Chapter 171
\nMarked By the Pureblood Alpha (Deanna and Luis) novel Chapter 171<\/p>\n
**Chapter 171: The Numbers Exposed**<\/p>\n
In the tense atmosphere of the conference room, Manti felt the weight of the moment pressing down on him, his expression darkening as he processed the unfolding drama. Ms. Wiley\u2019s piercing gaze bore into him, her voice a sharp whisper that cut through the chatter. \u201cAre you accusing us of cheating? A small studio like yours has no right to jeopardize our reputation!\u201d<\/p>\n
The sheer audacity of her words sent a ripple of indignation through Maurice. The Mooncrown Pack Alpha was seated just a few feet away, their most significant investor, and here he was, being interrogated about fairness by someone he deemed to be an insignificant Omega.<\/p>\n
Maurice\u2019s heart raced as he thought about the implications. What if Lauis, the Alpha, began to think poorly of Skyline Construction because of this? The notion terrified him. How could he have been so foolish as to allow them to compete? They were just an Omega studio, after all, and he had underestimated their ambition.<\/p>\n
Felix, who had been simmering with disdain, stood up with an air of arrogance, his voice oozing with contempt. \u201cBluewave Studio, your design clearly lacked the quality we expected! Now you\u2019re throwing a tantrum, demanding to see the judges\u2019 scores? Do you have any idea how much extra work your whining causes for everyone involved?\u201d<\/p>\n
As his words echoed through the room, the tide began to turn. The initial support for Deanna\u2019s concepts faded into the background, replaced by a chorus of agreement from the others present.<\/p>\n
\u201cBluewave Studio has lost but refuses to acknowledge their own shortcomings. Instead, they\u2019re shifting the blame onto the client. That\u2019s just unreasonable.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re hardly a legitimate design studio! Just a small-time operation with a handful of inexperienced individuals. They should be grateful they even had the chance to compete in the first place.\u201d<\/p>\n
A heavy silence fell over the room as a pen clattered against the conference table, its sound sharp and deliberate.<\/p>\n
Everyone instinctively turned their attention to the distinguished man seated at the head of the table. Luis, with his lazy demeanor, raised an eyebrow, a cold laugh escaping his lips. \u201cRequesting to see the judges\u2019 scores is a standard procedure in any fair competition. How is that unreasonable?\u201d<\/p>\n
A murmur of confusion rippled through the attendees, their expressions shifting from agreement to uncertainty.<\/p>\n
Maurice blinked, struggling to comprehend Luis\u2019s words. \u201cMr. Eaton, what exactly are you implying?\u201d<\/p>\n
Luis\u2019s gaze sharpened, cutting through Maurice\u2019s bravado like a knife. \u201cIs this your company or mine? Do I need to manage it for you? If anyone working for me were as foolish as you, they wouldn\u2019t last a single day.\u201d<\/p>\n
Maurice felt a chill run down his spine, as if he were hanging in the air, the Alpha\u2019s authority wrapping around him like a tightening noose. He instinctively bowed his head, his pheromones shifting to a submissive state. \u201cYes, yes, Mr. Eaton is absolutely right. Fair competition is the foundation of this design studio selection. I\u2019ll ensure that each project director\u2019s scores are displayed immediately.\u201d<\/p>\n
Deanna, who had never met Ryan before, was taken aback. Why was he targeting them so aggressively?<\/p>\n
With a calm demeanor, she addressed Ryan directly. \u201cMr. Chase, I\u2019d like to understand your reasoning. When both studios presented designs with similar styles, what specifically did you find lacking in ours?\u201d<\/p>\n
As her words hung in the air, a realization dawned on the attendees. It was precisely due to the similarity in design styles that both studios had been asked to present their concepts a second time.<\/p>\n
Ryan\u2019s defense was beginning to unravel.<\/p>\n
Maurice\u2019s expression darkened further, his glare directed at Ryan. \u201cThink very carefully before you speak.\u201d<\/p>\n
Luis\u2019s cold laughter echoed through the room once more, the tension palpable. \u201cMaurice, is this truly how you manage your company?\u201d His voice turned icy, and the atmosphere thickened with uncertainty.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"template":"","class_list":["post-2254","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/icuow.top\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/chapter\/2254","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/icuow.top\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/chapter"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/icuow.top\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/icuow.top\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2254"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}