After Prison I Rushed into Marriage with a Comatose Tycoon-Chapter 20: Eliza, Come Back to My Side

A competition?

Eliza Sutton paused, surprised. "Thank you."

"You’re being too formal." Crystal Harrison was a little surprised by Eliza Sutton’s pleasant demeanor. Wanting to be on good terms with her, she spoke with her a little longer.

Just then, Brenda Preston walked out and saw them, her gaze sweeping lightly over the two.

Before she could even speak, her assistant, Mr. Walker, stepped forward and snapped, "What’s all this racket? This is the Design Department, not a wet market, and you certainly aren’t a flock of ducks! Anyone else who makes a scene can get out of the Lockwood Group—I don’t care what kind of backing you have!"

Terrified, Crystal Harrison quickly lowered her head. The others didn’t even dare to breathe.

Only then did Brenda Preston step forward. "This competition, like the ones before, will be divided into two teams," she announced. "The outstanding works from the winning team will be adopted by the company for production and sale, and the team will earn a share of the sales revenue. Team members will not only receive a bonus, but it will also be reflected in their performance reviews.

"As for the losing team, you will be on cleaning duty for a month, and your bonuses for the month will be forfeited and awarded to the winners."

After speaking, Brenda Preston divided them into teams by drawing lots, appointed team leaders, and left.

Reina Miles walked over with a smile, carrying a cup of coffee, and placed it in front of a sharply dressed woman.

"Here you go. Hand-ground Geisha."

Dulcie Vaughn stared at Reina Miles in astonishment. "Did you hit your head, or have you just lost your mind?"

As the two most senior lead designers in the department, the teams were always formed with one of them at the head of each.

The two of them did not get along. Reina Miles, who considered herself closer to Brenda Preston, always looked down her nose at Dulcie Vaughn with unconcealed disdain.

For her to now personally bring over her precious coffee was as rare as seeing a pig fly.

Reina Miles said, "I just feel so sorry for you. You’re already no match for me on a good day, and now you’ve been saddled with this dead weight. You’re bound to lose spectacularly this time. We’ve been colleagues for so many years, I just couldn’t bear to watch. Since there’s nothing I can do to help, I figured I’d at least bring you some coffee."

"Oh, in that case, thank you so much. Since you’re being so thoughtful, why don’t you get a cup for every member of our team? If Team Leader Miller would be willing to grind the beans and brew it herself, we’d be simply overjoyed."

Reina Miles’s face instantly darkened. "Are you dreaming, Dulcie Vaughn?"

"Not at all. I’m just giving you an opportunity."

"Giving me an opportunity? Oh, right. After all, that Eliza Sutton got in through the back door. She may have no education or talent, but she sure knows who to sleep with. Your team could probably submit a piece of dog shit and still win. If that happens, we’ll just have to accept it. We’ll concede defeat gracefully."

The moment Reina Miles finished speaking, her own teammates erupted in anger, all of them turning to glare at Eliza Sutton.

"I really don’t know what management was thinking. The Lockwood Design Department is supposed to be for elites, but they just had to shove some piece of garbage in here."

"If she only got in through connections, shouldn’t she be working in janitorial? Why insist on being a designer? Does she think the title alone makes her high-class?"

"Maybe she thinks it can put a gold trim on her criminal record."

Dulcie Vaughn’s eyes swept over them. "Is Team Leader Miller so certain she’s going to lose that she’s resorting to a smear campaign? If that’s the case, you can all just concede now. It’s fine, we’ll ’help’ you out."

"Who said we’re going to lose! We *will* win this time. And then we’ll have Manager Preston reconsider whether the design department really needs two lead designers!"

Reina Miles spat out the threat and stormed off.

Dulcie Vaughn clicked her tongue. She looked at Eliza Sutton and said, "Just do your thing and ignore Reina Miles. The woman has a foul mouth."

Eliza Sutton was a little surprised. "You believe in me?"

"Of course. I looked up your profile. It’s true you’re a high school graduate, but you were admitted to the design program at Veridian University, and your academic performance there was excellent.

"I also saw the more recent designs on your résumé; they’re stunning. I figure if you really designed all those, there’s no way our team can lose."

"Those designs are mine. And you misspoke. Our team isn’t just ’not going to lose’—we’re going to win." Eliza Sutton’s tone was flat, as if she were simply stating that with her involved, victory was guaranteed.

Dulcie Vaughn thought Eliza Sutton was being a bit arrogant. After all, as obnoxious as Reina Miles was, she was undeniably skilled. In these competitions, their teams were usually evenly matched, trading wins and losses.

But she didn’t say anything, simply patting Eliza Sutton’s shoulder and giving her a gesture of encouragement.

Eliza Sutton watched Dulcie Vaughn’s peppy retreat, a faint smile touching her lips.

Just then, her phone buzzed. It was a message from Sid Lane.

She was surprised when she read the message, and the faint smile on her lips instantly turned to ice.

As soon as the bell signaling the end of the workday rang, Eliza Sutton gathered her things to leave. At the office entrance, however, she ran into someone completely unexpected.

Sean Hughes.

"Eliza." Sean Hughes had clearly been waiting. The moment he saw Eliza Sutton, he strode toward her.

He was strikingly handsome, with elegant, refined features and a dignified bearing. He had the air of a nobleman, as flawless as jade.

Eliza Sutton was also a bit surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to see you. I heard you’ve joined the Lockwood Design Department, so I just had to come see my brilliant Eliza." Sean Hughes’s tone was affectionate as he reached out to pat Eliza Sutton’s head.

Eliza Sutton looked at Sean Hughes, and for a moment, she was lost in a vision of the past.

Her mother, Eleanor Leighton, had always been very good friends with Sean Hughes’s mother. Since the two families lived in the same neighborhood, they had become very close.

She and Sean Hughes had known each other since childhood and were extremely close.

During their childhood, Sean Hughes would praise her for the smallest accomplishment, whether it was scoring a single point higher on a test or making one less mistake on a problem set.

Each time, he would pat her head and say with a smile, "My Eliza is just so amazing."

Eliza Sutton took a step back, dodging his hand. Her expression was placid. "Thank you, Master Hughes."

With that, she turned to leave, but Sean Hughes grabbed her by the wrist.

The moment his hand touched her wrist, Eliza Sutton reacted as if she’d been bitten by a venomous snake, violently wrenching her arm free.

Sean Hughes stared at his hand, which she had flung away, looking stunned. "Eliza, why are you being so cold to me? Are you still angry that I didn’t go through with our engagement? I’m truly sorry about that, but I hope you can understand my difficult situation and give me a chance to make it up to you, okay?"

"A chance to compensate me?" Eliza Sutton countered. "What kind of chance?"

"To come back to my side, of course," Sean Hughes said without hesitation. "I’ll be good to you."

Eliza Sutton finally smiled, but there was no warmth in her eyes. "Back to your side? Sean Hughes, are you asking me, the esteemed Madam Lockwood, to be your mistress?"