Marcus' offer to invest in Waston Group then crossed her mind.

Despite their rivalry, Melissa had to admit it was tempting. ALL she had to do was ask.

But then she hesitated.

In her current role, it fell on Melissa to take down Alan herself, without Marcus’ help.

As days passed, Alan continued to ignore Melissa.

Undeterred, Melissa handled him the same way.

Then, one day, they ran into each other at a private club's golf course.

Weldon happened to be there too.

Ignoring Weldon, Melissa greeted Alan.

Alan returned the greeting with a smile. "It's been a while, Miss Brown!"

With a smile of her own, Melissa replied, "Indeed. Fancy meeting you here, Mr. Scott."

Swinging his club, Alan chatted, “Aren't you a sweetheart? Since you turned down Jaime, he's been living on takeout. What should I do with him, Miss Brown?"

Melissa replied with a faint smile. “Actually, I owe you an apology, Mr. Scott."

She signaled to her assistant, who promptly presented the project contract. Alan was visibly surprised.

With a sneer, he retorted, "I don't recall agreeing to invest in anything!"

Pausing briefly, Melissa continued softly, “Whether you invest in Waston Group or not, it's your call, Mr. Scott. But I'm here sincerely. You're my last shot. You know the history between me and the Fowlers, and you also know how important this project is to me.

If you don't invest, I'll have to make some tough choices. Either I quit or I team up with the Fowlers."

Alan narrowed his eyes, contemplating her words.

Melissa pressed on, "Joining the Fowlers could bring more than just funds. I'd gain access to projects like the new energy program, which your company's been handling for years, right? Mr. Scott... Mr. Waston always taught me to never push your partners too far. Don't you agree?"

Alan was fuming, reaching for his phone to call Rena...