But I also knew him well enough to understand he wouldn't accept my goodwill, nor could I allow him to. Though I craved his softer gaze, I couldn't take a single step towards him.
I had consulted trustworthy businessmen Sarah had known. Apart from aligning with James, the only other option was to consolidate our shareholders to weaken any third-party influence.
I had to protect the Anderson Group this way.
I lowered my gaze and replied calmly, "I came here today for myself."
A brief silence followed by endless murmurs ensued.
"I told you, there's deep-seated hatred between them..."
The man beside me chuckled and casually draped an arm over my shoulder. "Doing it for yourself is great! But let's see if your business skills match Sarah's."
Though I was mentally prepared, the stench of alcohol and food on him still made me instinctively struggle a bit.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw James stand up. When I looked over, Emily had already grabbed his sleeve.
Steadying myself, I plastered a smile on my face and said to the man beside me, "I'm new to the Anderson Group and hope to learn a lot from you all."
He smiled again. "Then have a drink with me first."