Chapter 67: Is Estelle Back?...

Chapter 67: Chapter 67: Is Estelle Back?...

Noelle’s expression froze. "Miss Yara, how could you think so poorly of me? That wasn’t what I meant at all. I was just worried about you. If your subordinates aren’t convinced of your leadership, it’ll be very difficult for you to make any progress with your work.

"But you aren’t entirely wrong either. I genuinely believe it would be better for me to take the position of department head. First, I’ve been at Evernight for a long time, so everyone knows me. Second, I have many independent perfumes to my name and am very familiar with the industry. I am perfectly qualified for this."

Noelle’s words plunged the conference room into a brief silence. No one dared to speak.

This woman was the daughter-in-law chosen by Mrs. Sloan, and rumors about her were already flying everywhere. She could very well become the CEO’s wife one day. They couldn’t afford to offend her. However, Yara didn’t look like someone who would let herself be pushed around either.

"It would be better for you to take the position?" Estelle chuckled, raising an eyebrow. "I don’t understand what you mean, Miss Noelle. Why would the subordinates be unconvinced if I took charge, but happily listen to you if you did?"

Noelle opened her mouth to speak, but Estelle calmly cut her off.

"Out of all your perfumes, Miss Noelle, how many have won international awards?" Estelle asked. "How many have won domestic awards? Have you ever designed a viral hit? How many of your creations have sold out? And how many are still ranked on the global perfume charts to this day?

"Oh, the answer couldn’t possibly be zero, could it?"

Noelle’s face flushed bright red. "You..."

"Then guess what achievements I have under my belt?" Estelle pivoted sharply.

She didn’t even need to answer her own question. Her assistant stepped forward from behind her.

"As the Chief Perfumer of Star, Miss Yara has independently released twelve perfumes, each of which became a global sensation. She has also led her team to release twenty perfumes, generating tens of billions in revenue for Star."

When the assistant finished, Estelle propped her chin on her hand. "So, Miss Noelle... who do you think everyone will respect more? Me, or you?"

The crowd subtly began to look at Noelle with disdain. What gave her the right to compare herself to Star’s Chief Perfumer?

Estelle turned to Nathaniel and slowly stood up. "Mr. Sloan, when we signed the contract, it was agreed that I would have ultimate authority. Yet today, a mere manager at Evernight International dares to question me and demand that I give up my position as department head.

"Your company’s actions are in breach of our contract. If you cannot give me a satisfactory explanation, I will withdraw from this partnership, and Star will send another perfumer to take over."

That was absolutely out of the question! The executives groaned inwardly. Wasn’t the entire point of this partnership to collaborate with this specific Chief Perfumer?

Nathaniel didn’t give Noelle any face. "Since you have ultimate authority, not even I can veto your decisions. As for what anyone else says, you can simply ignore them."

Simply ignore them! Noelle’s face drained of color, her body swaying as if she might collapse. Nathaniel’s words made her look like an absolute clown!

Estelle’s lips curled into a faint, mocking smile as she smoothed her hair. "Glad to hear it. Let’s continue the meeting."

Noelle remained deathly pale until the meeting concluded. Once most of the people had dispersed, she stepped forward, her eyes red and tears streaming down her face.

"Nathaniel, why did you do that earlier? Do you really not care about my feelings at all?"

Nathaniel glanced at a message from Iris on his phone. His aunt had texted to say she arrived, and he was getting ready to go pick her up. Hearing Noelle’s tearful complaint, he didn’t even bat an eye.

"What else was I supposed to do? Hand the position of R&D Director over to you?"

A wave of sorrow swelled in Noelle’s chest. "Why can’t I?!" she wanted to scream in her mind. "If that woman Yara can do it, why can’t I?!"

She refused to believe it was because Yara was more capable than her. It had to be because Nathaniel was bewitched by that woman!

"Nathaniel, I didn’t actually want to be the R&D Director. I just felt that you were being too good to Yara. Giving her so much power right off the bat—what will other people think?

"Meanwhile, ever since I joined the company, you’ve only given me a titular role. Everyone else is ranked higher than me. No one listens to me here. It’s so suffocating. You can’t treat me like this..."

Nathaniel narrowed his eyes and was about to speak when a resounding female voice echoed from behind him.

"Why were you only given a titular role? Because you’re stupid. Got it?"

Iris strode over in her high heels. Time hadn’t left a single mark on her face. Even in her forties, if someone claimed she was Nathaniel’s older sister, people would easily believe it.

Nathaniel nodded in greeting. "Aunt Iris."

Iris shot her nephew a look of disgust before turning her contemptuous gaze back to Noelle.

"With your tiny brain, you actually want real power, Noelle? Give you real power so you can run wild and drive the company into the ground? Don’t think that just because you have a pretty face, you can seduce a man into losing his mind. Pardon my bluntness, but in the face of corporate interests, what the hell are you?

"Even though Nathaniel can be quite oblivious and can’t spot a manipulative victim act to save his life, at least he isn’t brain-damaged. Look at how petty and pathetic you are. Stop making a fool of yourself in public!"

Nathaniel fell silent. "There is no need to go that far, Aunt Iris," he thought to himself.

But his aunt wasn’t wrong. He was very clear on Noelle’s level of competence. Any position handed to her would inevitably turn into a complete mess. Moreover, the only reason Noelle had been hired at Evernight in the first place was because Laura Jennings had arranged it behind his back.

Noelle wept pitiably. "Aunt Iris..."

"Put away that manipulative sob story. I’m not a fool like Nathaniel. Turning on the waterworks won’t work on me. I don’t buy your act! Enough. Go back to wherever you came from." Iris lost her patience. "Nathaniel, come with me."

Nathaniel nodded and followed her, leaving Noelle standing there. Enraged, she smashed several cups onto the floor.

"Why did this bitch have to come back?! Why?!" she screamed in her mind.

Iris looked at the nephew she hadn’t seen in years. She couldn’t even be bothered to exchange pleasantries. "Zane Grant told me Christian is doing much better?"

Nathaniel nodded. "Yes. He made two good friends. They eat together, play together, and go to kindergarten together. He’s definitely become a lot more cheerful."

"Now that his psychological issues are being resolved, we need to focus on his physical health. You know very well why Christian had such severe pneumonia. By the way, where is Yara?"

"Do you want to see her right now?"

A brief look of discomfort flashed across Iris’s face, and she immediately lowered her head. "You paid a high price to hire her as his doctor. I need to see for myself if she’s reliable."

Nathaniel nodded. "Alright. I’ll have her come to my office."

Estelle had just sat down when she received the call on the internal line. "So demanding," she muttered under her breath.

Despite her grumbling, she still made her way over. The CEO’s office was exceptionally large. Besides the main workspace, it featured a reception area, a lounge, a bedroom, and a bathroom. It was essentially a full suite.

As she walked in, she didn’t see Nathaniel. Instead, she saw a woman.

"Aunt Iris..." Estelle thought, her breath catching.

Seeing Iris so unexpectedly brought a sudden wave of longing and grievance crashing over Estelle. Her eyes instantly turned red.

Back when she had first returned to the Lockwood family, everyone had called her a country bumpkin, claiming she wasn’t good enough for the Lockwoods. Iris was the only one who had furiously defended her, demanding, "She’s not good enough? You were the ones who lost your child and made her suffer immensely, and now you have the gall to say she’s not good enough?!"

Iris was also the one who shielded her when Noelle came knocking to provoke her. "Noelle, you’re a fake heiress and the real mistress. Drop the hypocritical act, will you? Looking at you makes me sick!"

No matter how strong Estelle tried to be, seeing an elder who had genuinely loved and cared for her still made her want to cry and pour out her grievances. Unfortunately, to Iris, the current her was nothing more than a stranger.

She did her best to suppress the tremble in her voice. "Hello, Ms. Sloan."

To her absolute shock, Iris simply asked, "Is that Estelle? Have you come back?"