The CEO Gets What He Wants novel Chapter 429

As Avery walked onstage, she subconsciously cast her gaze over Cayden, and the tension in her heart eased a little when she saw the encouraging look in his eyes.

She distributed the printed materials to the heads of both companies and the higher-ups seated in the first two rows. Having plugged the flash drive into her laptop, she adjusted the microphone and prepared to begin her presentation.

Johnny looked grim after flicking through the file Avery had prepared. “Have you made a mistake about the meeting's agenda?”

She looked down at the file in her hand in confusion. A second later, she was gaping at it in shock. “How... How is this possible? These aren't the materials I prepared last night for this meeting but the design department's work report for our weekly meeting...”

The chairman of Vivi Group tossed the file onto the table, where it landed with a loud thud. His usually fearsome expression looked even more terrifying when he was angry. “As an architect, how could you bring the wrong materials? Even someone who only just started their first job wouldn't make a silly error like this! Do you think I'll feel reassured that someone careless like you wants to participate in this urban renewal project?”

Then, he turned to Cayden with an accusing glare. “Mr. Moore, is this the outstanding employee selected by your company? You've truly made me view your company in a different light.”

Feeling ashamed, Avery went red in the face. She accessed the flash drive in a panic to search for that project's design drawings, even going through the folders for previous projects. Alas, try as she may, she could not find them. The color drained from her face. How can this be? Knowing the significance of this collaboration between our two companies, I was very particular about saving every design drawing I prepared into the flash drive. But now, everything I stored in there has vanished into thin air!

Meanwhile, Wisteria fixed her gaze on the frantic Avery with a sneer. She could not help thinking the latter looked like a cat on a hot tin roof, running around like a headless chicken. Her lips curled in disdain. So, the woman the CEO has taken a liking to is her. Just a slight hiccup is enough to make her lose all composure. An incompetent woman like her will never hold a candle to me, much less be worthy of standing next to the CEO.

The others in the conference room started whispering among themselves.

As for the higher-ups in the front two rows, they looked up at the big screen and could not help shaking their heads while watching Avery's mouse cursor flitting about as she tried to locate the meeting materials in various folders. Her files are stored neatly in a particularly organized manner. It's clear she's usually a very meticulous person, but somehow, she made such a big blunder this time!

Although some sympathized with her, the majority disapproved of her careless behavior.

Cecelia, Nina, Trevor, and the others were also feeling as anxious as Avery, especially Nina. Seeing Avery standing helplessly and awkwardly on the stage with her pale face, Nina felt the urge to rush over and give her a comforting hug.

Apart from Michael and Armand, who felt worried and sorry for Avery, the team led by Yvette watched Avery embarrass herself with cold indifference.

At that moment, only Cayden remained seated calmly. He observed Avery's panicked state. She was on the verge of tears and looked incredibly pitiful, but he did not step in directly to lend a helping hand. In our personal lives, I can protect her forever so that nothing harms her. At the workplace, however, I can't shield her for the rest of her life. She has to learn to be independent and keep her cool when dealing with emergencies.

He waved Xavier over and said something in the latter's ear. Then, Xavier stood up and reminded Avery kindly, “Ms. Rumpley, why don't you think carefully about where you could've placed the materials for this meeting? Could it be that you didn't print them out at all?”

She shook her head, puzzled. “That's not possible. I clearly remember printing everything last night before leaving the office and placing them inside my desk's drawer. It's just that I forgot to lock the drawer. After coming to work this morning, I immediately brought the materials here. I'm also at a loss as to why they suddenly turned into copies of a report from a past meeting.”

When Xavier heard that the drawer had been left unlocked, his eyes lit up briefly as something seemed to occur to him. He asked, “Think again carefully. Did you put them into your bag and bring them back with you?”

She racked her brains again before finally shaking her head firmly. “No. I absolutely didn't.”

Johnny glanced at the expensive watch on his wrist and snapped, “That's enough. I'm not interested in listening to your excuses. I'll give you fifteen minutes to rectify this mess. Otherwise, you can take yourself off this team. I don't need subordinates who are incompetent.”

That harsh reprimand caused Cayden's eyes to flash with a dangerous, cold light. Nonetheless, he continued sitting serenely, unmoving like a statue. The glance he cast at Johnny, however, was exceptionally glacial.

Meanwhile, Avery quietly held back tears, willing them not to spill over. She turned to the audience and gave a deep bow. “I apologize. It was indeed my mistake. I'll go to the office right away and find the materials.”

Then, she hurried off the stage immediately and headed to the design department. A few minutes later, she returned to the conference room, alone and discouraged. Despite rummaging through all the documents in her office, she had failed to find the materials she wanted. There's no way I would've printed the wrong information. I wouldn't make such an elementary slip-up as that because I always double and triple-check before printing. On top of that, I'm sure I didn't bring it home because I vividly recall I had nothing with me when I went to Azure Royal last night.

Unfortunately, she turned her office upside down to no avail and had no choice but to return to the stage dejectedly. She apologized to everyone again. “I'm terribly sorry. I've searched through all my files but couldn't find them. I don't have a clue how they could've disappeared just like that...”

Johnny's expression darkened as he locked his gaze on her pale face. Furious, he said, “I focus on outcomes rather than processes. You don't have to waste your breath explaining anything to me anymore. Ensuring important materials are stored properly is an employee's basic responsibility, yet you've failed to do so. Mr. Moore, I'm sure you wouldn't want to see an employee like that participate in this project, right?”

As the others' gazes fell upon Avery, she felt a prickling sensation run down her back, and her legs felt so weak that she could hardly stand. Seeing Cayden look toward her made her feel even more ashamed. I feel so bad! Not only have I embarrassed the company, but I've also disappointed him, haven't I?

Subconsciously, she shifted her gaze to meet his. There were no traces of mockery or disappointment in his eyes. On the contrary, she saw his absolute trust and encouragement toward her. Her heart skipped a beat at the sight of that. I can't let this happen. Embarrassing myself is one thing, but I can't possibly tarnish the company's reputation or let Cayden down!

Hence, she gritted her teeth and made a bold decision. She took a deep breath, looked at the crowd, and said, “I'd like to apologize again for taking up so much of your time. I fully acknowledge that this was my mistake and am willing to accept any form of punishment meted out by the company. The design drawings I prepared for this project may be gone, but I still remember their contents. I can describe them to you right here, right now. Please give me a chance.”

Her response sparked an uproar. A collective gasp rose from the crowd, and many even wore looks of utter disbelief.