Swapping a Broken Heart for a New Start novel Chapter 327

At that moment, inside Smith & Co.

Jordan Smith had, in fact, received an invitation to the summit.

Despite the scandal that had recently rocked the company, Smith & Co. had been deep in the AI game for years, racking up successes. There was no way they’d be left off the guest list.

Still, when Nathan Gates came into his office to deliver the news, his face was a mix of emotions. “So, I just heard—Smith & Co. is getting an award at the summit, and it’s for the fifth-generation ‘Red Tempest’ system.”

Jordan blinked, caught off guard.

Their system had already moved on to the sixth generation. Why was the award for the fifth?

Nathan caught the confusion and explained, “Apparently, it’s because that version was developed by Ms. Davis. She’s kind of a big deal now. The system she co-developed with Walter Wilson? Still hasn’t been topped, let alone cracked. People in AI circles are obsessed with her—and her older work is getting a ton of attention because of it.”

So basically, Smith & Co. was only getting recognized this time thanks to Camila Davis.

Jordan’s expression shifted through a whole spectrum of emotions.

He’d never imagined that their slot for the award was courtesy of Camila. Back when she’d still been his wife, she’d seemed so…ordinary. Nothing special.

How was it that after leaving him, she just kept shining brighter and brighter?

Had he really overlooked her all that time?

Jordan didn’t want to admit he’d misjudged her. But lately, incident after incident kept hammering in the same point—Sandra Taylor just didn’t measure up to Camila Davis.

Nathan watched him fall silent, feeling a pang of sympathy.

As someone on the sidelines, he could see things clearly: Camila Davis might not have made headlines during her time at Smith & Co., but she’d been solid, steady—never making big mistakes, always delivering consistent results. Even now, her old work kept bringing in profits.

Meanwhile, Sandra Taylor had swept in with a flashy “I went to school in London” persona, but what had she really accomplished? She bullied her way through the department, made a mess of every project she touched. Even the sixth-gen upgrade was built on Camila’s legacy.

Yet Sandra bragged as if it was all her doing. Only the boss—blinded by love—actually believed her.

Nathan kept his thoughts to himself and instead asked, “So…are we still going to the summit?”

Jordan’s face was tight, but his voice was steady. “Why wouldn’t we? Sure, the fifth-gen system was Camila’s, but it was developed here, at Smith & Co. The honor belongs to the company, not just her. We’d be idiots to refuse.”

Now she couldn’t shake the fear that Jordan Smith might one day cast her aside—just like he’d done to Camila Davis.

Her mother, Mrs. Taylor, was equally on edge. She called, her voice sharp and urgent. “Sandra, listen to me. Your only shot at saving our family is to hold onto Jordan, tight. Harrisburg’s job market has shut you out. Use this chance to get closer to him. And if you can, get pregnant. If you have his child, your place in the Smith family is secure. Then, Mason and Martha Smith won’t dare push you out.”

Sandra didn’t reply.

She’d always thought trapping a man with a baby was low, desperate. The idea made her skin crawl.

She liked to believe Jordan’s feelings for her went deeper than that.

But Mrs. Taylor’s next words hit her like a slap. “Your father just heard—there’s a big summit coming up in Harrisburg. Camila Davis is invited and everyone’s buzzing about her. Companies are lining up to work with her. Do you understand what that means? Soon, she’ll be out of reach—her value’s skyrocketing. You can’t compete. So act now, while Jordan’s still interested. Otherwise, the Smiths might realize Camila was the better choice, toss you out, and go begging her to come back.”

The words stung. It was like her only value was her uterus.

Sandra’s voice was tight with anger. “Do you even hear yourself? Is that any way to talk to your daughter?”

Mrs. Taylor’s tone turned ice cold. “The only reason our family’s in this mess is because of you. If you had half a brain, Taylor Industries wouldn’t have gone under. You owe this family, Sandra. You’d better use your connection to Jordan to pull us out of the mud—no matter what it takes.”