Chapter 408

Brielle leaned against the cold marble column near the elevator, her gaze following Ryan and Spencer as they approached. Before they could spot her, she deftly slipped behind the pillar, out of view.

Ryan, true to Brielle’s expectations, was at loggerheads with William. When Ryan was part of the Dorsey International team, he hung on to every word William said. Even if he begrudged it inwardly, he was professional on the surface. There was a time when Ryan thought he and William were teaming up against Max. After Max had him ousted, Ryan had sought out William, hoping for some brotherly intervention to get him reinstated. William, however, deflected with excuses at every turn.

After a few such encounters, Ryan realized they were never really a team, just two soldiers fighting their own separate battles..

Now that Ryan had stepped over William to make his comeback, he wasn’t about to start showing any deference as he used to.

Ryan seemed to be in high spirits, a smile playing on his lips as he waited for the elevator. He playfully clapped Spencer on the back. “Spencer, you didn’t let me down this time, buddy. Clever move aligning with Noah,” Ryan said, barely containing his glee. “You should have seen. William’s face just now. Oh, it was priceless!”

Spencer didn’t seem to share his father’s enthusiasm. His mind was elsewhere as he asked, “Dad, is it true that Uncle Max’s mom is considering moving back stateside?”

Ryan’s expression stiffened, his mood souring. “Why do you care about her? That crazy old bat, always causing a scene at the drop of a hat.”

Ryan’s face twisted with distaste as he massaged his temples. “Don’t worry about things that don’t concern you. Focus on how you’re going to convince Max to give you a promotion. You can’t just keep doing the small–time deals under Noah’s shadow. It’s beneath a Dorsey family member.”

Spencer took a deep breath. A promotion from Max? That was wishful thinking–Max would probably be happy to see him gone. But it didn’t matter. With Max’s mom coming back, Alivia’s status would skyrocket, and Brielle would have to face the harsh reality that she meant nothing to Max.

With a sneer, Spencer followed Ryan Into the elevator.

Once they were gone, Brielle stepped out from behind the pillar. Tiffanie had already informed her about Max’s mother’s potential move back home, and Alivia’s likely return. Max hadn’t attended today’s meeting–was he busy with this?

Brielle tried to focus on her work in her department but found it difficult to concentrate on the tasks at hand. As the day neared its end, her phone rang. It was Tiffanie.

“Brielle, have you seen the news?” Tiffanie asked.

12:57 L Charder 40p “What news?”

Tiffanie sounded exasperated. “About Alivia coming back home, of course. The media is all over it.

She’s being halled as a prodlay, the youngest head of a research Institute,”

Brielle flicked on her computer and, sure enough, Alivia was the headline, Alivia may not have been a stunner at first glance, but she had a gentle beauty and soft–spoken manner.

Prominent universities back home were even sharing the news of her return–a level of clout that seemed reserved for Alivia among her peers.

Tiffanie was still talking. “Do you have any idea what being the head of a research Institute branch means back home? That’s a position with massive resources at your fingertips. I bet. Dustin’s visit was tied to this.”

“Isn’t Infinity Brilliance a leader in the diamond Industry? What’s that got to do with a research institute?”

Tiffanie realized Brielle was clueless and patiently explained. “Dustin may be a playboy, but his family is old money In North America. Diamonds are their main gig, sure, but they have deep. ties to international politics–royalty even. He turned down a title from the Queen, for goodness‘ sake. Plus, research Institutes abroad often link up with capital and need funding–big funding. And guess who’s the major shareholder In most of them? Infinity Brillance. So, when you hear about an institute expansion, you can bet Dustin’s financing it. Why else would he be here now?”

Brielle knew–Infinity Brilliance was a powerhouse, but she hadn’t realized Dustin’s influence ran so deep.

Tiffanie, not hearing a response, thought Brielle was disheartened. “Hey, don’t worry. Max is into you right now, and that’s what matters. Forget Alivia. She doesn’t mean a thing to him. But I just wanted to give you a heads up–Alivia isn’t as great as everyone says. If you cross paths, just be careful, okay?”

12:57