Chapter 420

One week remained until the wedding, and Gwendolyn refused to let any time go to waste.

Taking over Harris Group came with a multitude of responsibilities, and there were numerous projects that needed her attention.

Thankfully, Cedrick proved to be a valuable ally during this busy period. He meticulously made notes on the documents Gwendolyn needed to review, allowing her to work through them more efficiently.

Together, they headed to the Harris Group office and prepared for another day of productive work.

Cedrick set up his laptop on the coffee table, diligently working on projects from the Jenson Group while also assisting Gwendolyn whenever he could.

They worked side by side, matching each other’s pace and sharing a focused determination.

Knock, knock…

In the afternoon, Parker, Gwendolyn’s assistant, urgently knocked on the CEO’s office door. “Ms.

Harris, something important has come up!”

However, upon seeing Cedrick in the room, Parker hesitated, seemingly troubled by his presence.

Gwendolyn looked up from her typing and reassured her, saying, “Please, Parker, speak freely. Mr.

Jenson is part of our team. There’s no need to worry about him.”

Parker had no choice but to steel herself as she delivered the troubling news to Gwendolyn. “Ms.

Harris, this is regarding the Synergy Project we’ve been working on. The marketing plan is ready, and we were planning to initiate a trial run today. However, we discovered that…”

Gwendolyn frowned. “Discovered what?”

Sensing the tension in the room, Cedrick halted his work and turned his full attention toward Parker.

Parker’s voice grew smaller as she stole glances at Cedrick. “One of the subsidiaries under Jenson Group unexpectedly announced a new project just before our plan launch. The content of their project is exactly the same as ours. The higher-ups at Harris Group are in an uproar because of this, and they s-suspect…”

Cedrick interjected with a serious expression, “They suspect that I stole the planning proposal for Harris Group’s new project while I am here taking care of Gwenny?”

Parker lowered her head and fell silent, confirming Cedrick’s statement.

A heavy silence descended upon the office as Gwendolyn contemplated the gravity of the situation.

Parker continued, “Ms. Harris, the board of directors has gathered in the conference room. They are expecting you to call for a meeting and provide an explanation for the losses incurred by Harris Group due to this project.”

The project that Harris Group had devoted so much time and effort to had been stolen, resulting in significant financial loss and a lot of effort gone to waste.

It was a precarious situation that required Gwendolyn to handle it with utmost care and reassure everyone involved.

She responded calmly, “Understood. I will address the issue. Please inform them that I will join the meeting in half an hour.”

“Very well.”

With Parker’s departure, the room fell into silence once again.

Cedrick observed Gwendolyn’s serious expression. His chest felt tight as he realized that she seemed to be ignoring him.

“Gwenny…”

He paled and took a few deep breaths. “Do you suspect me as well?”

Gwendolyn didn’t respond as she remained focused on her work.

Cedrick’s distress grew, and tears welled up in his eyes. “It’s not me,” he muttered, clenching his fists tightly as he held it in.

He didn’t care if the entire board of Harris Group suspected him. All he wanted was Gwendolyn’s trust.

After concluding her instructions to her subordinates, Gwendolyn looked up and immediately noticed the distress on Cedrick’s face.

Without hesitation, she walked over to him and caressed his face gently. “Don’t be silly, Cedrick. I never doubted you even for a moment,” she assured him, fully aware that this was a calculated ploy meant to sow discord between them.

Cedrick would never have allowed the project to proceed under Jenson Group’s subsidiaries if he had any intention of stealing it.

These subsidiaries operated independently from the parent company and were not obligated to disclose their project plans. Their responsibilities were solely limited to submitting monthly sales reports and annual summaries.

The leaked information, therefore, had to be a deliberate act by someone who understood Cedrick’s lack of control over the subsidiaries’ projects.

Cedrick found solace in her word. He grabbed her hand and said, “Leave it to me. I will find out what happened and give you an explanation.”

Gwendolyn nodded. “Indeed, your involvement is crucial since it involves one of Jenson Group’s subsidiaries. As for how the project was leaked from Harris Group, I will conduct my own investigation.”

The efficiency would be doubled as both of them worked together on uncovering the truth.

“You promised to join the meeting in half an hour, but it will be challenging to uncover the whole truth in such a short time,” Cedrick expressed, concerned.

Gwendolyn smiled reassuringly and leaned in to give him a gentle kiss on the lips. “Don’t worry, Cedrick. I will handle it.”

Her eyes gleamed brightly, radiating an unmistakable sense of control over the situation.

Cedrick gently rubbed the back of her hand, content that he had her unwavering trust.

After the allotted half-hour, a cacophony of voices reached Gwendolyn’s ears as she approached the conference room door.

She maintained her composure and shot Parker a look.

As the heavy doors swung open, the room fell into an abrupt silence. The board of directors swiftly rose to their feet, respectfully acknowledging her presence.

Gwendolyn’s gaze remained fixed straight ahead as she walked with grace and purpose toward the head of the table, assuming her rightful place.

Amongst the directors, Robert, who had challenged her authority and dealt with accordingly two days ago, now sat in uncharacteristic silence.

Gwendolyn gave him a look and kept silent as she patiently awaited the directors’ inquiries.

“Ms. Harris, where’s the explanation you promised us?”

“Have you questioned your fiancé, Mr. Jenson, about the project plan leak?”

“Come on. It couldn’t have been a coincidence that Jenson Group stole our project. You should have kept a closer eye on Mr. Jenson!”

“Ms. Harris, our employees have dedicated three long months to perfecting this project. What are your proposed actions now that it has been stolen and launched by Jenson Group?”

Gwendolyn maintained her composure, a confident smile gracing her lips as she responded calmly, “First of all, it’s Jenson Group’s subsidiary, not Jenson Group.”

Blake rose from his seat and challenged, “What’s the difference, Ms. Harris? The revenue still ends up in Jenson Group’s pockets. So how can you be so sure Cedrick’s innocent? Maybe he leaked the plan to his subsidiary while you weren’t paying attention. You two are always together, even at work. Who’s to say he didn’t swipe the project plan right under your nose? After all, you can’t prove his innocence, can you?”

Gwendolyn chuckled. “Who says I can’t?” she retorted.

All of them were seemingly pointing fingers at Cedrick as if they had already reached a verdict, deeming him the culprit when she stepped into the room just now.

Silence descended upon the room as all eyes turned expectantly toward Gwendolyn, awaiting her presentation of evidence.

Gwendolyn exchanged a meaningful glance with Parker, their unspoken understanding apparent to everyone present.

Parker swiftly stepped forward, delivering a folder filled with evidence into Gwendolyn’s outstretched hand.

Gwendolyn’s voice rang out as she raised the folder for everyone to see. “Within Harris Group’s subsidiary is a full-time employee named Grace. She was terminated by her manager at Harris Group roughly a month ago due to some errors she had made. However, during her tenure at Harris Group, she had direct involvement in the Synergy Project.”

Her eyes gleamed with piercing intensity as she tossed the folder onto the conference table.

A surge of anger radiated from her, filling the once-still air and making it difficult to breathe.

Her smile held a hint of mockery. “How could you rush to conclusions and accuse my fiancé, who happens to be the CEO, of being a thief based on rumors solely? If my assumption of leadership at Harris Group doesn’t sit well with you, then by all means, cast your vote to remove me from the board of directors!”