Chapter 11 A Loser

• Half an hour later, Quinley arrived at Woodhaven Group by car.
• Most of the guests attending the tender opening session had already passed through the security checkpoint and gone to the conference room on the first floor.
• Beside the security checkpoint stood ten security guards solemnly. The executive secretary, Zoe, was also there to oversee things.
• “You're here, Quinley!” Joshua went over and greeted with a smile.
• Then, he urged, “Come, let's go in quickly! The tender opening session is about to start.”
• “Joshua, maybe... we should just forget it?”
• Quinley gave a bitter laugh.
• She was willing to trust Joshua, but reason reminded her that she should be more realistic.
• The Youngblood family was wealthy and powerful, their renovation company boasting assets worth hundreds of millions. Conversely, Josquin Renovation Group had only been officially established for less than a year. Its scale was too small, making any comparison fundamentally impossible.
• Moreover, Joshua was no longer the same person he was seven years ago.
• Having just returned to Lofbury, he couldn't possibly have any connections or relations to help her inquire about the matters of Woodhaven Group.
• Therefore, she was more inclined to believe that he was merely trying to comfort her.
• “You're already here. Isn't it too late to back out now?”
• With a slight smile, Joshua took her hand and headed straight for the security checkpoint.
• “Hey! Isn't this Ms. Quinley Calloway from Josquin Renovation Group?” A plump businessman waiting in line for the security check spotted Quinley and broke into a grin.
• He then remarked, “Ms. Quinley, you've got guts. Josquin Renovation Group only has a registered capital of a million, yet you dare to bid for Woodhaven Group's fifty-million contract. I'm impressed, truly so!”
• “Ms. Quinley is a top-notch designer, so she's naturally fearless! She'd even dare to invest a hundred million, much less fifty million!”
• “What are you talking about? Ms. Quinley is a renowned beauty in the renovation industry in Lofbury. With her participation, we can at least appreciate her beauty up close, no?”
• “Yes, exactly! Even if we don't win the tender today, meeting Ms. Quinley makes this trip worthwhile!”
• The few bosses at the end of the line talked among themselves, their comments teasing and provocative.
• Quinley's face flushed slightly, and she interjected with a frown, “Gentlemen, you flatter me. I'm not as rich and powerful as you all, so if I'm any more timid, I won't be able to survive! I hope you gentlemen will focus more on business in the future and refrain from such pointless chatter!”
• Joshua smiled faintly.
• She's the kind of person who rises to the challenge. If one doesn't pressure her, she might back out herself. But with outside forces putting pressure on her and making her a laughingstock, she becomes confident instead. Sure enough, she's impressive!
• “Ms. Quinley, I was only joking with you. Why are you upset?” Chuckling, the plump man continued, “The Youngblood family is determined to win the tender today. Mr. Xavier promised to share some of the business with me then. How about this? If you swallow your pride, I'll give you a piece of the pie.”
• “The Youngblood family is determined to win the tender, but is it certain that they would win?” Raising an eyebrow, Quinley said, “Who can guarantee anything until the last moment?”
• Joshua stepped forward and seconded, “Well said! Since Woodhaven Group put out a tender, the principle of openness and fairness naturally applies. Do you think that those of Woodhaven Group are blind that you're spreading rumors before the tender opening?”
• The plump man glared at him and scoffed, “Who are you? Ms. Quinley's lackey? “Your boss is acting foolishly to dare compete with the Youngblood family for business. Are you also an idiot to talk big?”
• “Watch it! Don't you dare speak about Joshua like that!” Quinley said angrily.
• Frowning, Joshua countered, “And who do you think you are that you dared say that Quinley is acting foolishly?”
• At that moment, Zoe, standing beside the security checkpoint, suddenly adjusted the headset on her and listened carefully.
• Then, she stepped forward and announced, “Please note that Cliffstone Renovation, Azura Renovation, Vastnet Renovation, and Libertas Renovation have been disqualified from submitting a tender! Security, escort them out!”
• Her voice was melodic and distinct, but it sounded like a thunderbolt in the ears of those few bosses.
• After all, they were the ones who had their qualifications revoked.
• “Gentlemen, please leave!”
• Security stepped forward and issued that order with a stern expression.
• “What's going on? Why are we disqualified?”
• Bewildered, the plump man argued, “But we came here because we were notified!”
• “Wasn't it agreed to let us be the accompanying bidders for Youngblood Renovation? Why is our qualification revoked?”
• “We want to see Mr. Xenos from the project department!”
• “Who are you? And what right do you have to revoke our eligibility?”
• The other bosses also started making a fuss.
• “I am the executive secretary to Ms. Cooper from the CEO's office, Zoe Yates! Ms. Cooper heard your conversation earlier in the surveillance room. She believes that your private collusion goes against the company's principles of openness and fairness, so you are not fit to participate in the tender!” Zoe stated solemnly.
• After a brief pause, she added, “Also, Ms. Cooper has ordered that your companies be permanently disqualified from participating in any tender projects of Woodhaven Group! Security, escort them out!”
• Without a word, security guards swarmed forward and took the few bosses down before picking them up and tossing them out.
• Following that incident, only Joshua and Quinley were left outside the security checkpoint.
• “Joshua, what... what's going on?”
• Quinley was utterly taken aback.
• There must be something wrong with Ms. Cooper of Woodhaven Group. Being the boss of such a huge company, she lingered in the surveillance room to eavesdrop on the conversations in the lobby on the first floor instead of attending to business?
• Unbeknownst to her, Camilla was only doing that because Joshua was in the lobby on the first floor.
• If Joshua were to suffer a hard time there, her tenure as the CEO of the company's branch office might come to an early end.
• “Who cares about them? They wouldn't have won the tender anyway, so it's better to kick them out earlier for some peace. Let's go in, Quinley!” Joshua said with a smile.
• Still bewildered, Quinley followed him in and entered the venue of the tender opening session.
• The conference room was almost filled to capacity.
• Only two vacant seats remained in the middle of the first row.
• Leading Quinley along, Joshua headed straight to the seats and sat down nonchalantly.
• “Good heavens! Where did those goofs come from, daring to sit there?”
• “They dare sit in the seats reserved for Ms. Cooper and Ms. Yates? Are they crazy?”
• “I know that young lady! She's Quinley from Josquin Renovation Group! What an ignorant young lady! Well, ignorance truly is bliss!”
• Those from other renovation companies whispered among themselves, eagerly waiting to watch the show.
• They're only from Josquin Renovation Group, but they dared occupy the exclusive seats of Ms. Cooper and Ms. Yates. It would be a surprise if security doesn't throw them out!
• “Joshua, should we really be sitting here?”
• Quinley could vaguely hear their whispers, feeling somewhat alarmed and fearful.
• “Let's take things as they come. We've already sat down, so what's there to fear?” Joshua gave a light chuckle before he continued, “If someone comes to chase us away, we can always change places then.”
• “Joshua?”
• An exclamation through gritted teeth abruptly rang out from the side.
• It was the voice of a young man.
• Joshua had seemingly only just noticed him. Pursing his lips slightly, he drawled, “Isn't this Xavier? What brings you here?”
• Xavier was Xenia's older brother and the son of his aunt's husband, William.
• Youngblood Renovation, with rumors running rampant of it being internally selected, was under the control of Xavier.
• “That... That has nothing to do with you!” Xavier glared at Joshua viciously and demanded, “Why are you here, Joshua?”
• “Are you dumb? This is Woodhaven Group's tender opening session. Why do you think I'm here?” Joshua retorted with a grin.
• “How dare you!”
• Utterly infuriated, Xavier sneered through gritted teeth, “Joshua, you're nothing more than a loser! Stop daydreaming! This renovation project of Woodhaven Group is in my bag!”
• Joshua let out a wistful sigh. “You're just as presumptuous as you were seven years ago. Do you think you can get it just because you've determined to do so? You're dreaming!”
• Click! Click! Click!
• Zoe walked into the conference room and took her place at the podium.
• “On behalf of Ms. Cooper, I announce that the company that won the tender for the renovation project of Woodhaven Group's newly constructed hotel is...”