Ex-husband Last Regret

Chapter eleven

Dominic pov

My handsome face showed no signs of emotion, my voice calm and collected, a trait typical of someone in a position of power. "Achiever's foundation is too shallow. Although it has some recognition among niche brands, it has stagnated for the past three years and isn't suitable as a partner."

Marvis styles chuckled, "I remember you were keen on poaching Achiever's designer, Mieli, for Vyx. What changed your mind?"

"Mieli's style is indeed refreshing, but a designer who hasn't produced any work in three years is clearly out of ideas and lacks commercial value. Are we supposed to bring her in just to retire?" I replied.

Marvis joked, "Well, you could bring her in as a junior. I hear that mysterious Miss Mieli is young and beautiful. Aren't you about to get divorced? Maybe you should consider it."

A cold glint flashed in my eyes. "Marvis styles, Brian's birthday is in a few days. Do you want me to tell him about your little schemes?"

Marvis immediately backtracked, "Dominic, I was wrong. I shouldn't have imposed my dirty thoughts on you!"

"As for Mieli, do whatever you want, but Achiever cannot become a partner of Vyx," I stated firmly.

Marvis tossed Achiever's proposal into the trash. "Honestly, I had high hopes for Achiever. Now that they’ve been passed over, it looks like the Hayes family group is the only option left."

I could see only Vivian Carter and Scarlett Hayes remained in the meeting room. Without an audience, Scarlett felt no need to play nice. Her face was filled with pride and disdain. "I see I overestimated Achiever. I thought they would send an industry elite even if Mieli didn't come. I didn't expect it would be you."

To me, Vivian Carter was synonymous with incompetence, and James scott must have been infatuated to bring her along.

She remained unbothered, smiling as she gently stroked her delicate fingers. "Scarlett, are you trying to educate me on what it means to meddle in others' affairs?"

Scarlett Hayes sneered, "Oh, I almost forgot. I heard from Aunt Blackwood that you cook well and keep things tidy. They say you're even better than a maid. That’s a plus! If you don’t mind, I can help you find a housekeeping job where you can really shine."

I could easily tell that Scarlett wasn't complimenting her; she was using a soft jab to insult her, implying that she had been a free maid for three years.

She tightened her grip on her fingers and raised her beautiful eyes, a smirk playing on her lips. "I've been with Dominic Blackwood for three years, at least I have the title of Mrs. Blackwood. Scarlett, you've been with him for so long; why hasn’t he given you a proper title?"

Scarlett Hayes felt a sharp pang in her heart, anger bubbling up inside her. "Vivian Carter , if it weren't for you taking Mrs. Blackwood's place, Dominic and I would have been together long ago!"

She smirked, her eyes glinting with cold amusement. "So, Scarlett, you’d better be smart. If you annoy me, I might just cancel the divorce plan with Dominic Blackwood and let you hide in the shadows like a cockroach, carrying the shame of being a mistress for the rest of your life!"

Scarlett was shaking with rage. "Vivian Carter , how did I not see how cunning you are before?"

The old Vivian Carter had been so dull, as Margaret Blackwood would say, she couldn't even muster a sound. Now, she was sharp-tongued and exceptionally clever, able to pinpoint her opponent's weaknesses in an instant. Scarlett was so furious she felt like biting a chunk out of herself.

She scoffed, "I never knew you could be so shameless, Scarlett. I'm still the legitimate wife here, and you think you can take my place? Where do you get your confidence?"

Scarlett found herself at a loss for words, her face turning red with frustration.

Just then, Marvis styles's assistant walked in. "Congratulations, Scarlett! The Hayes family group has successfully won the bid and will be partnering with Vyx. Mr. Marvis would like you to discuss the collaboration plan."

I frowned. According to Vyx's usual procedures, all company representatives involved in the bidding would have a face-to-face meeting with the Vyx president to present their design concepts and analyze luxury market trends. It was unusual for Vyx to skip this process and announce the results directly.

She immediately asked, "Is this Marvis's decision or the Vyx president's?"

The Vyx president was notoriously mysterious; no one had ever seen his true face since Marvis styles handled all company affairs. However, it was said that this enigmatic president was incredibly shrewd, making all the major decisions that could determine the company's fate. If he had signed off on the bidding, it meant there was no turning back.

Scarlett's face lit up with joy upon hearing the news. She struck a victorious pose and whispered to me as she brushed past me, "Vivian Carter , let me give you a piece of advice. Vyx's director, Marvis styles, is a lifelong friend of Dominic. Why not go plead with Dominic? Who knows, he might help you out considering you’ve been his bed warmer for three years."

On the surface, Scarlett appeared to be offering guidance, but in reality, she was flaunting her deeper understanding of me, showing that she knew things even the legitimate Mrs. Blackwood was unaware of.

She had been with me for three years, but I treated her like a canary, keeping her focused solely on me and the Blackwood family. As for my connections and what I was involved in, she was completely in the dark, unaware of Marvis styles's relationship with me.

She scoffed. She couldn't blame Scarlett Hayes for looking down on her; even she felt like a joke when she reflected on those three years.

Seeing that she didn't argue back, Scarlett's pride swelled. She puffed out her chest and swayed her hips as she walked past her.

When she reached the director's office, the voices of Marvis styles and I floated out.

"Dominic, just pass on the admiration. I seriously suspect you're intentionally helping Scarlett Hayes," Marvis said.

"Think whatever you want," I replied dismissively.

"Oh, so are you rekindling an old flame with Scarlett, or is it more of a secret arrangement?" Marvis teased.

"Marvis styles, if your brain's gone soft, go get it checked. I don't have time to listen to your nonsense," I snapped.

As I stepped out, I bumped right into Scarlett Hayes. Her eyes sparkled with a fiery determination, clearly convinced that I was pulling strings behind the scenes to ensure the Hayes family smoothly became partners with Vyx.

"Dominic, do you have time tonight?" she asked, her tone laced with implication.

Just as I was about to decline, a commotion erupted nearby.

I saw her grappling with security personnel. "I want to see your president!"

"Miss, you don't have an appointment. We can't let you in," one of the guards replied.

Through the crowd, I noticed her standing there, and the sight stung me, seeing her so defiant.

As she was lost in thought, the security personnel shoved her.

Caught off guard, she fell to the ground, looking somewhat disheveled.

I approached her, radiating a palpable anger, and roughly yanked her up. When I noticed the handprint on her cheek, my anger intensified.

She suddenly shook off my hand.

This instinctive action sparked a flicker of irritation in me, and all my restless emotions churned within until I finally spat out, "What a disgrace!"