Chapter 250: partnership proposals
We stayed in the garden for a while before having dinner when Uncle returned. Afterward, I got Aimy ready for bed and returned to my room to work, only to receive a phone call from my assistant.
"Director Alicia, I’ve checked the list of companies that have been sending in proposals to the company. Please review it and see if there’s anyone we can include in the partnership shortlist."
"Alright, I’ll do that," I said before hanging up.
Over the past few years, several companies had proposed partnerships, but most were repeatedly denied. After a while, some gave up while others continued sending proposals.
These industries ranged from clothing and textile production to raw materials and cotton processing.
Rosewood was well known for its vast cotton production, and Whitemore was the largest industry in the community. Naturally, every major company wanted a partnership.
I opened my mailbox and began scrolling through the list of companies.
Sterling Vogue Group.
Valmont Holdings.
Titan Textile Industries.
Everweave Global.
Then my eyes stopped on a name that made me freeze.
"Blackwood Dominion Enterprises," I murmured quietly, almost as if I was afraid someone might hear it.
I shouldn’t have been surprised. After all, Blackwood Dominion was a global empire. It made sense they would be interested in Whitemore’s partnership, especially with its clothing expansion.
I forced myself to calm down and opened the proposal.
I had reviewed many proposals before, but this one was different.
It clearly aligned with what Whitemore needed.
A long-term procurement agreement that guaranteed the purchase of Whitemore cotton at premium market rates.
Investment in advanced harvesting and processing technologies to improve efficiency and reduce operational costs.
Expansion of Whitemore products into international markets through Blackwood Dominion’s established distribution network across North America, Europe, and Asia.
Joint development of sustainable textile initiatives to strengthen environmental responsibility while maximizing profitability.
A dedicated research and innovation center funded by Blackwood Dominion Enterprises to ensure long-term industry leadership for both companies.
Unlike conventional proposals, this one was built on mutual growth. It wasn’t just about buying resources—it was about elevating Whitemore Industries into a globally recognized name alongside Blackwood Dominion Enterprises.
Based on current projections, the partnership could increase Whitemore’s annual revenue by an estimated forty-two percent within the first three years, while ensuring stable growth for both organizations.
If Whitemore Industries entered into a partnership that would benefit both parties while ensuring its independence, then this was it.
Realizing that made me feel even more uneasy, but I knew I couldn’t be selfish. I couldn’t let my personal emotions affect the company.
Then my eyes drifted to the bottom of the proposal.
We look forward to the opportunity to discuss this proposal further.
Respectfully,
Alexander Blackwood
Chairperson
Blackwood Dominion Enterprises
"Alexander Blackwood..."
"Chairperson..."
I murmured slowly, feeling something stir in my chest that I thought had disappeared... or maybe something I had forced myself to forget.
Then the memory of him reading Nana’s will flashed in my mind.
Back then, I had already made my decision to leave.
I had realized that no matter what happened, I would never be safe here with my baby—especially not with everyone already aware of everything.
Lilian was still missing.
Even if Alexander wasn’t protecting her, she could still find a way back into our lives.
I had convinced myself that Alexander would never agree to a divorce, and I didn’t want to trap him in a life built on guilt or responsibility. That was already what he had felt toward me once.
I wasn’t even fully sure about running away at that time.
I had bought a flight ticket.
But then I remembered how powerful and influential Alexander was.
He would have found me within a day.
So I started looking for another way.
And then I found Nana’s box.
My only way out.
I knew I couldn’t let the chance slip away.....
I sat there, completely overwhelmed by what I had just read.
Overwhelmed by my thoughts.
I can’t even focus on work anymore.
Eventually, I went to bed, my mind in a daze.
I kept turning and tossing all night without sleep.
Aimy kept appearing in my thoughts.
So did the company.
And somewhere in between... so did him.
The next day, I woke up with a dull headache but forced myself out of bed anyway. After freshening up, I went to check on Aimy.
I pushed open her Superman-themed bedroom door quietly.
Aimy was still asleep.
The room was soft and warm, decorated entirely around her obsession with Superman—blue and red tones on the walls, little posters above her bed, and tiny superhero toys neatly arranged on the shelves. I had chosen every detail myself because she loved anything that made her feel strong and brave.
I stepped closer and sat on the edge of her bed.
A strange warmth spread through me, easing the uneasiness from last night. I just sat there quietly, watching her sleep peacefully.
She looked so innocent.
Her features weren’t fully grown yet, but she looked so much like him. Her dark hair, her small nose, her lips... and then her eyes.
Those big blue eyes.
The same ones that constantly reminded me I couldn’t keep her from the truth forever.
"Mummy..."
Her eyelids fluttered open slowly.
A soft smile touched my lips.
"Did I wake you?" I asked gently.
She yawned and shook her head before sitting up properly.
I lifted her into my arms and carried her to the bathroom, helping her shower before getting her dressed for the day.
Somehow, doing that always calmed me. It grounded me.
Just because Alexander was the Chairman of Blackwood Dominion didn’t mean he would be directly involved in the partnership. And even if he was, there was still the smallest chance that we would never meet.
I couldn’t keep Aimy away from him forever, I knew that. I understood what it meant to grow up in a single parent home. I had lived it myself after my mother died.
But this life... this quiet, peaceful life we had built here... it was enough for now.
Alexander might be her father, but would he be able to give her this kind of warmth?
Would he be able to protect her from everything I had run away from?
I didn’t want Aimy to go through what I did. I didn’t want her to grow up and find herself trapped in a situation like mine.
A day would come when they would meet.
But not now.
I wasn’t ready.
Not yet.
