Year Five The Perfect Goodbye Plan novel Chapter 71

The assistant was nothing like Shipley—work was his only priority, and he had no patience for Vianne’s tears.

He shot her a sharp look, brow raised, and said, “Ms. Williamson, you’ve fumbled more than just The Upton Group’s account, haven’t you?”

Since Silvia left the company, most of her projects had been handed over to Vianne.

What were once stable accounts had, in just a month, all either tanked or ended in losses.

To make matters worse, some mysterious heavyweight had been quietly sabotaging the company behind the scenes. If these losses kept piling up, the year’s performance would be a disaster.

“What are you trying to say?” Vianne bristled at the criticism. She fixed the assistant with a frosty stare, teeth clenched. “I’ve poured myself into this company, and now you’re acting like everything is my fault? Every project was discussed with the whole team—including you.”

The assistant pressed his lips together, clearly wanting to reply, but in the end, he said nothing.

Yes.

Everything had been discussed.

But in the end, Vianne always had the final say.

She had Shipley in her corner, and with that connection, no one dared to challenge her decisions.

Seeing the assistant fall silent, Vianne felt she had the upper hand.

She turned to Shipley, her voice shifting into a plaintive, wounded tone. “Mr. Barlow, I know I haven’t been perfect, but it’s not just me handling these projects… there are others who—”

“That’s enough.”

Shipley cut her off.

Vianne was always like this—dodging responsibility, hesitating, all ideas and no execution.

He’d known that all along.

Yet despite knowing, he’d still taken the projects from Silvia and handed them to Vianne.

Maybe he never should have.

Shipley stared at the financial reports on his desk, his temples throbbing. He reached for another cigarette.

Suddenly, it hit him—he truly couldn’t do without Silvia.

He finished the cigarette, let out a soft, humorless laugh, and pressed the butt into the ashtray, grinding it down with a blank expression as the faint scent of tobacco lingered in the air.

His eyes turned cold.

One way or another, he would make sure Silvia came back.

……

Capital City, Opal Ridge Retreat.

“Silvia, you and Kent may be engaged, but you’re not married yet. It’s not proper to stay out all night. Be more careful next time.”

Finn was just about to head to the office when he saw Silvia returning. He paused, frowning, ready to lecture her.