Everything Taken I Left to Become CEO (Darcy and Zane) novel Chapter 86

**TITLE: Pain Refines the Soul — Jason Brooks 86**

**Chapter 86 Mission Accomplished**

As the final touches were put on the project, Zora reassured everyone, her voice calm yet firm. “Don’t worry. We won’t push it to a breaking point unless we absolutely have to.” Her words hung in the air, a promise of balance amidst the chaos.

Zane turned his gaze towards Zora, his heart swelling with admiration. “Zora, you’re truly the kindest person I’ve ever met,” he said, his tone sincere.

A soft smile spread across Zora’s face, warmth creeping into her cheeks as a blush colored her skin. She appreciated his words more than he realized.

Meanwhile, in her office, Darcy spent a solitary morning, the clock ticking away slowly, each minute stretching into what felt like hours. Jax had not made an appearance, and the absence of his familiar presence was palpable.

The afternoon rolled in with a progress meeting, where several colleagues gathered to discuss their ongoing projects. Yet, even then, Jax seemed distant, showing no inclination to engage with her privately. Darcy felt a twinge of disappointment, wondering if something had shifted between them.

As the clock neared quitting time, Cade knocked on her door, breaking her thoughts. “Ms. Gale,” he began, his voice professional yet slightly hurried. “The Easemark Ventures contract is in the final review stage. Barring any surprises, it should be signed next week. However, we’re still short of more than half the project team members.”

He paused, gauging her reaction before continuing, “Do you want to proceed with the plan we discussed? Should I stir the pot a little more, make things sound even more critical?”

Darcy considered his words carefully, shaking her head gently. “Not necessary. You did great last week. I’ll take it from here.” She appreciated Cade’s enthusiasm but felt confident in her ability to manage the situation.

After Cade left, Darcy sat at her desk, fingers poised over her keyboard as she drafted an email. Ten minutes later, a recruitment notice was sent out to every employee at Stratagem Tech, a call to action that promised a 20% performance pay bump and a doubled year-end bonus for anyone willing to volunteer for the Easemark project.

With the Christmas holiday fast approaching, excitement rippled through the office. The Delivery team members, already convinced after Wade’s earlier persuasion, were quick to respond. Those who had hesitated now flocked to Cade’s desk, eager to sign up.

Cade’s grin widened as he diligently noted down their names, his enthusiasm infectious.

However, the R&D group remained unusually quiet, an air of tension hanging over them.

But the silence was soon broken. A voice piped up in their small group chat, “I want to sign up. Mr. Steel, is that okay?”

Jax shot a glare in the direction of the message, anger bubbling beneath the surface. “Whatever! Whoever wants to go can go. Don’t report to me!” he typed back, his frustration evident.

He couldn’t believe it. Traitors, he thought bitterly. It didn’t matter to him.

With the green light given, the guy eagerly ran off to register, leaving Jax to take a deep breath and scan the room. Everyone else seemed engrossed in their work, blissfully unaware of the brewing storm.

His brow smoothed slightly. Good. My efforts in nurturing this team weren’t wasted, he reassured himself.

He had seen right through Darcy’s cunning little schemes. Only those short-sighted, money-hungry folks in Delivery would fall for such paltry bait. His R&D team? They were ambitious individuals, not swayed by trivial perks.

Just as Jax prepared to dive back into his code, two engineers sitting opposite him stood up, exchanging awkward glances before they hurried over to Cade’s workstation.

“Gah!”

Jethro nodded in appreciation, his trust in her evident. “I trust you to handle it.”

“But—” he continued, causing Darcy to straighten in her chair, attention fully on him.

Jethro smiled, a hint of warmth in his gaze. “No need to push yourself so hard. It makes me look like an unreasonable boss.”

Darcy was momentarily taken aback, unsure how to respond to his unexpected kindness.

Fortunately, Jethro quickly shifted the topic. “By the way, are you free tomorrow evening? There’s a business dinner. We can attend together.”

Darcy nodded, feeling a sense of relief. “Sure, no problem.”

As she headed back downstairs, she unexpectedly ran into Cindy.

They began discussing the dinner, but Cindy’s expression turned to one of disbelief as she looked Darcy up and down. “You’re not planning to wear that, are you?”

Darcy glanced down at her attire, confused. “What’s wrong with this? Doesn’t it look good?”

She was accustomed to wearing suits to work. They might not have been designer labels, but they were from reputable brands and looked perfectly fine.