Chapter 20

"That's the gist of it. Please get these revisions done as soon as possible," Nathan said, standing up.

Rebecca quickly rose. "Mr. Reed, could you possibly send me a document with the points you just mentioned?"

Nathan raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"We didn't quite catch everything."

"Well," he said with a dismissive shrug, "that sounds like your problem."

Rebecca's face fell. She couldn't believe how unaccommodating he was being. "I heard this project has a new person in charge. May I meet with them?"

"I'm sorry, our boss is a very busy person and doesn't have time to meet with you."

With that, Nathan turned and left the room.

"Ms. Winters, did... did we just mess this up?" the assistant asked, her voice trembling.

Rebecca shot her a glare. "It's just a few minor revisions. This happens all the time. What are you panicking for?"

"But Mr. Reed was speaking so fast, I couldn't keep up. We should have brought more people."

"You are the only person in this department I trust. When we get back, keep your mouth shut and follow my lead."

"Yes, ma'am."

Watching Rebecca leave, Penelope sneered. If you wanted to steal something from her, you'd better have the skills to back it up.

When she returned to the Stone Group office, the atmosphere was thick with outrage.

Wilma was the first to rush over. "Boss, we didn't get the KINY Group contract signed."

"Really?" Penelope feigned ignorance.

Wilma huffed. "Someone was so afraid of sharing the credit that she only brought

her own assistant to the signing, and she botched it."

"Oh no. But everything was already agreed upon."

"Well, some people just have a talent for screwing things up."

Penelope tapped Wilma on the forehead and told everyone to get back to work before heading into her old office.

Rebecca was staring at her computer, a look of utter disdain on her face, which she quickly masked when Penelope entered.

"Did you hear what they're saying?" Rebecca asked.

Penelope nodded. "What happened?"

Rebecca looked as if she were bursting to say something but was holding back. Finally, she sighed. "Penelope, please don't be mad when I tell you this."

Penelope chuckled. “Why would I be mad?"

"KINY Group backed out at the last minute because... well, it was your fault."

Penelope scoffed. "My fault? I wasn't even there."

Rebecca turned her monitor toward Penelope, displaying a design file. "This is the KINY Plaza design, right? The one you and the team spent months on?"

"Yes."

"No wonder KINY Group rejected it."

"What are you trying to say?"

"This design has no creativity. It's a chaotic mess, like a bad stew. To be blunt, it's garbage."

Her design was garbage? Penelope had to laugh. No one had ever dared to insult her work like that. And è Rebecca, of all people? She had no significant projects to her name. If it werent for Penelope she never would have even gotten a job in the design department at Stone Group.

"The design department wanted to take on this project from the beginning, but you insisted on doing it yourself And look what happened," Rebecca said with a shake of her head. She then booked

at Penelope. "You're not angry that

I'm being so honest, are you?"

Penelope smiled. “Not at all. I look forward to seeing what you come up with."

Whatever she designed, Penelope would reject it, again and again, until

Rebecca's confidence was completely shattered.

Rebecca smiled smugly. "It's just a mall design. It's simple. It won't take me months like it took you. I'll have it done in a few weeks."

"Wow," Penelope said, her voice dripping with false admiration. "You're so confident."