She's Too Busy Winning to Watch Him Cry novel Chapter 78

Arthur turned his warm gaze to his daughter, his voice softening. "Secondly, I'm setting aside a substantial block of company shares for you, Lyra. It will be more than enough to guarantee your financial independence, so you can live comfortably and do whatever you want in life."

"Dad, you don't need to worry about me," Lyra refused firmly, leaving no room for argument. She already had a thriving investment firm operating out of California, and it was highly profitable. She had never once considered fighting for a piece of the family business.

Arthur sighed, shaking his head at her stubbornness. "We'll talk about it again when you've had time to think. Let's eat for now."

As Caleb cut into his steak, he brought the conversation back to Quentin. "HR mentioned you didn't even put him through a formal interview. You just slapped a million-dollar contract on the table and hired him on the spot?"

Lyra violently choked on her soup.

How was she supposed to explain to her family that she possessed future knowledge of Quentin's legendary capabilities? Both Caleb and Arthur were staring at her, waiting for an answer.

Lyra dabbed her mouth with a napkin and chose her words carefully. "When I was in college, I watched Quentin represent his university at a major robotics competition. He was the undisputed core of the team that took home the championship. I've known about his exceptional talent for a long time."

It was a half-truth. Quentin had indeed been a prodigy at his Ivy League university, and during her past life married to Rowan, she had learned the intimate details of Rowan's top executives' backgrounds.

Her explanation sounded perfectly logical, completely erasing Caleb's suspicions.

After dinner, Caleb headed out for the evening. Arthur retreated to his study to review some paperwork. Before heading upstairs, he turned to the housekeeper. "Oh, Martha, no need to prepare dinner for my wife and me tomorrow. We have a gala to attend."

Martha nodded in acknowledgment.

Undeterred by the icy reception, Jasmine stepped closer, her tone dripping with manufactured warmth. "Rowan, you go ahead and network. I'd love to catch up with Mrs. Fairchild for a bit. She was always so wonderful to me when I used to visit their home."

Delilah wasn't stupid. She understood exactly what Jasmine was doing—making a public peace offering. Surrounded by the city's elite, many of whom were watching their interaction like hawks, Delilah offered a polite, socially acceptable nod in response.

"Mr. Fairchild, shall we discuss things in the lounge?" Rowan offered, a rare, faint smile touching his lips.

Arthur had genuinely wanted to dive into the specifics of their recent joint venture, so he readily agreed. Once the men stepped away, Jasmine maintained her perfectly practiced deference. "Mrs. Fairchild... please, take a seat. Let me grab a drink for you."

Delilah sat down, watching Jasmine walk away with a quiet, resigned sigh. As a woman who had navigated this world for decades, she had to admit that she couldn't entirely blame Jasmine for Rowan's choices. At her age, she knew when it was time to let things go.