Chapter 0217
A silent understanding passed between Candice and Hanley as they looked at each other.
Roy appeared to be torn as he studied the information Candice had handed him.
“Francis used to work with Aether Corporation,” he groaned heavily, his brows furrowed. “He gets along well with several of their junior leaders. This collaboration with Dream Search was also discussed with them. In essence, it is not fair.”
Candice had not expected to see the situation from this angle.
Francis’s ties with Aether Corporation added a layer of complexity to the situation. Given Aether Corporation’s prominence in Dorrington’s finance sector, Dream Search and Webrews Group made an easy decision because of their strong backing. It would be stupid to go to less influential
partners.
However, Roy had not fully dismissed their suggestion.
Candice could see he was interested. She talked with him a little longer before departing with
Hanley.
“It does appear challenging,” Candice observed, recalling how deals involving Aether Corporation
never seemed to go smoothly for her.
Hanley’s expression was hard to read. He simply suggested, “Take it easy. Let’s look into other
possibilities.”
They had other potential companies to work with, therefore, Candice didn’t say much more.
Knowing there were other potential collaborators, Candice didn’t press the issue any further.
To her surprise, she received an unexpected call from Lisa.
Initially, Candice was disappointed that Lisa was now working for Francis. There had been no contact between them since Lisa’s indirect approach last time.
Candice’s brows twitched as she looked at her phone screen.
“What’s up?” she asked, stepping aside.
Lisa’s voice was calm amidst the background noise, “Mr. Moreno would like to meet. Can you
make it?”
“Francis? What does he want with me?”
Lisa hesitated. “I’m not sure. Maybe something related to work.”
Candice was skeptical but then heard Lisa add in a hushed tone, “He has something he wants to
show you.”
A sense of foreboding filled Candice.
Hanley noticed her furrowed brows after she ended the call. He asked, “Is everything alright?”
Candice was still reluctant to tell Hanley the truth. So, she responded to Hanley vaguely, “Lisa
wants to meet, possibly for work.”
Following that, they met with two more potential collaborators. The first went off without a hitch.
but the second had ties to Francis and, by extension, Aether Corporation.
Candice found the situation tricky.
Hanley remained stoic throughout.
She speculated on the way back, “Francis seems to be seizing this opportunity to fortify his
position within Webrews Group.”
Candice contemplated quietly, eyeing the towering billboards.
“If the remaining companies we approach are also linked with Francis and Aether Corporation.
we’re facing a tough challenge.”
Unspoken was the fact that Aether Corporation had the backing of the influential Elysian Group.
Upon returning to the villa, the team, noting the grave expressions on both Hanley’s and Candice’s
faces, could guess the difficulties they had faced and decided not to press the issue.
Candice’s stay at the villa was brief. She had already planned to meet Lisa for dinner.
She left after notifying Hanley about it.
The chosen restaurant was in the bustling city center.
Arriving there. Candice found Lisa waiting at the entrance.
Lisa looked visibly distressed, yet she tried to maintain a composed appearance as she grasped Candice’s hand and whispered a caution, “Be careful not to eat anything.”
Candice cast a glance at her and noticed Lisa’s expression had returned to normal.
“Mr. Moreno is waiting for you,” Lisa replied, motioning for Candice to come in.
Francis had a bad reputation within Aether Corporation even after he was fired.
+15 BONOS
A few female employees did come forward with complaints against him, yet these allegations seemed to have little impact on his overall image. Francis was very good at maintaining his persona back then.
Candice’s phone suddenly rang with a notification. She picked it up and saw a spam message. which she swiftly erased before heading confidently to the private room.
The phrase “wolf in sheep’s clothing” was a fitting description for Francis. He wore glasses that gave him an air of sophistication.
“I see you’re open to revisiting old times with me,” he replied, looking at Candice with interest.
Candice responded with a cold demeanor, “We have no past to revisit. You mentioned having something to show me. What is it?”
Instead of answering her query, Francis shifted the conversation. He probed, “Struggling to find a suitable job after leaving Aether Corporation? Why not consider Webrews Group?”
Francis adjusted his glasses, enhancing his deceptive disguise. He revealed, “We’ll offer you an excellent package.”
Candice remained silent. Her brows furrowed slightly, then she questioned, “Do you have the authority to make such an offer?”
Francis revealed, “The president asked me to extend this invitation.”
Candice immediately understood the broader picture.
She had been keeping an eye on Webrews Group. They were obviously watching her as well. Considering her notable position at Aether Corporation, it was no surprise that others were keen
to recruit her.
Following her exit from Aether Corporation, numerous offers had come her way, all of which she had declined due to her contract.
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