My Cold-Hearted Husband Wants Me Back-Chapter 18: The Campaign Model

Eryx's sharp gaze swept across the entire meeting room, taking in every face with a cold, calculating air. Finally, his eyes settled on Olivia Young, the General Manager seated to his left.

"I thought my mother was supposed to be here," he said, his voice low and clipped.

Olivia blinked, clearly caught off guard. "The chairman?" she asked, her confusion was clear. "As far as I know, she only mentioned the chosen model. She never indicated she'd be attending today's meeting, Mr. Grantham."

Eryx's jaw tightened. A bad feeling stirred in his chest, the one he knew better than to ignore when it involved his mother. "And the model?" His voice cooled even further. "Has she been confirmed?"

"Yes, sir. The chairman personally selected her. She said the model perfectly fits the image of the brand," Olivia explained carefully, clearly aware of the tension building in the room.

Before Eryx could press further, the door to the meeting room swung open. The sound was sharp, drawing every pair of eyes toward the entrance. Eryx's gaze locked instantly onto the figure stepping inside.

Seraphine.

The air in the room grew tense as she walked forward, her heels clicking against the marble floor. Her eyes, blazing with anger and frustration, met Eryx's cold, unreadable stare.

"Ah...I understand now," Seraphine's voice was laced with bitterness. "You still hold a grudge against me, don't you?"

Eryx's brow furrowed slightly, but his face remained composed. His eyes stayed fixed on her. "You never affected my life enough for me to hold a grudge," he replied, his tone low and flat. "Grudge? What is that?"

Seraphine's jaw tightened. "Then explain this." Her voice rose, echoing through the vast meeting room. "I was told the contract was mine, finalized! Then, just an hour ago, I received a call informing me that it was canceled! If it wasn't you playing games, then who was it?"

Eryx leaned back in his chair, his arms crossing over his chest. His calm demeanor only seemed to fuel her frustration. He let the silence stretch, his sharp eyes studying her carefully.

Finally, he turned his attention to the general manager seated to his left. "Miss Olivia," his voice was cold and commanding, "do you have any explanation for this?"

Olivia Young straightened in her chair, her face pale. "Mr. Grantham, I—" she hesitated, glancing between Eryx and Seraphine. "As far as I know, the chairman made the final decision on the model selection. I was never informed of any changes until this morning."

Eryx's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "The chairman? My mother?"

"Yes, sir," Olivia confirmed.

The room fell into a heavy silence, the weight of unspoken tensions pressing down on everyone present. Eryx's gaze shifted back to Seraphine, his mind working through the puzzle laid before him.

"So...Miss Olivia, are you sure you don't know anything about this?" Eryx's eyes narrowed, starting to get a feeling that his mother had something planned for him.

Before Olivia could respond, a hesitant voice came from the far end of the table. A staff member from the contract department, Mr. Bennett, cleared his throat. "Sir... the decision to cancel the contract came directly from the chairman's office. We received the order this morning."

Eryx's eyes darkened. "The chairman's office?"

"Yes, sir," Mr. Bennett confirmed. "It was finalized without further discussion."

Seraphine's glare sharpened. "See? If it wasn't you, then it's your mother playing her games again. What exactly does she want from me?"

"Again?" Eryx's eyes locked onto her, his interest piqued. "What do you mean by again? Did she ever do anything to you before?"

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Seraphine's face paled slightly, her eyes flickering away from his intense gaze. "I—I meant... it's just... your mother's always been difficult when it comes to these decisions," she said quickly, her voice rising. "But this is completely unfair! I was told the contract was mine! Do you know how many opportunities I turned down because of this promise? This is beyond unprofessional!"

Eryx's eyes stayed fixed on her, watching every twitch of her face. "You're avoiding the question, Seraphine."

"I'm not avoiding anything!" she snapped, though the defensiveness in her tone betrayed her. "I worked hard for this contract. I deserve it. And now, because of some ridiculous power play, I'm left with nothing. Is that fair, Eryx? Is this how Grantham Industries does business?"

"The decision wasn't mine," Eryx reminded her coolly. "You've made that clear yourself."

Before Seraphine could fire back again, the clacking sound of heels meeting the floor gained everyone's attention. Every head turned as Regina Grantham walked in, her presence commanding and unapologetic.

"Well, well," Regina's voice was smooth and laced with amusement. "It seems I arrived just in time." She walked straight inside the meeting room and went right to Olivia's seat.

Without waiting a second, Olivia stood up and gave her seat to Regina. "Have a seat, madam."

"So, is there any problem?" Regina asked calmly, setting her handbag on the table with deliberate grace.

Seraphine froze. Her lips parted, but no words escaped. She swallowed hard, instinctively stepping back as if distance would shield her from the woman's sudden arrival.

"Ah... Miss Seraphine," Regina said, raising a hand in a slow, almost lazy greeting. A faint smirk curved on her lips, and her eyes gleamed with something dangerous. "Regarding your contract..." She tilted her head just slightly, watching Seraphine with the sharpness of a predator. "I heard there was some... confusion."

"Confusion?" Seraphine's voice mixed with frustration and caution. "I was told the contract was finalized and I was promised the deal but then suddenly, it was canceled without any explanation. If there's been some mistake—"

"Mistake?" Regina's voice cut through the room like ice. She chuckled softly, the sound entirely without warmth. "Oh, my dear, there's been no mistake." Her eyes locked onto Seraphine's, and the smirk widened into something more condescending. "You see, we're not even in a position to apologize. After all, you hadn't signed anything yet. There was no formal agreement."

"But I was told—"

"You were told?" Regina interrupted, her tone taking on a mock sympathy that was somehow even more cutting. "How unfortunate. But words, my dear, hold no value without a signature. And without that, well... it's hardly our fault you misunderstood."

The room was deathly silent, every eye shifting nervously between the two women. Even Eryx, who rarely showed any reaction, watched his mother with a cold, calculating gaze.

Seraphine's face reddened, her composure slipping. Her eyes darted between Regina and Eryx before she muttered, "...I understand." The fight drained from her shoulders, and she took a step back. "Thank you for your time."

Without another word, she turned and walked toward the door, her heels clicking against the marble floor, the sound of retreat echoing through the room.

"It looks like your plan is going smoothly..." Eryx broke the silence, his eyes still fixed on the door where Seraphine had just left.

"Hate to break it to you, but she... is not part of my plan." Regina clapped her hands, calling someone from outside. "Come in, dear..."

The soft sound of footsteps gathered everyone's attention. Stepping inside hesitantly, Lunara gaze flickering around the room before settling on Regina. Her nervousness was obvious, but there was a quiet grace in the way she carried herself.

Eryx's breath caught. For a moment, he just stared and his usually composed expression gave way to a rare flash of surprise.

"Everyone," Regina announced, her voice smooth and pleased, "meet the campaign model for Auréa's new cosmetics line... Lunara Hayes."