They Want Me Back When It's Too Late (Jessica and Brian) novel Chapter 288

Chapter 288

Time passed quickly, and before long, the day of the Atkinson Group’s board meeting had arrived.

As usual, Weston left everything in Brian’s hands.

Brian took his seat at the head of the table and delivered a concise summary of the quarter’s performance. But soon, his mind began to wander,

It wasn’t long before one of the senior board members spoke up.

“Mr. Atkinson.”

Brian looked up to find Greg Nelson addressing him.

“Is there something you’d like to say, Mr. Nelson?”

Greg’s tone was firm. “Yes. I want to address the recent situation with Morgan Group and Wright Group, when they nearly pulled out of our partnerships. That news almost caused our stock price to tumble. Surely, you have something to explain?”

Jason Baker, another board member and a close ally of Weston, added his voice.

“Greg’s right. Brian, this isn’t the first time you’ve mishandled these matters. Even if you can’t always give our partners advance notice of meetings, being punctual is the bare minimum.

“Your repeated mistakes have caused frustration among Mr. Morgan and the others. This can’t continue.”

Other board members nodded in agreement, clearly sharing the concern.

Brian remained composed. With a calm voice, he asked, “May I ask if my actions have actually affected the outcome?”

The question drew frowns from the board.

“Mr. Atkinson, it’s not about immediate results. Over time, these slip–ups build resentment. That will make future negotiations much more difficult for Atkinson Group.”

“Exactly. If this keeps happening, our reputation will be damaged beyond repair.”

“In business, trust is everything. Being late to important meetings, like contract signings, over and over just won’t fly.”

The board members pressed on, voices overlapping in their concerns. But Brian seemed distant, his attention elsewhere. This only heightened their

frustration.

Suddenly, one elder board member, known for his temper and his close relationship with Weston, stood and slammed his fist on the table.

“Brian, what’s with this attitude?”

Brian glanced at him casually, and the weight of that look forced the man to sit back down.

Once composed, the elder scowled, resentful of being shut down by someone younger.

Brian ignored him and scanned the room, his voice cold and measured. “Is that all?”

No one dared meet his gaze. Heads lowered, silence filled the space.

“If there’s nothing else, this meeting is adjourned.”

Seeing their unwillingness to continue, Brian dismissed them without further words.

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Chapter 288

The board members left, irritated but unwilling to confront him directly: Instead, they called Weston, hoping he would step in

Weston’s anger flared at the mention of it.

༢༡ ས་་་ སུཝཱ བྷནཾ, སུམ ཙ

He was already displeased with Brian over personal matters, and now work troubles were piling up.

“What on earth is he trying to do?!” Weston roared after ending

call.

His butler, sensing his fury, urged him to calm down and take care of his health.

“Calm down? With a son like that, I’m going to have a heart attack! Call I him now and tell him to come here immediately and explain himself!” Weston

barked.

The butler knew better than to argue. He picked up the phone and

Brian answered without surprise or agitation.

“Got it. I’ll be there tonight.”

That afternoon, after work, Brian sent Jackson off and drove alone back to Atkinson Manor.

No sooner had he crossed the threshold than an orange came flying straight at him.

“What have you been up to now?!” Weston stood by the table, gripping a fruit knife, his gaze sharp and cold.

Brian caught the orange and calmly placed it back in the fruit bowl. “Thanks for not throwing the knife, Dad

Weston’s eyes blazed. “You think I didn’t want to?”

His son’s behavior was becoming increasingly intolerable.

Brian ignored the glare and sat down opposite him.

“Calm down, Dad. If this is about the board meeting earlier today, I have an explanation.”

After the morning’s confrontation with the board, Brian knew exactly why he’d been summoned.

“Alright then, explain yourself. I’m curious to hear what excuse you’ll come up with.” Weston’s tone was skeptical, clearly expecting little.

Brian smiled quietly. “What if I told you I was late because I was buying food for Jessi?”

Weston blinked, disbelieving. “What?”

Brian repeated, patient. “Jessi’s pregnant. Her appetite’s changed so much lately, she can hardly eat anything. So I’ve been buying whatever she can manage to eat.”

“So you’re saying your tardiness was because you

were out getting food for her?”

Weston’s eyes lit up with a newfound approval. “Well, I’ll be damned. Finally, some sense from you.”

He gave Brian a solid clap on the shoulder, “If only you’d cared like this earlier. But it’s better late than never.”

Brian lowered his gaze for a moment. “Yeah. Even if it means upsetting the board or messing up at work, if it happens again, I’ll do it all over.

He raised his eyes and looked at his father with steady resolve.

“Right now, nothing matters more to me than Jessi. You can be mad at me all you want, but I won’t change.”

Instead of anger, Weston’s face softened into a rare smile.

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– Fri 20 Jun

Chapter 288

“I’m not mad. How could I be? You showing this kind of heart? That’s exactly what she needs to see Only then will she come back.

Then he paused, thinking. “By the way, Jessi must be nearly three months along, right? How’s she holding up? It’s time we bring her home I can’t den easy knowing she’s out there on her own.”

Weston had visited Grant Manor recently and learned Jessica was living alone now.

The news had worried him deeply.

He wanted Brian to bring her back but feared pushing too hard would only drive her away. So he’d held back.

“Don’t worry about the board or the company. I’ll be at the office tomorrow to handle things.

“Your priority is bringing Jessi back. Do you understand?”

Weston’s hand rested firmly on Brian’s shoulder.

Though retired from day–to–day duties years ago, he was ready to step back in if needed.

Relieved by his father’s support, Brian nodded. “Thanks, Dad.”

Weston sighed. “If you really want to thank me, then bring her back soon.“.

Brian gave a quiet but firm promise. “I will.”