasm. We arrived an hour early, causing you some

inconvenience." Annie seemed apologetic.

She was the eldest daughter of the Ross family, not sharing the same mother as Heather.

Their looks leaned more toward their respective mothers, so they didn't really resemble each other.

"No worries," Byron replied with a calm expression. "It has been quite a while since we last met. It's

good to catch up."

"It's not that I didn't want to meet you. My father thought my error in judgment almost led to a hostile

situation between the Ross family and the Crawford Group. So for the past few years, he didn't allow

me to get involved in matters related to Mailand." Annie took a pause. "In a way, I owe you and your

wife an apology. Heather's behavior before... was quite inappropriate."

Byron lowered his gaze slightly.

He stopped with the pleasantries and assured Annie that it was okay.

"Have some coffee."

He gestured toward the cup in front of Annie.

Annie offered a faint smile, picked up the cup, and took a sip.

"By the way, it's quite intriguing. Did you know that two years ago, I almost had the opportunity to work

with Miss Chelsea? But just before signing the contract, Chelsea Investment Company unexpectedly

withdrew from the partnership. I regretted it for a long time. It was only later that my assistant informed

me that Miss Chelsea used to be your secretary. That was when I realized she probably didn't want to

work with the Ross family."

"That can't be." Byron seemed amused. When talking about his wife, his expression softened

unwittingly. "She's never bothered about such matters. There must be other reasons."

Annie seemed even happier than before.

"Back when she was your secretary, I heard more than once about her exceptional abilities. But you

always refused to introduce her to me. After all these years, I finally get to meet her in person."

Byron became a little morose.

When he went to meet Annie in the past, it was to discuss a union between their families through

marriage.

He didn't want Athena to know about it, so naturally, he didn't bring her along.

He only told her when the media started making a fuss.

"When she arrives, Miss Annie Ross, please refrain from dwelling on the past." Byron looked at Annie.

"For me, that wasn't something to be proud of or celebrated."

Annie's smile faltered for a moment.

Aware that she had spoken out of turn, she said, "I apologize if I overstepped. Let's discuss the

project."

"Sure," Byron answered.

He didn't feel like he owed the Ross family anything regarding the past events.

It was originally a business alliance between two families with shared goals to create more profits.

After the alliance fell apart, Byron gave up a significant portion of the profits earned from their various

collaborations as compensation for breaking off the marriage.

Even if he did break a promise, he had paid the penalty for it.

As for Heather, he had warned her not to touch Athena from the beginning, but she insisted on digging

her own grave.

Everything he did afterward was merely a countermeasure.

Thirty minutes later, Athena arrived at Imbe Group with the people from Imbe Group Energy.

As she stepped out of the car, she saw the scene outside and was somewhat taken aback.

"Welcome back, Miss Newton!" Liam, accompanied by several older individuals, handed a large

bouquet of flowers to Athena.

She felt exasperated as she approached them.

Liam presented the bouquet to her.

"Mr. Carson, you flatter me."

Liam couldn't help but feel nostalgic.

"Geez. In just a few years, you, initially a secretary, became a company president, and I rose in the

ranks, too," he said with glee.