Chapter 45

After reviewing the document provided by Sally,Amelia gathered additional information related to Patton.

By two-thirty in the afternoon, she was already en route to the scheduled meeting spot, determined to arrive ahead of time.

However, entering the private suite, she found both Patton and his assistant waiting. Their glare sent a chill through the room.

Fame had treated Patton well in recent years;he had won people over because of his charm and bright smile.

But upon seeing Amelia, he sneered and walked quickly out of the room.

Without hesitation, Amelia spun on her heel and hurried after him. Landing this deal marked her first task at the Stewart Group; failure wasn't an option.

Before Amelia could catch up with Patton, Patton's assistant, Sammy Ortega, blocked her path. "Even though the Stewart Group is indeed a leader in the industry, we're not short on options."

"I admit we made a mistake, and I apologize for it.Could you please explain what happened?" Amelia said, her eyes fixed on Patton as he disappeared around the corner.

Sammy looked ready to leave, but seeing Amelia's good attitude, he stopped. He exclaimed, "We said two o'clock. Take a look at the time now yourself!"

Glaring at her, Sammy thrust his watch toward her face. "Patton isn't someone with time to waste. He came here himself to close the deal with the Stewart Group, but you kept us waiting without a single word.He won't be working with your company now."

With that, Sammy turned and left.

Left alone, Amelia squeezed her fists together. She realized,with certainty, that Sally had set her up by telling her the wrong meeting time.

Still, chasing blame could wait. What mattered now was figuring out how to set things right.

Suddenly, an idea flashed through Amelia's mind.

Without wasting a second, she grabbed her phone and dialed Carlee's number.

"Amelia, shouldn't you be at the office right now?What's got you calling me in the middle of the day?"Carlee asked.

Carlee was still lying in bed after spending the previous night drinking. Hearing Amelia recount what had happened, she immediately sat up. "Damn it,that woman is outrageous! I'll come right over and-"

"Stop! I didn't call you to make you fight for me.I need your help," Amelia interjected.

Part of her wanted nothing more than to beat Sally up, but if she did that, she couldn't continue to work at the Stewart Group anymore. She didn't want that.

It was clear to her that Sally was trying to force her out of the company. Yet with each challenge thrown her way, Amelia's resolve to succeed only grew stronger.

She had reached out to Carlee for help in digging up Patton's schedule today. Carlee, who enjoyed partying and was a celebrity enthusiast, was the perfect person for the task.

At seven o'clock in the evening, the Night Owl Bar.

Amelia trailed behind Carlee, a miniskirt clung to her as she walked. Feeling uncomfortable, she said to Carlee, "Are you sure I have to wear something like this?"

" did the homework. Patton's into girls who dress like this."

Without much delay, a staff member ushered them into a private suite. Never having dared to wear something so short before, Amelia fidgeted nervously, fingers tugging at the hem.

Her anxiety vanished as soon as she spotted Patton lounging on the sofa inside the room, and she started to walk over, but Carlee caught her by the arm,stopping her.

The bar manager-already swayed by Carlee's generous tip-explained things to Patton and his companions, and it wasn't long before Amelia and Carlee were invited to stay.

Patton, his assistant, and two actors were in the room,though they were not as famous as Patton.

The moment the manager left, Amelia's determination kicked in, and she headed straight for Patton. The two actors couldn't help but tease,"Patton, you really have a magnetic charm. You always attract beautiful women."

Pride lit up Patton's face; Amelia's gesture seemed to please him. He shot a grin at his friends and said, "She clearly has great taste."

Closing the distance, Amelia reached Patton. Patton extended his hand. But the moment he recognized her, his expression turned stormy. He shot to his feet."It's you?"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Carman, about what happened earlier today. Please, just give me another chance," Amelia said.

"An apology can't fix everything. My collaboration with the Stewart Group has already been canceled,so you need to leave now!"

"Mr. Carman, I genuinely want to make amends.Won't you-"

"Leave now, or I'll call security."

Patton reached for his phone, but Amelia's hand darted out, snatching it before he could grab it.

Anger flashed across Patton's face. "Do you not understand what I'm saying?" "Mr. Carman, I will do anything I can for you to forgive me for being late this afternoon. Just say what you want me to do."

"You'll do anything?" Patton asked.

Amelia nodded, and Patton's expression turned sly.Lifting a bottle of red wine, he said, "If you finish this entire bottle, I'll forgive your tardiness this afternoon."