Ross chuckled, the sound low and amused.

“Alright, I won’t yell at you again,” he said, holding up both hands in mock surrender.

Liz gave a tiny smirk. “Good. Because I’m going to get busy. I’ll wait for the people I asked for.”

He nodded, waiting for a moment before quietly stepping out. The second the door shut behind him, his smile deepened.

Liz is nothing like Vanessa. Maybe she's a little bit dramatic, but not as unnecessarily dramatic and clingy as Vanessa. It soothed Ross's heart to know Liz was trying to help. To him, she was going to be his.

“Maybe she's mine already and I don't need to stress it out.” He thought as he walked down.

Liz, on the other hand, stood in his office glancing through the whole room again. She wasn't even trying to remember if she once had a life.

Everything seemed normal with Ross and living with the Dales was comfortable on its own. Eliana never troubles her or gives her a reason to not feel like family.

What else was she looking for? She just needed to show Eliana that she was worth saving. And she planned on starting with the G-Apex projects.

She started packing and arranging the already cancelled designs Ross showed her and mastered every wrong in them.

“I might just land this contract and have enough money.” She thought, and kept noting the things to do.

*

Ross walked to his resting room, he grabbed his phone and called his assistant.

“David, bring one person from the construction team and one person from the design team also. Make sure you pick out the best. And find someone named Lily. She’s been around Emma lately. Bring all three to my office, and brief them before they go in. I don’t want anyone messing this up.”

“Yes, sir,” David responded sharply and returned within twenty minutes, leading three people behind him.

A well dressed woman with glasses and a sketchpad tucked under her arm. A tall, broad shouldered man in jeans and a black button up, and Lily who looked surprised to be called to the boss’s office.

David stepped forward. “This is Meredith from the design team. Cooper, construction lead. And Lily—you know who she is.”

Ross nodded once, “Lead them to Emma.” He said and continued resting.

David led them down the hallway, then knocked gently before opening the door.

“Miss Emma,” he said with a slight bow of respect Ross had clearly instructed. “They’re here.”

Liz turned from the whiteboard where she had scribbled a few notes in bold strokes. She smiled slightly, her demeanor calm and collected.

“Thanks, David,” she said.

The three stepped in and Meredith spoke first. “Hello, Miss Emma. I’m Meredith from the design team.”

“I’m Cooper,” the man said with a firm handshake. “Construction team.”

Lily took a small step forward, but Liz stopped her with a warm grin. “We’ve met,” she said, pulling Lily into a hug. “I’m glad you’re here.”

Lily’s eyes widened, but she hugged her back, blushing. Meredith and Cooper tried to mask their surprise.

Liz turned to the group. “Okay, I know this is business, but I want us to have lunch first. Get comfortable before we talk about what we’re here to do. Hope that’s fine?”

Everyone nodded quickly. The tension began to fade as they took their seats, curiosity in their expressions.

Liz sat with her laptop balanced on her thighs, her fingers flying across the keyboard as she drafted email proposals for the G–Apex pitch.

Meredith had given her some design files and Cooper shared structural plans that she quickly reviewed, then shaped her ideas around. Her head buzzed with creativity and the thrill of doing something that feels like she stopped doing but got to do it again.

By the time it was nearly noon, she’d sent a completed draft of the proposal to Ross for review, along with carefully worded emails that would reintroduce the company in a more refined light.

Not ten minutes later, her phone buzzed with a text message from Ross.

“How the hell did you come up with such a genius email in that short time?”

Liz smirked and replied almost instantly.

“Don’t worry about it. I have confidence in my work. I said I’d do it well. I meant it.”

Ross stared at her message on his screen, a grin tugging at his lips. Then he quickly tapped out a reply.

He hit send, just as the door to his office burst open.

Ross immediately stood, his smile vanishing. “What the hell is this insolence?”

Matthew stood in the doorway, seething with rage. “No, what the hell are you doing?” he snapped. “You gave my team’s project to a total stranger? A newcomer? No warning, no meeting and you just handed it over like it meant nothing!”

Ross’s voice dropped cold. “Watch your tone.”

Matthew’s fists clenched at his sides. “Do you even know who she is? No one does, and you know what they all say? That she’s creepy and a gold digger out of nowhere. And she had the audacity to insult Vanessa!”

Ross leaned back slowly, a cold smirk playing on his lips. “So that’s what this is about. Vanessa.”

“She called her abnormal!” Matthew shouted.

Ross laughed darkly. “Well, that’s a coincidence. Emma mentioned some abnormal people earlier. Vanessa must have been the one she meant.”

“You think this is funny?”

“No,” Ross said, stepping around his desk, his expression flat now. “I think it’s sad. You’re more concerned about your sister getting her feelings hurt than the fact that your team’s been failing for months.”

“We’ve been trying!” Matthew barked. “You know we’ve been working on that contract. G–Apex isn’t an easy one.”

“And Emma,” Ross said calmly, “in less than 24 hours, has done more than your entire team has in three months. She asked for help, got organized, and sent me a proposal that blew every draft you’ve sent out of the water. Which I'm sure even Desmond wouldn't have to look twice before accepting it.”

Matthew’s face turned red. “You’re seriously picking a stranger over me? Over us? I’ve stood by this company from the start—”

Ross’s voice dropped, dangerously low. “It is my company, Matthew. Not yours. And if anyone here has a problem with how I run things, they’re free to leave.”

Matthew stared at him, lips parting in disbelief. “You’re choosing a random girl you found on the road over your own people? Your childhood lover? Vanessa has been with you for years!”

Ross's face was unreadable. “That was all in your head. Vanessa’s presence here has always been tolerated, not even welcomed. And you?” He stepped forward. “You’ve leeched off this company, off my father’s name, since day one. I let it slide out of respect for your parents and mine. But if you think for one second I’ll let that continue. And don't you dare call Emma a random girl. She's part of the Dales family now.”

“You’ll regret this,” Matthew hissed.

Ross didn’t flinch. “No. You’ll regret not walking out when you had the chance.”

“Ross…”

“Get. The fuck. Out, Matthew.” Ross yelled.