Tyler looked up, his dark brows and high cheekbones deadly attractive to many.

“Is it about the proposal?”

“No, it’s a personal question.”

Anne nervously gripped the hem of her dress as she pursed her lips.

Tyler put the proposal down and leaned back in his chair.

“If it’s a personal issue, let’s talk about it later. We’re here to talk about the proposal, aren’t we? Let’s talk about the parts you have doubts about.”

Anne rested both hands on the table and said anxiously, “Tyler, I don’t believe you’re blind to the feelings I have for you. I confessed my feelings to you when we were overseas, but you said that you want to concentrate on your career and have no time for romance. What about now? You have your own company, and your career is on the rise. Do you have time for a relationship now?”

Tyler’s brows arched, clearly unwilling to dwell on this topic.

“Ms. Charlton, my company is hit by a huge crisis right now. Do you really think I have time for a new relationship?”

Anne immediately made clear where her loyalties lay.

“It’s fine! I can help you go through this. But Tyler, if your company manages to overcome this crisis, will you promise to be with me?”

Tyler’s eyes darkened, exuding an imposing aura. Even his voice sounded frightening.

“Since you’ve worked with me for so many years, you should know that I don’t mix work with personal affairs.”

Anne was anxious to know Tyler’s answer. “How about this? I’ll sign the contract right now, but you must answer my question after I do so, alright?”

Tyler didn’t immediately respond to Anne’s offer. Instead, he shifted the focus back to work. “Ms. Charlton, let me ask you one more time. Are you sure you have no problems with this proposal, and that you can accept all the terms within?”

Anne was on the verge of breaking down. Why was Tyler so obsessed with work?

“Tyler, is it really that difficult for you to answer my question?”

Yale’s eyes widened at their conversation.

“Ms. Charlton refuses to give up on Mr. Hunt. She’s even trying to use the contract to pry an answer out of Mr. Hunt’s mouth!”

Rachel effectively summarized the entire situation.

“She’s making it as clear as day. She’s telling Tyler that if he agrees to be with her, she’ll sign the contract. If he rejects her, she won’t be signing it. In other words, the quality of the proposal is irrelevant. She only cares about whether this project can give her what she wants.”

Yale had the urge to bang the table. “That’s too much! How dare she try to buy over Mr. Hunt with a measly project? Who does she think Mr. Hunt is?”

“It is too much of her, forcing Mr. Hunt to sell himself to her with a project that isn’t worth that much in the first place,” Rachel said calmly.

Yale nodded. “Exactly! The value of the three projects you gave our company is equivalent to four or five of this one.”

They had arrived at a figure of five hundred million in terms of projected profit from this project.

It was true that securing this project was good for the reputation of Tyler’s company, as it would drive other potential partners to collaborate with his company, setting a precedent. No one would want to buy a rotten apple, but if others buy it, it proves that the apple isn’t really rotten.

Right now, the most important thing wasn’t the question that Anne posed, but Tyler’s attitude. That was critical.

Yale had been with Tyler long enough to be able to read the room well, and he could gauge Rachel’s concern the moment he saw the look in her eyes.

“Don’t worry, Ms. Lloyd. Given what I understand of Mr. Hunt, he would never say yes to her. It’s impossible,” Yale said.

“How about this? Let me think it through, and I’ll tell you once I decide,” Tyler said.

His voice wasn’t loud, but both Rachel and Yale could hear him clearly.