Before he could finish his word, Evelyn cut in, "Leo, stop arguing. Miss Andrew was the one who wrote the project proposal. I don’t want to upset her over this and jeopardize the partnership. It’d be such a waste if things went wrong because of me.”
Her words sounded considerate as if she were genuinely concerned about my feelings and the company’s welfare. However, I knew exactly what she meant. She was just subtly mocking me, implying that I was too proud of my achievement.
Her provocation succeeded in making Leo's face darken even further. He then cast a sidelong glance at me and said, "Your gut has some gut now. How dare you use the company; cooperation to threaten me?"
"Do you really think there are no other people than you who can handle this project?” he sneered. “Well, since the proposal you made is in my hand, Evelyn can handle the presentation. You don't need to come."
I had seen the real Leo, but still, his harsh words made my heart bleed.
Just a month ago, to help his company secure this opportunity, I drank with the client representative. As a result, I ended up in the hospital for gastrointestinal bleeding.
As soon as I was discharged, I went back to work on the proposal right away. Now, Leo wanted to throw me aside and put Evelyn in my position to eat the fruit of my labor.
I sighed silently. I should have seen this coming. In the past, he always trusted my capabilities and sent me alone on business trips. However, this time, he had insisted on bringing Evelyn along with him. He claimed he did it because the other party was in a remote location, so he became concerned for my safety. In reality, he wanted to build a connection for Evelyn in the business circle.
A hint of smugness flashed on Evelyn's face as she explained with pretend concern, "Miss Andrew, Leo did this for the company's benefit. You’re too emotional right now and it’s not the best state of mind for an important meeting. I'm more than willing to help you with the workload. I won't steal your credit ...."
Before she could finish speaking, I waved my hand dismissively and said calmly, "You don’t need to say anything else. You can take not only this one project, but you're welcome to take all the future projects."
Leo's eyes narrowed with suspicion. "What are you talking about, Julie?"
I gave him a mocking smile and said slowly, “I quit.”