My Invincible Husband Has Returned novel Chapter 174

The rest of the Stone chimed in with their own accolades.

"She's been with us for years, a real standout. A far cry from those blowhards with nothing to show. They're all talk, no muscle, always trying to punch above their weight. It's downright shameful!"

"You said it. Dreamers like that, thinking they can waltz into the company. They'd be nothing but trouble, a ticking time bomb."

"Exactly, they ought to be kicked to the curb. Lucky to even have a seat at our table, and still they're chasing pie-in-the-sky dreams!"

The conference room buzzed with a mix of sneers aimed at Celena and applause for Cheryl.

Just then, Teresa, who was fed up with the main bloodline hogging the spotlight, cut in, "Isn't this a bit too convenient? Our supplier ran into trouble, and Cheryl just happened to snag their contract. This doesn't smell right. We should dig a little deeper into this one. It's fishy!"

"Teresa, that's a low blow! I've poured my heart and soul into this family, into our business. How can you accuse me like that? I was out there hitting up suppliers right after I left the office yesterday. Got doors slammed in my face left and right. It wasn't until after a few too many drinks that I finally landed this deal!"

Cheryl's voice quivered as she managed to squeeze out a few crocodile tears. She had been up until the wee hours at the hotel with Wasyl, and her tired eyes showed it. However, her performance was convincing enough that everyone bought the story that she had been out late, working on a materials collaboration deal.

"I can't fathom what's going through your head. My Cheryl has been busting her tail since the news broke, hustling to secure partnerships, bailing out the Stone family from a major jam. You're not helping, fine, but to trash talk my girl?"

Sherah rose, her face stormy with anger as she locked eyes with Teresa and let her have it.

The room erupted as Sherah and Teresa went at it, their usual poise as society matrons forgotten. They resembled feisty women haggling in a marketplace, faces beet-red and voices raised.