Inside the spacious meeting room, Albert sat at the head of the table, his expression unreadable.

With the Waston Group's former president's passing, the shareholders were embroiled in a fierce fight for power. Melissa entered, breaking the tension with a simple, "Mr. Waston!"

Albert's response was a quiet nod, a brief acknowledgment before he instructed, "Sit down."

The meeting stretched from the late afternoon into the night, ending at ten. Despite the physical discomfort, the attendees departed swiftly, leaving Albert alone, massaging his temples in the now-quiet conference room.

Melissa brewed a cup of coffee for Albert and set it before him.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Waston. The deal with Summit Ltd. didn't go through."

Albert, already aware of the news from the morning, looked up.

Melissa's admission confirmed his suspicions about the deal's failure.

He took the coffee and whispered, "Any regrets?"

She merely shook her head in response.

He offered a slight smile. "That's good to hear."

After sipping his coffee, he broached the subject of damage control, "The main office hasn't been informed yet. We need to manage the situation discreetly before they make any announcements. The loss of this contract isn't favorable for us."

Melissa's instinct was to apologize, but Albert reassured her, emphasizing her value over the contract.

"Given the circumstances, you're more crucial than this deal."

Standing, he proposed, "Let's have dinner and then go pay your respect. He... liked you a lot when he was still alive."

His voice carried a note of sorrow.

Melissa agreed.

The visit to the Waston family's mansion was followed by her return to the hotel around midnight.

Checking in, she was momentarily distracted by the silent snowfall outside the window, almost missing the receptionist's call to collect her room key.

Later, as she lay in bed after freshening up, the day's events, particularly the argument with Marcus, replayed in her mind. The emotional turmoil wasn't easy; convincing herself to reconcile with Marcus had been hard enough, leaving her heartache in his absence palpable.