Jilted Ex-wife Billionaire Heiress

Chapter 66 Ex-father-in-

law

Darya checked her wristwatch deliberately. 'Now, if anyone still wants to withdraw

from the project, speak now or forever hold your peace!

No one spoke.

Even Douglas kept his mouth shut.

'Director Kay, despite his advanced age and lack of experience in running

projects, did get one thing right."

Douglas's face turned beet red at the not-so-subtle dig

Darya pretended not to notice and continued, 'He's right in that Paragon has zero experience in the fields of artificial intelligence and healthcare. The collaboration with Solaro represents a big first step for us. It's a challenge, but it's also an opportunity. The future of commerce is in technology, not retail. If we miss the boat, we will be forgotten in a matter of years.'

To her satisfaction, she noticed heads nodding around the conference table.

Paragon's upper management wasn't made up of incompetent fools.

'Now, let's get on with the meeting' Darya turned to the projector screen. 'There's no need to feel discouraged, by the way. Solaro may have the technology, but we have the deep pockets."

Laughter rippled through the audience.

'Besides, we bring something else to the table.' Darya used a laser pointer to guide their attention to a graph on the screen. 'For the Al diagnostic system to work, it needs to be fed an enormous amount of data, which is where Paragon comes in. The hospitals and pharmacies under our management have built up an unrivalled database of patient info-health records, radiography, CT scans, MRI images and so on. Our next step is finding out how to train the Al system to use the data. Of course, patient privacy has to be protected at all times...'

With a carefully prepared presentation, Darya took control of the meeting.

Near the end, everyone had all but forgotten about Douglas's objection.

They might not respect a vice president who got the job out of nepotism, but they respected one who knew what she was doing.

With one meeting, Darya established her absolute authority as the project leader.

She was in a good mood when she strolled back to her office, despite still suffering from some aches in her

bones.

That good mood vanished when she pushed open the door and discovered two intruders.

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Chapter 66 Ex-father-in-law

Morton Cavanaugh occupied her chair behind the desk, looking like he owned the place.

Felicia arranged herself in the visitor's chair with a bored expression on her face. Darya's hand paused on the doorknob.

She had an inkling of what they had come for.

'Don't you know how to knock?' Morton looked up, scowling at her.

Darya gave her ex-father-in-law a sardonic smile.

It was just like Morton to be condescending to her.

If something did not work out to his satisfaction, it was always her fault.

Dinner was late? Darya must have been slacking off again.

The laundry wasn't folded? Darya must be getting sloppy.

Micah refused to come home? Darya must have pissed him off again somehow.

Try as she might, she could never win his approval.

He ignored her if she did her job; scolded her if she didn't.

Looking back, Darya wondered, not for the first time, why she allowed herself to be belittled like that.

But that was over now.

She tapped the nameplate on the door. 'Last time I checked, this is still my office."

Morton frowned.

Darya strolled over to the minibar and fetched herself a bottle of chilled mineral water.

The meeting had gone overtime.

She was thirsty and starving.

Morton, offended by her attitude, shot to his feet. 'Don't you have any manners? Is

this how you treat your

father-in-law?'

Felicia kept her head down and her mouth shut.

She had learned her lesson from the last confrontation with the woman.

Darya sat down in an armchair facing the desk. 'You are no longer my father-in- law, and you are trespassing in my office. If you don't state your business within the next thirty seconds, I'll have security escort you out of the building. Speaking of-she tilted her head and gave Morton a once-over-'How did you get into the building in the first place? Who cleared you?'

Morton's hands trembled with rage.

He had been insulted before, but never by this woman whom he saw as nothing more than a mousy housewife. 'How dare you talk to me like this! Do you think you can look down your nose at me just because you've

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Chapter 66 Ex-father-in-law

hooked up with another rich man? Have you no shame?'

Darya took another drink of water, her patience wearing thin. 'I don't have time for

a lecture. State your

business or be gone.'

Morton took a deep breath, holding back his anger. 'I'm here for my ring."

'What ring?' Darya asked, knowing the answer.

'The jade ring that's part of my heirloom collection.'

When he learned Felicia had pawned the ring at the casino, Morton almost

slapped his beloved daughter.

How could she have been that stupid?

It was obvious that she walked right into a trap.

The ring was worth at least five times the price offered by the blackjack dealer.

Morton produced a cheque from his pocket. 'Here's five million dollars. I'd like my ring back."

Darya made no move to take the cheque. 'Thanks for the offer, but I have no intention of selling the ring.'

'Not selling. Returning. The ring belongs to me.'

'But your daughter sold it to the casino,' Darya pointed out.

Felicia sank lower in her seat, avoiding eye contact with her father.

Morton shot her a fulminating look.

He tapped a finger on the desk. 'How much do you want? Six million? Seven?'

'I said I'm not selling."

'Name your price,' Morton said through gritted teeth.

He knew he had come too late.

If Felicia had told him about this right afterwards, he'd have found Darya straight

away and redeemed the ring that very night, not giving the woman time to find an appraiser.noveldrama

Darya must have known the true value of the ring by now.

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