As Rebecca finished speaking, the air grew still. Though Isabella disliked Christina and even considered her an unreliable ally, keeping her around had its uses. Seeing how Isabella remained silent, Rebecca's gaze turned cold."Isabella, I remember you're quite clever. Don't act confused now.""No one gave it to me. It's my previous phone.""Is it?""Yes," Isabella nodded.Rebecca took a deep breath. She concealed her emotions and stood up. Then, she glanced at the maid behind Isabella. Extending her hand, the maid tensed. "M-madam…?""Madam Johnson, what are you doing?" Isabella asked when she heard the commotion."Isabella, I don't want you to call him again.""Is it because of my sister? I remember you don't like her!""The biggest difference between you and your sister is that she knows where the line is," Rebecca said, surprisingly praising Natalie.Even the things she had done so far were only chaotic, but not catastrophic!But standing in the current situation a
Natalie sneered and ignored Christina. She wasn't even bothered to respond.Instead, she opened the door and got into the car without a word.Seeing Natalie ignore her, Christina rushed forward and grabbed Natalie's car window with both hands. "Natalie, are you feeling proud now?""There's nothing to be proud of, don't you think?""...""I don't have time to spare for that anyway." Natalie seemed indifferent, which contrasted sharply with Christina's anger. Sometimes, indifference was the most cutting response. While one person meticulously planned and schemed, the other was too preoccupied to care."I'm buying those things with my own money! Why won't you sell to me? Aren't you afraid that I'll report you?""Report me for what? Sylvan Gems' items are limited edition every year. If you can't buy them, it's because you're too slow!""You...""Is there anything else?""Natalie, don't be too arrogant!""Let go!" Natalie didn't want to engage in this boring conversation.
As soon as Stephen mentioned Irwin's return, a complex array of emotions flashed through Natalie's mind. Up to this point, Stephen only knew that Cedric was the reason for his inability to enter Verde City. But as for Irwin's side of the story, Stephen was unaware. Guilt welled up within her."It seems like everything went smoothly on his end!" Natalie sighed in relief. Stephen remarked, "He's youthful and bold!"The words held some ambiguous meaning, but Natalie sensed the urgency in Irwin's situation. She remained silent. Stephen continued discussing work matters, offering insights into business strategies, all of which Natalie absorbed.After ending the call, the secretary entered and said, "Ms. Walker, Mr. Johnson is here!"Natalie had just relaxed, and she frowned at the news. Cedric entered, followed by Yuvan, holding a takeout box. "So soon?"Natalie was clearly caught off guard by Cedric's swift arrival. After all, she only managed to get in two phone cal
"You don't have the ability to do that!" Cedric said and released her with a disdainful look.He turned and sat on the sofa, lighting a cigarette. "Tina's birthday is approaching, and she's been eyeing Sylvan Gems' items for quite a few years. Reserve a set for her!"For quite a few years?And she still hasn't obtained it!It shows just how sought-after Sylvan Gems' items are.Natalie replied, "What she wants is the limited edition. I can't do anything about it.""You are the CEO of Sylvan Gems now.""The board of directors discusses the quantity of each set made. Even as the CEO, I can't interfere.""Natalie!""Oh, I almost forgot, Mr. Johnson. You always like to change things to suit your needs, right? But Sylvan Gems is different from your company. The limited amount of each set is what makes our items so irresistible!""...""Do you think I should make an exception because of my relationship with Christina, or because of our relationship?" She challenged him with a pro
As Jocelyn left the company, she encountered Christina. Compared to Christina, Jocelyn appeared more elegant. When Christina saw Jocelyn, she could already guess what had happened."Did you come to see Ced? He must be busy, right? Did you get to see him?" She sounded somewhat triumphant.Jocelyn's face darkened. "Was it you?"Christina replied, "I don't understand what you're talking about, Joyce!""Hmph, revel in your satisfaction. I guess he and Natalie are getting back together? And what's your business in all of this? Why are you kicking up such a fuss and looking so satisfied?" Jocelyn's face turned stern.Christina froze, and a hint of gloom flashed in her eyes. Jocelyn knew what kind of person Christina was—she was still considered a treasure by the Johnson family.As Jocelyn walked away, Christina turned back. She watched Jocelyn's retreating figure and snorted. Then, she walked triumphantly towards the elevator reserved for executives.-After Jocelyn was gone, C
The atmosphere in Cedric's office was suffocating.Yuvan nodded respectfully. "Yes, sir. I'll check right away."As Yuvan turned to leave, Cedric's thoughts were racing a mile an hour. Just as Yuvan put his hand on the door handle, Cedric stopped him. "Wait.""Yes, Mr. Johnson?""Also, check if Isabella has any other enemies.""Yes, sir!" At first glance, it seemed to be related to Natalie. However, with recent events piling up, many of Cedric's previous convictions were shaken. So, this time, he would approach the matter involving Natalie with caution, especially given her consistent denial of any involvement in Isabella's affairs.-Meanwhile, Natalie was busy with her own affairs. The recent product launch was successful, and Auro Studio was pushing its limits. In addition, the eastern suburb project with Irwin was about to begin.The details in her drawings needed to be perfected, so she was working late into the night. When Cedric called, she almost wished she coul
At Johnson Enterprise, Natalie watched as Yuvan, Lucas, and others moved in and out. Several departments were urgently called for meetings, and she watched Cedric's diligence and seriousness in the work environment.He looked so familiar, yet so strange. Her heart was cold! As he said, no one would be sleeping tonight. Issues arose with the foreign projects, and it was a colossal matter. All departments returned to work overnight to address the problems.During a brief break, after Cedric had conducted three consecutive meetings, he sat across from her and observed her tired state.Sensing his gaze, Natalie perked up and stared at him, "I genuinely hope this damn company won't make it through tonight!""You'd better pray that everything gets resolved tonight. Otherwise, you won't be sleeping until it does, understand?" In essence, if he couldn't sleep, neither could she. It was retaliation. It was Cedric's retaliation against the frustration Stephen imposed on him, which
When the two returned to Scarlet Villa, everything had indeed been prepared. Natalie sat quietly at the dining table, eating her food. She had been silent ever since Cedric defended Christina again in the car.At this moment, her face appeared calm, but it gave Cedric the feeling of it being the calm before the storm."Nat." In the end, he couldn't help but break the silence."What?""I know things at the Johnson Manor weren't too good for you before, but it's all in the past now, hmm?""Are you advising me to go back? Or are you letting it go because of my uncle?" Natalie sneered.In the past?! That was not how she understood it. Although Cedric showed her that he could stand proudly at the pinnacle even without her uncle's support, Rebecca's actions gave her a different feeling at this crucial moment. She felt uncomfortable inside!"Your mother must be regretting it now, right? She did set aside her pride and approached me, you know? Seems like she doesn't have much conf
Bianca was still pondering how to reject Malcolm. Undoubtedly, even when she sought him out a week ago and proposed they get married, she hadn't truly wanted to marry him. As she contemplated things now, she even anticipated how crazed Malcolm might become when she presented her decision.Her phone buzzed with a call from Malcolm. In the past, Bianca would have ignored it outright, but now... she wasn't one to burn bridges."Hello?""I'll be there in ten minutes. Come down.""It's quite late."Just like before, whenever this man wanted to talk to her, especially about meeting up, she couldn't muster a pleasant expression.The man on the other end of the line simply stated, "I want to see you."Bianca’s heart clenched at those words. She was accustomed to Malcolm's cold, domineering demeanor. Even when he desired a woman, he maintained that haughty attitude. So, hearing such tender words from him was beyond her expectations."Hmph.""Come down, okay? I have a surprise for you."
As Zane reached halfway up the hill, he noticed a familiar car parked outside. Neil, the butler, was waiting outside, and upon seeing Zane return, he approached respectfully."Lord Zane.""Who's here?" Zane frowned, glancing at the brightly lit villa.What was going on? Usually, this place was dim in the evenings, but today, everything was unexpectedly bright."Ms. Stewart has returned," Neil replied.Zane's mind went blank for a moment. He stared stiffly at the butler, his pupils rapidly constricting."Ms. Stewart arrived this afternoon."Yvette!The familiar name flashed through Zane's mind like a gust of wind. How many times had he wanted to hold onto her? But in the end, for various reasons, he had to let her go bit by bit.And now, Yvette was back!Where had she been all this time?Since leaving Simeria, it was like she was a bird that had escaped its cage and soared into the sky, never to return. Zane had asked the Stewart family about her once, but even they didn't kn
"Maybe something happened," said Bianca.Natalie felt her eyelids twitch in response. What kind of terrifying situation was this?"When I say 'something happened,' I don't mean anything bad, but..."But what?In that moment, Bianca's gaze toward Natalie deepened, and she understood what her friend meant."You mean...?" asked Natalie.Bianca nodded silently.Natalie fell quiet as she pondered the situation.What if that was really the case?Natalie couldn't help but admit that if it truly was, it would naturally be a favorable outcome for her."Don't forget, if he can come, he can also leave. He can't change anything here, so it's better for him to return to the world he belongs to," Bianca explained.During this time, Natalie had transformed Simeria into a fortress. But even in such circumstances, Cedric had mysteriously vanished. Up until now, there hadn't been any clues. Even Kyle had been through so much, yet hadn't uttered any useful information.So, it had to be said t
Bianca’s calmness and composure, despite her young age, spoke volumes about how her experiences and wisdom had shaped her thoughts.Curtis, initially worried about her, felt somewhat relieved seeing the tranquility and maturity in his daughter’s eyes.He nodded slowly. "Hmm."In the end, he agreed.After all, she was his daughter. Despite not being raised by him since childhood, Curtis could see it clearly. Like her mother, Bianca would stick to her decisions, impervious to outside interference.Seeing Curtis finally eating, Bianca felt a sense of relief. After lunch, she considerately accompanied her father for a stroll before allowing him to rest.When Carol emerged from Curtis' room, she saw Bianca waiting nearby and hurried over respectfully."Miss.""How is he?" Bianca inquired."Sir is still worried about you, miss," Carol replied sincerely.Having been by Curtis' side for many years, Carol naturally understood Bianca's significance in his heart.Bianca sighed. "It wil
As she spoke, Seraphine felt the already dangerous aura around the man grow even darker, sending her heart racing. She tried to speak, but found herself speechless."Hmph, you useless thing!" Zane cursed menacingly.Cold sweat soaked Seraphine's back completely."There must be a way," she choked out, her tone tense.At that moment, Seraphine recalled what Zane had said to her before she came back to Simeria.He had told her that he never kept useless individuals around him. To gain his protection, one had to be useful. And now, Seraphine's only use—her engagement to Malcolm—had been effortlessly annulled."Heh," Zane sneered disdainfully.For Seraphine, this disdain was not only humiliating, but also starkly different from her experiences with Eleanor. In Eleanor's presence, she had never faced such disrespect. But now, it seemed like anyone could trample on her.In the past, even members of the Entes family wouldn't openly show contempt towards her, but now… Those past comfort
Seraphine had always harbored resentment towards Bianca. But Bianca had always been a rather composed individual, rarely resorting to such actions.So, what was she doing now?"You..." Seraphine's initial fury had been turned to speechlessness by Bianca's aggression.When Seraphine glanced at Bianca, she caught a glimpse of malice in the other woman's eyes.Before Seraphine could utter a word, Bianca bluntly asked, "You know, don't you?"Seraphine stayed silent.Know what?"You knew that Lord Malcolm and Lord Zane are half brothers You also knew why Lord Zane sought you out and took your side, right?" Bianca continued.Seraphine's face drained of color in an instant. And every subtle change in her expression was noticed by Bianca, whose eyes were filled with icy mockery.Stepping forward, Bianca gripped Seraphine's delicate chin. Seraphine instinctively tried to evade, but Bianca's hold was firm."You still dare claim this is your home?" Bianca scoffed."This has always been
When would the cycle of revenge end?While Bianca hadn't decided what to do about Eleanor's actions, Zane had already shown his claws.When would it end?If someone kept chasing after a person, what could they do?"Bia…"Curtis wanted to say something to his daughter, but was met with her unwavering gaze. Clearly, she wouldn't back down this time, just like her mother never did when faced with such situations. Both women faced things head-on, without flinching."Don't worry, okay?" Bianca reassured Curtis.There was another reason she was insisting on staying in Simeria—Bianca knew Curtis wouldn't leave with her. So, she wouldn't leave either.-Bianca and Curtis talked for a long time.Curtis still wanted to send her abroad, but her resolute attitude left him powerless. Moreover, from various pieces of information gathered earlier, it was clear that Bianca was a strong-willed child.No matter what problems she faced, she had her own opinions. So, asking her to leave was s
When Bianca returned to the Holly family’s residence, she found Curtis staring gravely at some documents. When he started coughing violently, his face turning as pale as a sheet, Carol hurried over to check on him."Sir, let Ms. Bianca handle these documents. Please don't strain yourself," Carol said, her tone full of concern."I see now," Curtis muttered heavily, as if he had just realized something crucial.Not understanding what he meant, Carol simply urged, "Your health can't handle this strain. Don't tire yourself out. You must trust Ms. Bianca."Curtis fell silent.Trust?He had always trusted Bianca, but now he regretted bringing her back. If he had never found her, would things be different now?"Where did she go?" Curtis asked."Ms. Bianca went out, but she'll be back soon," Carol reassured him, gently taking the documents from his hands.Ever since Bianca told the older woman about Curtis' health problems, Carol had been extra vigilant, making sure he avoided anythin
Bianca stared at the dangerous man, memories of their harmonious past flashing through her mind. Those moments had once seemed so genuine, yet now felt laughably absurd."Haha, how ridiculous!" Bianca scoffed, her laughter bitter."Bianca!" Zane's voice was sharp, cutting through her mirth."Zane, what if I reveal your true intentions to everyone? What will they think then?""Who would believe you?" Zane interrupted coldly, not letting her finish.Bianca's smile froze on her lips. He was right.Who would believe her? Curtis might, and so would Natalie. But was their trust enough?Clearly, it wasn't.But did it matter?"It's not your concern who believes me. I have never needed anyone's belief to stand strong," said Bianca.Many had doubted her before, but none had ever managed to break her spirit. The dangers she faced now might be greater, but for Bianca, they were just another set of challenges.She had overcome every hardship she encountered. This time would be no differe