Chapter 321:
Surely, Hugh reasoned, anyone would respect his position and seek compromise rather than dismissal.
Vivien cast a confident glance his way before pushing open the meeting room door, already savoring Freya’s imminent humiliation. As the door swung wide, Freya lifted her gaze from the contract she’d been reviewing.
Hugh sought to identify who had challenged Vivien’s position, while Freya intended to discover who had permitted Vivien’s infiltration into the company’s ranks.
Vivien made her entrance first, her eyes fixed on Freya, brimming with disdain she could scarcely hide.
She cracked the door open and called out to Hugh, “Dad, it’s her.” No sooner had she uttered the words than Hugh appeared in the doorway.
His eyes met Freya’s, and in that moment, his thoughts spiraled. What should he do now?
How could it be Freya? What had Vivien done to provoke her?
“This man—he’s your father?” Freya’s voice cut through his thoughts, her fingers tightening around the edge of the contract, though her expression gave nothing away.
Hugh opened his mouth to respond, but a piercing glance from Freya silenced him.
In her eyes, he saw the same cold detachment that had marked their first disagreement.
Unaware of the undercurrents, Vivien chimed in, “Yes, that’s him.”
“And what role does Mr. Garza play at Briggs Group?” Freya treated him like a stranger.
Hugh tensed, a surge of realization washing over him that Mina harbored deep-seated animosity. “My last name is Briggs, not Garza,” he declared, his voice edged with panic, dominated by the single thought that her daughter was furious.
He also discerned that Freya’s deliberate reference to “Mr. Garza” signaled her intent to cut all personal connections with him.
𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝓬𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓼 𝗮𝘁 gⲁ𝗅𝗇𝗈ν𝖊𝗅𝘀⧺𝖼𝗈𝗺
Now, he had only one course of action—respond to her queries succinctly, careful not to utter anything unnecessary that might provoke her wrath.
“You don’t even recognize my father?” Vivien was dumbfounded, though she moderated her voice to sound less confrontational in Hugh’s presence. “He’s the chairman of the company.”
The mention of “father” stirred something in Freya, yet she masked her emotions adeptly. “Is that so?”
“Vivien, I haven’t married your mom yet, so it’s prudent to address me as Mr. Briggs for the time being,” Hugh explained, perceptive of Freya’s minute reaction.
Vivien’s cheeks turned a shade of crimson, embarrassment flooding her features.
Realizing her overstep, she stammered, “Okay, Mr. Briggs.”
“Briggs Group prides itself on recognizing hard work and talent. It doesn’t matter to me if he’s your father; lacking competence means you should depart,” Freya stated candidly, her tone sharp. “We have no room for the ineffectual here.”
“Mr. Briggs…” Vivien’s cheeks flamed with embarrassment from the sharp scolding.
In the presence of Hugh, her usual retorts were swallowed back, haunted by the fear that her meticulously maintained facade as the obedient girl might crumble.
Hugh cleared his throat softly, his emotions a tangled mess. “Vivien, please step outside. I need a moment to speak with her privately.”
“Understood.”
With that, Vivien departed.
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