My Invincible Husband Has Returned novel Chapter 143

"Give it up, Celena. My proposal's a shoo-in. What could you possibly have whipped up in four days? That's not even enough time to get the lay of the land. If I were you, I'd cut my losses and head home—save the humiliation. And it's not just the Stone family watching this time, but the entire board, the whole upper crust of The Stone Group!" Cheryl's voice dripped with scorn as she threw Celena a sidelong glance.

"And I'd skedaddle if I were you, to dodge the shame! What can a washout like you come up with? You're living in a fantasy!" Sherah chimed in, standing triumphantly by Cheryl's side, her earlier grievances with Celena in the little courtyard long forgotten in her moment of gloating.

The Stone family members lingered at the entrance, their faces twisted in scorn as they sneered at Celena. They already made up their minds about which proposal they had back, having pored over both documents beforehand. One proposal was a masterpiece of precision, while the other was laughably amateurish, its contents as substantial as doodles on a napkin. It was painfully obvious which one was Celena's, everyone knew she couldn't possibly craft anything worthwhile.

"Why even bother with a formal vote?" one of them scoffed.

"Even a child could spot the better proposal!"

"Does Celena even grasp the concept of quality? To strut in here with such misplaced confidence, daring to await the verdict!"

Amidst the company bigwigs and the Stone clan's jeers, Celena kept her head down, her focus inward, trying to block out their biting words.

Since the proposals were submitted, the company disguised them in identical folders, leaving both her and Cheryl in the dark about which was which. However, the harsh whispers convinced Celena that her work was the one being ridiculed.

For today's meeting, she meticulously applied her makeup, her red lips and arched brows complementing the pristine white dress and black heels she wore. She sat in poised silence, a vision of elegance, like a celestial being among mortals. Yet beneath that serene exterior, Celena was a bundle of nerves and fear.