My Ex-Husband Begged Me to Take Him Back - Chapter 183

Chapter 183: Shouldn€™t I be angry?

Chapter 183: Shouldn€™t I be angry?

“How could you blindly trust a woman?” Mr.

Carter spat with contempt.

“She knows nothing about the industry!” “I have the proof,” Ava interjected.

She reached into her bag and retrieved a file, slamming it onto the table.

“Your company is facing losses.

You’re buried under a mountain of debt to the banks.

To cut costs, you’ve resorted to using substandard materials in your construction.

The quality of your buildings no longer meets the standards we require.

We cannot, and will not, work with you.” “This is outrageous!” Mr.

Carter shouted, his eyes turning red in anger.

“Are you here to humiliate me, Mr.

Brooks?

If you weren’t interested in collaborating, you could’ve just declined the deal outright.

Why give me this appointment and arrange this meeting?” Dylan’s calm demeanor turned icy.

“It was you who relentlessly pursued me for months, begging for this appointment,” he snapped back, his expression turning dead serious.

“I’ve ignored your calls and messages, but you kept pushing.

Is it really my fault that I finally allowed you to make your case?” His tone turned sharper and unyielding.

“You had every chance to be honest with me about your company’s struggles.

If you had been upfront, we might have worked something out.

But instead, you chose deception.

Honesty is the foundation of any successful partnership, and you’ve shown none.

Who knows what else you are hiding?

This deal is off, and that’s final.” “You’re letting a woman’s baseless accusations ruin a perfectly good opportunity,” Mr.

Carter retorted, his voice shaking in rage.

“She is not just any woman,” Dylan snapped back.

“She is my wife and the COO of my company.

I trust her judgment, and she has proven her worth time and again.” “You’ll regret this!” Mr.

Carter snarled, snatching up his belongings.

“You’re making a colossal mistake, and you’ll realize it soon enough.” He jumped to his feet and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

Ava watched him leave, her posture stiff.

Dylan turned to her, a faint smirk tugging at his lips.

“Are you hungry?

Shall we order food now?” Ava scowled at him.

“I have the same question as Mr.

Carter.

Why did you even give him the appointment if you had already decided not to collaborate with him?” “Yes, I could’ve ignored him,” he admitted.

“But he wouldn’t have stopped hounding me for an appointment.

I wanted to put an end to it once and for all.” Dylan reached out and gently took her hands in his, his gaze sincere.

“Besides, you worked tirelessly to uncover the Carter Group’s lies.

You deserved to be the one to reject him outright.

That’s why I set up this meeting.” Ava couldn’t help but feel a sense of contentment, but her anger with him was still there.

“How thoughtful of you,” she muttered dryly.

“But you’ve made him my enemy now.

Didn’t you notice how hostile he was toward me?

All thanks to you.” “If he tries to harm you, he’ll have to go through me first,” Dylan asserted.

The sincerity in his words pulled at her heart.

She couldn’t deny the changes she had seen in him-the way he had defended her against the board, standing by her side without hesitation.

And yet, the bitterness over Erica’s return lingered in her mind.

Why had he brought Erica back?

She was still unhappy with him.

“I can deal with my issues,” she muttered.

“I don’t need your intervention.” Dylan’s smile returned, a playful glint in his eyes.

“I know you can.

But now that you’ve canceled the deal with the Carter Group, it’s your responsibility to find a suitable partner.

No slacking.” Ava narrowed her eyes at him, her lips twitching.

He was impossible.

Even when he complimented her, he managed to turn it into a challenge.

“I have a suggestion.” She already had a company in mind, but she wasn’t sure how Dylan would react.

“It’s an emerging company, but they have been making waves recently.

I’ve been monitoring their stock prices-they’re climbing steadily.

I think we should consider collaborating with them.” Dylan tilted his head, intrigued.

“Which company are you talking about?” “S & Co.” Dylan repeated the name under his breath, his brows knitting in thought.

He had heard of them.

In fact, his adviser had mentioned the company as a viable alternative if the Carter Group fell through.

At the time, he had dismissed it, reluctant to invest in a newer company with less established roots.

But hearing Ava recommend the same name made him reconsider.

“Alright,” he finally said, nodding.

He would look into this company before making the final decision.

“I’ll think about it.

But it’ll be your job to secure the deal with them.” “No problem,” Ava agreed readily.

Dylan smiled, pleased with her confidence and initiative.

But that smile quickly faded when her next words hit him like a bolt of lightning.

“But I have a condition.

Once I successfully sign the collaboration deal, you will have to accept my resignation.” He stared at her, the excitement he had felt moments before completely wiped away.

“Why?” he asked.

“Why would you want to resign?

Is it about the salary?

If that’s the issue, I can increase your pay.” “It’s not about the pay,” she countered.

“It’s about my father’s health.

He needs rest.

I want to help him and join the Williams Holdings.” Dylan understood why she was so eager to resign.

He could see the determination in her eyes-it was clear she wasn’t making this decision lightly.

But he had no intention of letting her go.

He exhaled sharply, trying to mask the turmoil brewing inside him.

“We’ll talk about this later.

For now, let’s eat.” He picked up the menu, scanning it with feigned ease.  “I’m not hungry,” Ava replied curtly, rising from her chair and grabbing her bag.

“If you want to eat, go ahead.” Dylan’s hand shot out, clasping her wrist.

“Don’t go.

You haven’t eaten anything.” Ava glanced down at his hand, then back up at him, her expression icy and defiant.

With a sharp twist of her wrist, she broke free from his grip.

“I don’t need you to worry about me,” she said flatly, turning on her heel and heading toward the door.

Dylan acted quickly, stepping in front of her and blocking her path.

“You’re mad at me because of Erica, aren’t you?” His eyes searched hers, desperation flickering within them.

Ava held his gaze.

“Shouldn’t I be angry?” she countered.

“You know exactly what she did to me.

Yet, you brought her back.

What else am I supposed to think, Dylan?

On the one hand, you act like you care about me, and on the other, you allow the people who hurt me to return without any consequences.

Do you have any idea how she threatened me?” “I promise I’ll keep you safe,” he assured her.

“She won’t be able to hurt you.” But Ava wasn’t buying it.

“Safe?” she scoffed.

“If you really cared about my safety, why did you bring her back in the first place?” “Because she was€¦” Before he could finish, the sharp ring of his phone cut through the air, derailing the conversation.