My Child and I Married a Billionaire

Second Uncle didn’t know that Cecelia Archer had changed her name and identity, and Ryan felt a surge of awkwardness.

"This is Miss Linden. Her name is Luna Linden."

"Luna Linden? Isn’t she Cecelia Archer?"

Second Uncle hadn’t dealt with Cecelia Archer much, but he remembered her face clearly. Her voice hadn’t changed either. How could she have become Luna Linden?

’Could it be that Damien Vaughn changed her name to cover for her and gloss over the mistakes she made in the past?’

’Heh! She killed his mother! To think he’d let the death of his own mother slide, all for a woman? He’s really got some nerve!’

"Cut the crap! This kind of ridiculously childish trick might work on a three-year-old, but you think you can fool me? Isn’t she Cecelia Archer? A murderer! After killing my sister-in-law, she has the nerve to come to our company? And she dares to boss us around on our own business? Who do you think you are?"

Cecelia Archer calmly pushed Ryan aside and faced Second Uncle.

"Second Uncle, if you’re here to discuss work, let’s stick to the facts. We can pick apart every single issue with the project, tear it to shreds if we have to. But as for my identity, I’m a legal citizen. You don’t need to concern yourself with that."

"Just because you say not to question it, I shouldn’t? Who the hell do you think you are? Talk business with you? This is the Vaughn Group! I’m a member of the Vaughn Family! What right do you have to talk business with me? Get out! Get the hell out! Or I’ll call the police and have you arrested right now!"

Ryan quickly stepped in front of Cecelia Archer again.

"Second Uncle, she really is Luna Linden. It won’t do any good even if you call the police. If anyone saw this, it would only reflect poorly on the company. How about this? Why don’t you give President Vaughn a call? If you feel she’s not qualified, you can take it up with him."

"Fine, I’ll call him. I want Damien Vaughn to give me a clear explanation. What the hell is he playing at? He’s always going on about how we’re unprofessional, how he’s the one holding this company up. Is this his idea of ’holding it up’?"

Right in front of them, Second Uncle called Damien Vaughn, but his phone was off.

"Going to Corvane is one thing, but why is his phone off? What is he up to? This is a complete mess! Does he think all the Vaughn family elders are dead and gone, that no one can keep him in line anymore? He’s acting completely irresponsibly! If this keeps up, the entire Group is going to collapse under his watch!"

He continued his rant. Ryan didn’t have the standing to interrupt, and Cecelia Archer listened to him ramble for a while before finally speaking.

"You’re here about the new proposal submitted by your planning department, aren’t you? Since you’ve come to me demanding an explanation, I’ll give you one. Their site selection, pricing, and target customer analysis are all substandard. The plan seriously exceeds the investment budget for a project of this scale. If you don’t believe me, you can go back and check the numbers yourself. With the current proposal, the company would essentially be doing charity work. We wouldn’t see a return on our investment for at least two years."

Second Uncle was so furious he looked ready to jump up and start a shouting match.

"Rules are rigid, but people are flexible! You’re just a pretty face who doesn’t know a thing, so it’s easy for you to stand there and criticize! Look at you, acting so high and mighty! The market conditions are terrible right now. The fact that they managed to produce those numbers at all shows they did their absolute best. Are you saying the entire department should just stop working because the figures don’t meet your expectations? If they don’t hurry and secure this deal, what happens when a competitor snatches it up? Will you take responsibility for that loss?"

Cecelia Archer was speechless.

"It’s not about the numbers meeting *my* requirements, Second Uncle. Behind these figures is cold, hard cash—money that the entire Vaughn Group will have to fork over..."

"Don’t give me that nonsense! The entire department is waiting on me for an answer. I can’t just let all of them fail to meet their performance targets, can I? So either you approve this proposal for me today, or you go out and land this project yourself with the numbers and budget you’re dreaming of! Let’s see you talk big then!"

’Cecelia knew she had been parachuted into the company. The fact that she was immediately put in charge, filling in for Damien Vaughn, meant that many people below her were unconvinced of her abilities.’

’If she didn’t handle Second Uncle properly today, the others would probably follow his lead and make things difficult for her too...’

"While I don’t have time to do the work of the entire planning department, I am determined to give it a try. Second Uncle, if I actually manage to secure this project with the figures I’ve laid out, what will you do then?"

"You? Stop bragging! A pretty face like you thinks you can do the work of our entire planning department? I’ll make you a promise right here, right now! If you can pull it off, I’ll wash my hair while doing a handstand at the entrance of the Vaughn Group headquarters!"

It was a bold wager. Unfortunately for him, Cecelia Archer had no interest in watching him wash his hair upside down.

"There’s no need for you to wash your hair upside down. Let’s set a deadline. If I secure this project within one week, then from now on, my word is final. You will no longer question any of my decisions."

’Heh! She really dares to make a bet with me? The audacity!’

Second Uncle’s eyes darted as a thought struck him.

"Five days! If you can land this project in five days, I’ll vote for you to become the president of the Vaughn Group!"

’He was a grown man, but he was acting so childish.’

Cecelia Archer couldn’t care less about him voting for her to be president, but she was satisfied with the general terms of his petulant wager.

"Fine. Let’s put that in writing. If I fail to deliver on my promise after five days, I will never set foot in the Vaughn Group again."

After sending Second Uncle off, Ryan looked worriedly at Cecelia Archer.

"Miss Archer, wasn’t that a bit too rash? Just five days for such a massive project..."

"If you don’t push yourself, you never know what you’re capable of. If I want to establish a foothold in the Vaughn Group, I’d have to get past him sooner or later. It’s better to shut him up now and get it over with."

Ryan knew Cecelia had a point, so he had no choice but to support her.

Cecelia held meetings and reviewed proposals while Ryan ran errands and handled negotiations for her.

After a great deal of back-and-forth and intense negotiation, Cecelia pulled three all-nighters, analyzing countless case studies and drafting multiple proposals. Finally, on the fourth day, she successfully won over the other party and signed the contract.

First thing in the morning, Cecelia marched into the planning department with Ryan and slapped the contract down in front of them.

"From now on, if I reject a proposal, don’t bother resubmitting it unless it meets the standards I’ve set. Anyone who thinks I’m being too harsh, that my requirements are impossible to meet, or that I’m deliberately making things difficult for you, is free to leave right now. I’ll approve your resignation on the spot."

Her words left everyone speechless. Even Second Uncle was stunned for a moment.

’But did they really think he would just accept defeat? Impossible!’

Her hectic work schedule helped Cecelia temporarily forget about that heartless man, Damien Vaughn.

Back from the planning department, she dove right back into her work.

She was at her desk discussing some figures with Ryan when, suddenly, more people stormed into the president’s office, shouting.

"Damien? Damien? We heard you’ve been busy behind our backs! Get out here and explain yourself!"

Ryan whipped his head around, surprised to see Damien Vaughn’s two maternal uncles.

"Mr. Bell?"

"Where’s Damien? We heard the woman who murdered our sister isn’t dead after all—that he changed her name and is hiding her here in the company. Is it true? Get out here and explain!"

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