Playtime's Over, CEO: She's Really Done With You-Chapter 442: Where Did She Ultimately Lose?

"Brandon, the last time I had a meeting at Aether, I already gave you a chance." Isla Lawson’s smile widened on her face, "You chose Serena, and now..."

Isla spread her hands and continued, "The facts have proven, you chose wrong."

"Isla Lawson!" Brandon Huxley slammed the table fiercely, shouting angrily, "Don’t think that just because everyone calls you ’Miss Lawson’, and that you have the backing of the Lawson Family, you can do whatever you want!"

But Isla laughed, laughing so hard that she shook with mirth.

She propped her face with her hand, leisurely watching the furious Brandon Huxley.

"Sorry, but the facts have proven." Isla laughed aloud, "I indeed can."

Her appearance, truly begging for a beating.

Brandon almost felt like hitting someone!

Isla mocked him, "Brandon, be more careful next time when choosing a business partner, don’t pick a woman like Serena."

Isla said this and then looked at her phone.

"Brandon, are you selling or not?" Isla asked nonchalantly.

Serena couldn’t listen any longer.

She reached out and knocked on the door.

"Knock, knock."

This attracted the attention of the two inside.

Then she pushed the door open and entered, carefully closing it behind her.

"Sorry, I overheard your conversation." Serena said.

Isla sneered, "Shameless, to justify eavesdropping so self-righteously!"

Serena ignored Isla’s mockery and nodded to Brandon.

Then, Serena turned to Isla.

"Brandon won’t sell his shares of Aether Group." Serena stated.

Isla seemed amused.

She said, "Serena, who do you think you are? Just because you say so, Brandon won’t sell?"

"Oh~" Isla said as if suddenly realizing something, "I almost forgot, Serena, you’re best at maneuvering between men. So, what have you promised Brandon to make him listen to you again?"

"Watch your mouth!" Brandon said angrily, "We’re just business partners!"

Isla rolled her eyes at Brandon.

She didn’t believe him one bit.

Serena’s tactics were nothing special, just a bit of luck mixed with her charm in dealing with men.

And that’s all there was.

Serena looked at Isla, unfazed.

She simply walked over to sit across from Isla.

Calmly, she gazed at Isla.

"People utter insults to make you uncomfortable." Her father’s voice reached across time, "Understand their intentions, grasp their behavioral logic, and then you can break it down, counter by using the motives and flaws their words reveal."

This was advice her father gave her many years ago when young Serena returned from school angry—after someone said, "If you weren’t Miss Sheridan, you wouldn’t have gotten this spot. Serena, you don’t deserve it!"—and had complained to her parents.

She remembered, after her father explained this theory, she retorted angrily, "What if he’s just trying to disgust me?"

Father pinched her angry little cheeks with a smile.

"Every action has a motive." Father said gently, "Disgusting you is a motive too."

He wiped the tears from her face that rage had brought on.

"Serena, learn to control your emotions." Father said, "Emotional outbursts lead to losing reason, don’t regret only after calming down later."

Back then, she looked at her father and listened to his words, and somehow, she wasn’t angry anymore.

Even though she didn’t understand those words at the time, they stayed with her heart.

Though later, she was still easily swayed by emotions.

For instance, with Silas Hawthorne, with Julian Lawson, with Seraphina, and with many friends, she couldn’t always remain rational.

Her father’s guiding footsteps were forever beyond her reach.

But now...

Isla’s words, she might not even realize, were a projection of her own consciousness.

Isla mocked her for only maneuvering between men because she was unsatisfied from never attaining Xander Linton.

Isla always said she relied solely on luck because Isla refused to acknowledge her ability to achieve these things.

Since that’s the case...

Serena smiled slightly, looking at Isla, she said, "If I admit there’s entanglement between me and Xander, Isla, what will you do?"

Isla instantly flared up.

"You finally admit it! Serena, you fickle woman!" Isla cursed angrily.

Serena watched Isla, who exploded at the slightest prodding.

"So what?" she asked, "If I’m that kind of woman, if I like maneuvering among men, what will you do?"

"You!" Isla was even angrier, finding Serena utterly shameless!

"I’ll tell everyone about your despicable deeds!" she threatened, "I’ll reveal your ugly face!"

"Haven’t you already done that?" Serena said, "Haven’t you gone around saying it, spreading it?"

"Just now, a few minutes ago, you said it once more."

Serena’s face was calm, with neither mockery nor sarcasm, she was merely stating a fact.

All these days, Isla had been doing exactly that.

Calling her fickle, saying she relied solely on luck.

Isla was choked into silence.

"However, Isla." Serena continued, "I’m not that kind of person, whether you admit it or not, I’m completely at peace."

"You just want to see me through your perspective, to target me, regardless if I am that kind of person, you’ve already acted upon it."

And there’s no turning back.

Isla’s chest heaved with anger, and she abruptly turned her gaze to the window.

Outside the meeting room was a gloomy sky.

She wouldn’t admit it.

If Serena truly wasn’t the person she depicted, then what did that make Isla?

Why would Xander favor Serena over her?

Where had she lost!

No!

Isla closed her eyes.

It must be Serena creating a diversion!

Serena deliberately says this to disrupt her, to cloud her thoughts, what was she about to do again?

Oh right, buy shares from Brandon!

Isla’s eyes shot open.

She understood!

So, she sneered at Serena and looked at Brandon, "Ignore her, Brandon. I only want your opinion."

"My opinion is his opinion." Serena said, looking at Isla.

She had given Isla one last chance for reflection.

Evidently, Isla had misunderstood.

"If Brandon plans to sell his shares at a low price, I will take them." Serena said calmly, "I think, compared to someone like you who wants to destroy Aether with their own hands, Brandon would rather give the shares to me."

"Moreover..."

Serena tapped the table, saying, "I am an existing shareholder, with preemptive rights."