Daphne hadn't expected to see Scarlett here, of all places. Her fury surged as soon as she caught sight of the other woman, her eyes rolling in mirth.At this point, many had gathered in the corridor, awaiting their chances to shine, but Daphne was the only prominently established public figure among the throngs of undergraduates and a few less renowned stars.Gossip pervaded the air, as it had the tendency to do every time groups of women came together. "Hey, do y'all know that someone important is coming today?" Someone spoke up amid the crowd. "I heard he's the sole heir and current president of LM Corporations. He just returned from studying abroad—my sources say that his looks are impeccable beyond belief.""I've heard of that too! Christ, if we could make a lasting impression on him, we'd be set for life, don't you think? Goodness, how I wish I could see him right now!"Someone else laughed. "You're delusional. Do you take him for an ordinary, rich, pretty boy? He's the president
After the makeup artist's touch, Daphne's already stunning face became even more captivating. Scarlett felt her own hopes diminishing as she gazed at the other woman's mesmerizing features.How could anyone not pick someone with a face like that? Despite her own delicate beauty, her inadequacy in front of Daphne's professional radiance taunted her at the back of her mind. If a plastic reconstruction could yield such breathtaking results, Scarlett supposed the surgery had been a massive success, a remarkable achievement attained by Daphne's beauticians.As she was lost in thought, the staff members prepared them all for the commencement of the audition. The fashion items released by LM Corporations had always been top-notch. A few people had already gone in before her. Sure enough, it was soon her turn.Scarlett exuded a youthful charm along with a unique kind of sensuality that was difficult to replicate. That, along with her well-proportioned bodice and impressive curves, made the ite
The displeasure on the staff member's face intensified as he vented, "It's really infuriating. Everyone was just preparing to leave work when one of our higher-ups complained about the unfairness of our selection process. They even implied that something inappropriate had been going on within our team and demanded that we come clean. The president decided to thoroughly investigate this matter, but don't you worry; I'm sure he's a man of justice, and our selection process has never been fairer. One of your fellow competitors must have been feeling resentful after being rejected. Regardless, you have nothing to worry about. Our president is hardly unreasonable. As long as you answer his queries honestly, nothing bad will happen to you."Despite his attempts at reassuring her, Scarlett was still nervous about the imminent encounter with the company's president. She'd never imagined herself in a position where her integrity would be questioned by someone else. It was truly ironic.She'd be
Jonathan remained stoic, as if he hadn't even heard her speak at all. A brief pause followed before he turned to address the staff member in charge. "The performance of the candidate your team selected from the auditions is stellar. I have no objections. Leave us now."The staff member beamed before leaving the room, thankful that the president had no objections to their proceedings. Fortunately, Scarlett's performance had managed to awe Jonathan as well, for he seemed incredibly satisfied after watching the shots.After the staff member left the room, Daphne squeezed out a few more tears and lamented to Jonathan. "John John—" A sharp gaze from him had her changing her tone immediately. "Mr. Leonard, there's obviously something suspicious about this. Didn't you promise to do me justice earlier?" she amended.Daphne truly believed she should've been the chosen one. Among so many other budding talents, she was the only one good enough to represent LM Corporation's fashion line. For a nam
Every part of her body tensed as she spoke to him, her nerves already frayed. "You—you slick bastard! What the fuck do you want? You and I have nothing to do with each other now. You have no right to speak to me like that, so don't even start, alright?"Her voice trembled, as if declaring her inherent weakness, and she hated it. She hated how weak she sounded and how powerless she was to change that."So, just like that? You're—what? Going down a new path of goodness and philanthropy? Don't you miss what we once had? Have you forgotten about the joy we once shared, the love we had between us?" Jonathan's brazen words made her inadvertently flush. An arrogant finger slid beneath her chin and lifted it as his free hand gradually unbuttoned her coat, revealing her voluminous chest.His smile was equally bold and unrestrained. "Didn't I tell you before? Women should wear lingerie that's more expensive than what you have on right now. Don't tell me you've used up all the money I gave you la
So what if they both hired a lawyer? She herself had once been a world-renowned lawyer, and her rebuttal was brimming with disdain. "Go get one then! I'm not afraid of you, Jonathan. I'll fight my own legal battles, thank you very much. I'd love to see what kind of lawyer you can find in Catheden to face me off, though. I'm sure it'll be a great pleasure to meet them.""But of course, how could I ever forget? My darling Scar is a formidable lawyer herself. Since I can't threaten you with this, what do you say about your former lover?" Jonathan leaned closer to her, his voice tinged with danger.Scarlett found herself becoming nervous at his threat. "What do you mean?""It means that I haven't forgotten what Dylan did to me, nor have I completely let go of that incident yet. Since our contract wasn't completely fulfilled last time, I wish to continue it now. If you disagree, don't blame me for not showing any mercy when I take care of your ex-boyfriend." His voice was so frosty that she
Scarlett had thoroughly made up her mind at this point, and she knew what she had to do. It would sting, no doubt, but she had to cross her heart and reject him either way. "Dylan, it's not that I don't want to meet your parents. I'd told you before that there are some things I can't talk about. But now, I don't think delaying it will help us both any further. I have to tell you, even if I'm not ready. How about we talk this through as we eat?"Even though she was reluctant to tell him the harsh truth, she knew it was time. Jonathan wouldn't let either of them go so easily, and she couldn't continue dragging Dylan down with her. Scarlett knew that her words would inevitably hurt him, but they were necessary. She'd run once, but she couldn't keep running now.As if he'd already guessed what she was about to say, Dylan's expression was grim. A thick silence shrouded the air between the two throughout the journey, even as they arrived at a casual diner. After ordering their entrées, Scarl
"Scar, since you don't want to tell me about it, I won't force you to, but I want you to know that I'll always wait for you until you find your happily-ever-after one day. I will never leave until you do. I already consider Lucas my own son. I can't bear to simply leave without knowing that he'll be okay.""Dylan … You really don't have to do this. You'll only make me feel even more guilty." The pressure she felt from the expectations Dylan unconsciously piled on her was paramount. She didn't know how she could ever repay his kindness, nor did she wish for him to always treat her this benevolently.The kinder he was, the more stressed she became."Alright, don't talk like this anymore. I know you don't need me to take care of you, but Lucas does. He's still a kid. He needs a father figure around him, or else he'll grow up in a deficient environment. How about this? I won't disturb you as you find a better father for Lucas. I promise I'll disappear from your lives. You can count on me,