The Rose He Showed Off Is Putting Down Roots in a Garden of Her Own novel Chapter 326

"Honestly, you'd be my first choice," Zane admitted, "but you have far too much on your plate, and no one else can run your operations. I need to scout a Vice President to send over."

Sebastian's competence was undeniable. Dropping him into Vance Properties would have been the perfect solution.

He wouldn't have to worry, and Elara would learn an incredible amount from working alongside someone like Sebastian. Fumbling through problems alone was nothing compared to having a powerhouse partner in the trenches.

But reality made it impossible.

"I know," Sebastian said. "I'll start looking for candidates."

Finding brilliant employees was easy, but finding the right Vice President was a nightmare.

This person needed to be ruthlessly intelligent, possessing immense vision, strategic genius, and the sheer operational force required to drag Vance Properties out of the mud.

With millions of dollars pouring into the Vance accounts, Zane had to ensure every single cent was leveraged perfectly. He couldn't risk the Whitaker Group being dragged down by a bad investment.

The ideal candidate would be himself or Sebastian, but neither could spare the time, and their current subordinates weren't equipped to handle a crisis of this magnitude.

Suddenly, Zane recalled the name Tobias had dropped earlier: Preston Pierce.

It had been three years since the explosive fundraising scandal. If Preston hadn't struck out on his own, a real estate genius of his caliber had to be quietly orchestrating deals for a massive conglomerate by now. Zane decided to have his headhunters track him down.

He didn't call Tobias to investigate. He knew men like Preston; they were the apex predators of the urban corporate jungle, always lurking where the money flowed.

Zane had no idea what a monumental shift this single decision would bring.

If he had known, he would have held back a little longer.

But perhaps this was simply fate.

The Whitaker Group needed an operative to infiltrate Vance Properties, and they needed him fast.

Leaving Sebastian's office, Zane headed straight to the restaurant.

He was meeting a few friends for dinner, and Gideon was joining them.

To his surprise, Vivian happened to be at the same venue for a different gathering. The younger Vance girl had drank entirely too much and ended up stumbling into his private room, launching into a drunken, chaotic tirade—mostly aimed squarely at Gideon.

Zane glanced at Gideon's darkening expression. "Are you taking her home, or should I call someone?"

"I don't need him taking me anywhere!" Vivian snapped furiously, throwing the door open to storm out.

The moment she opened it, Lucas York was standing right there. He quickly wrapped an arm around her and guided her away.

Zane looked at Gideon, thinking that they were both hopelessly stubborn fools.

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