Chapter 4

Three days later, I attended the Atlas Global Partner Night.

The hotel ballroom was filled with industry executives, investment firms, consulting firms, and major Atlas partners.

Eric was already there when Alex and I walked in.

Paige stood beside him in a white dress.

She spotted me immediately.

Then her eyes moved to Alex, and she froze for a moment.

Eric's expression darkened too.

"Why are you here with Alex?"

I didn't explain.

Alex pulled out my chair for me.

"Kate is here on behalf of Nova tonight."

Eric stared at us.

He seemed to understand immediately.

"So that's it. You've been gone from Carter for three days, and you've already found another company to back you."

I looked at him.

"I don't work for Carter anymore, and we're no longer engaged. I don't need to report to you about who I come here with."

Paige recovered quickly.

She deliberately glanced at my place card.

It showed only my name.

No title.

"Alex has competed with Carter for years. It makes sense that he'd bring you here tonight."

She smiled.

"But representing Nova at one event and actually having a real position at Nova are two very different things."

I didn't argue.

Eric clearly thought the same thing.

In his mind, Carter had fired me, and I had rushed to a competitor because I needed to prove I still had value.

The conversation soon shifted back to Atlas.

Atlas had paused the signing process, but Carter was still on the final list.

Eric had known Atlas's chairman for years.

Carter had an experienced team, a complete proposal, and a history of working with Atlas.

More importantly, we had spent eight months refining that proposal.

To Eric, all of that meant the result was obvious.

He walked over to me with a glass in his hand.

"Atlas is only reviewing the deal again because the project lead changed suddenly. But this is a $50 million business decision. Daniel doesn't get to decide it just because he prefers working with one person."

He glanced at Alex.

"Carter has the team, the proposal, and the track record. Alex bringing you here doesn't mean Nova can take Atlas away from us."

I answered calmly.

"We'll know when they announce the result."

Eric shook his head.

"You still don't understand. Clients took your meetings before because you represented Carter. Without Carter, you're just Kate Morgan."

I smiled.

"Just Kate Morgan?"

"Yes."

He sounded completely certain.

"You've always thought you mattered more than you do. Being valuable and being irreplaceable are two different things."

At that moment, the Atlas CEO walked onto the stage.

"After the board's final review, we have selected our strategic partner for the next three years."

Paige's eyes immediately lit up.

She grabbed Eric's arm and lowered her voice.

"It's definitely us."

Several executives who had a good relationship with Carter raised their glasses early.

"Congratulations in advance."

The last trace of tension disappeared from Eric's face.

He adjusted his suit and stood up.

He looked completely certain that the next words from the stage would be Carter Solutions.

As he passed me, he deliberately stopped beside my seat.

"Now you get it?"

He looked down at me.

"Without Carter, you're nothing."

Then he started toward the stage before the announcement was even finished.

The Atlas CEO opened the envelope in his hand.

"The strategic partner Atlas Group has selected for the next three years is..."

Eric was already halfway down the aisle.

A few people had even started clapping for him.

Then his steps stopped.

The smile froze on his face.