Chapter 90
Chapter 90:
The words struck Lowell with the force of a blow.
“Lowell, you owe me an explanation,” Connor demanded, his voice tinged with rage. “What on earth is happening here?” Lowell’s mind whirled in disarray, disbelief etching his features. The thought that all his previous successful proposals had involved Janice’s assistance was a jarring revelation. Was he truly being overshadowed by Janice, the same person he had dismissed as a complete failure?
“It’s Janice!” he blurted out, his eyes burning with animosity as he clenched his teeth. “She stole my bid proposal.”
“What?”
The room gasped in collective astonishment.
Their eyes pivoted to Janice, wide with disbelief.
“Dad, my bid was ready well in advance. However, the very day Janice was ostracized from the Edwards family, it mysteriously vanished from my computer,” Lowell continued, his expression grim as he pointed accusingly at Janice. “I thought she was incapable of betrayal, so I attributed it to a cyber-attack by one of our…”
Competitors. But after reviewing Janice’s proposal today, I’m convinced she sabotaged mine and passed it off as her own.”
This bold accusation left everyone in the room speechless, their minds reeling from the implications.
Connor was taken aback for a brief moment before his response surged forth. “Now it makes sense why Janice’s proposal seemed familiar—she took it straight from yours!”
“Exactly! I poured my soul into that, working late into the night,” Lowell replied, his face contorted with distress. “How am I supposed to deliver top-quality work when I’m hit with such treachery?”
Suddenly, Connor struck the desk, rising to his feet. “Janice, you ungrateful brat, how could you steal your own brother’s project proposal! Now, make it right—apologize to Mr. Navarro this instant!”
Across the room, Janice and Aiden exchanged knowing looks, familiar with the tactic of shifting blame, though they had never witnessed it executed with such audacity.
“If you’ve lost your mind, do us all a favor and see a doctor instead of embarrassing yourself here,” Janice retorted, her voice dripping with exasperation.
“Janice, how can you still not admit it?” Connor demanded, his voice a mix of incredulity and anger.
“What exactly should I be admitting to?” Janice responded, her tone steady as she shook her head. “You screwed up the bidding, and now you resort to slander, accusing me of stealing your proposal?”
She paused, a scornful smirk playing on her lips, then tapped the desk emphatically with her index finger. “Why don’t you ask everyone present what they believe?”
The gathering was visibly perplexed by the unfolding scene. It was clear to anyone with a shred of sense that Lowell’s account was fraught with contradictions.
Greg let out a weary sigh, shooting a glance at Connor, his expression one of disbelief. “Mr. Edwards, I urge you to take a moment to reflect on your son’s words. Consider the implications for your esteemed reputation.”
“What exactly are you trying to say, Mr. Dury?” Connor’s brow furrowed in confusion.
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