His Last Command Came Back to Kill Him novel Chapter 100

The alcohol was beginning to hit her system. Whitley leaned against an open window in the corridor, desperate for some fresh air.

The noise and corporate posturing inside the private room had been suffocating, so she had made up an excuse to escape for a few minutes.

Tonight's dinner for PurePath Biologics was crucial for securing top-tier laboratory equipment.

Chisholm was aggressively negotiating to ensure the company had enough cash flow to support their upcoming R&D phases, and securing this equipment deal was a vital piece of the puzzle.

Unlike massive corporations with endless backing, they were an independent startup. Every single dollar mattered.

The night breeze was biting, slicing through the alcohol haze and sharpening Whitley's senses.

Suddenly, a burst of familiar laughter drifted from down the hall. She instinctively looked up.

Clive's entourage was making their way into the restaurant. Yelena was clinging closely to his side, with Xander Sherwood and several others trailing behind them.

"Clive, I really want to try handling this project on my own. I don't want people saying I'm just riding your coattails."

"You're more than capable. Stop worrying so much," Clive replied smoothly.

Their lighthearted banter drifted clearly down the corridor.

Yelena shivered delicately, pulling her arms close. "It's getting quite chilly tonight."

Without missing a beat, Clive shrugged off his tailored coat and draped it gently over her shoulders.

His movements were entirely fluid, his demeanor incredibly tender.

Watching them, Whitley felt like she was staring directly into the sun. It burned.

It wasn't as if she had never craved that kind of treatment.

In the past, on freezing nights, she used to quietly mention she was cold, but Clive had never once acknowledged it.

He wasn't incapable of chivalry or warmth. He just reserved it exclusively for someone else.

Not wanting to subject herself to a direct confrontation, she turned around to head back to her private room.

She hadn't taken three steps before bumping into Chisholm, who had just finished settling the bill.

"It's over already?" Whitley asked, slightly surprised.

"Yeah, we pretty much locked it down." Chisholm's gaze dropped to her shaking hands, his brow knitting together in concern. "If I had known they'd push you that hard, I wouldn't have let you drink so much."

Chisholm hesitated, looking like he wanted to say more.

After all, that executive inside was the mother who had raised her for over two decades, yet their dynamic was shockingly frigid.

The woman's blatant favoritism was honestly sickening to witness.

Whitley gave a soft, self-deprecating laugh. "It's fine. Taking a few drinks is the least I can do to help."

"What? Were you shocked by how ruthless she was?"

In Leroy's eyes, Whitley was nothing more than a manipulative gold-digger who had trapped Clive into marriage. Utter trash.

Clive also shot a glance down the hall. For a brief second, his eyes locked with Whitley's.

There was no shock, no anger—not a single trace of emotion whatsoever.

A moment later, he turned back to Yelena, his voice perfectly calm. "Let's go inside and order."

It was as if Whitley were nothing but an irrelevant stranger passing by on the street.

As the two groups crossed paths, Xander intentionally slowed his pace, his voice dripping with venomous mockery. "So, you get booted from the Sherwood family, and now you're out here playing corporate escort?"

Whitley stopped dead in her tracks, her eyes flashing with glacial fury. "Are you sick in the head?"

Unwilling to cause a massive scene, she grabbed Chisholm's arm and marched right past them.

Leroy's face darkened. "She actually dares to talk back? Clive, you're just going to let her get away with that?"

Clive's expression remained utterly blank, offering absolutely no response.

Just then, Lyanna walked out of her private room and looked genuinely surprised to see Yelena standing in the hallway.

Yelena immediately stepped forward to greet her. Sensing the family reunion, Clive and the others filed into their own dining room, giving the mother and daughter privacy.

Lyanna spoke first, a warm smile on her face. "What are you doing here, sweetheart?"