Chapter 4

At 8 p.m., the entrance to the Revere Hotel was lined with luxury cars.

This level of business gala enforced a strict guest list, with numerous journalists stationed outside, snapping photos of the arrivals.

Stellar stepped out of the car, a vision of bold elegance, a stark contrast to her usual understated style. Her fiery red gown clung perfectly to her curves, while her porcelain skin seemed to shimmer under the shifting lights, radiant as polished marble.

A gemstone necklace and a red clutch completed the look—simple yet exuding an understated elegance that made it impossible to discern the brand but left an impression of quiet luxury.

The moment she exited the car, she drew more than a few admiring glances.

Stellar’s long lashes lowered slightly, her meticulously crafted, icy makeup concealing any trace of unease. However, she sighed softly.

Claude had arranged the dress and jewelry for her tonight, but the choices were far too extravagant for her taste. This was already the simplest option available; if she had gone with what he had initially suggested, she would have been under scrutiny from the moment she entered until the moment she left.

Tonight, Claude had tasked her with negotiating a partnership.

It was with Brighton Group, a company based in Northvale City, and the deal was critical for the Rivers Corporation’s market expansion.

However, because the Rivers Corporation was still in the early stages of this effort, they couldn’t use their name directly.

Instead, Stellar was representing Riverside Corporation, a small, newly acquired subsidiary of the Rivers Corporation. A no-name company like Riverside seeking a partnership with Brighton was a significant challenge.

But since Claude had asked, Stellar was determined to make it happen.

After years of dealing with Percy’s business affairs, this sort of thing was hardly insurmountable for her.

She had tackled far more daunting challenges on Percy’s behalf, cracking even the hardest deals.

In fact, back when she worked with Moore Enterprises, Stellar had researched the Brighton Group extensively, hoping to give Percy an edge.

The mastermind behind Brighton remained a mystery, known only for their razor-sharp judgment. Every project they invested in over the past few years had been a massive success.

Someone like that, powerful yet private, despised ostentation. Even for tonight’s gala, the owner had not attended, instead sending senior executives to represent the company.

The moment Stellar entered the event, her eyes scanned the room, quickly searching for her target.

Elsewhere, Chris, chatting casually with Percy, happened to catch sight of Stellar. His initial surprise quickly turned into a mischievous grin.

"Percy, didn’t you say your little plaything didn’t come home last night? What’s this? Her latest trick? She’s dressed pretty damn hot!"

Percy’s gaze immediately followed, landing on the high slit of Stellar’s red gown. His expression darkened.

At that moment, someone approached Stellar with a glass of wine, standing close as they chatted and laughed.

For reasons he couldn’t quite explain, a sudden wave of anger flared in Percy’s chest. Stellar had pulled the whole "runaway act" last night, leaving him with no word, and now she showed up here?

Just as he was about to stride over and confront her, Chris chuckled. "First, she dumps you, and now this? Looks like she’s trying to make you beg this time. Clever move."

Percy paused mid-step, his jaw tightening.

That woman was always scheming.

He wanted to see just how far she was willing to go.

She wanted to make him bow to her? How ridiculous.

Tilting his head back, Percy drained his glass in one gulp and ordered coldly, "Ignore her. No one is to speak to her."

He fully expected her to approach him eventually, whether by making an excuse or pretending it was a coincidence. Why else would she even be here if not for him?

But as the minutes ticked by, Stellar didn’t come anywhere near him.

Instead, after politely declining the advances of the man speaking to her, she seamlessly blended into the crowd.

Meanwhile, Stellar had her own priorities. After scanning the room, she finally spotted someone in the lounge area: Shane Howe, the project director of Brighton Group and the second-in-command of the company.

She hadn’t expected him to attend, especially after reading his profile. From the documents, she assumed he was a middle-aged man.

To her surprise, he appeared to be in his late twenties, with sharp features and the confident demeanor of a business elite.

To have achieved so much at such a young age—it was clear he wasn’t ordinary.

Composing herself, Stellar adjusted her thoughts and carried her glass of wine as she made her way toward him.

The negotiation didn’t go as smoothly as Stellar hoped. Shane, sharp and impeccably polite, dismantled her every approach with a courteous smile, leaving her feeling as though she had been punching cotton.

She hadn’t even managed to present her proposal in person.

No wonder he was known as the toughest negotiator in Northvale City.

Back at Moore Enterprises, Stellar heard whispers about Percy’s interest in partnering with Brighton Group, though he never discussed it with her directly. She hadn’t pressed him about it but had quietly prepared some materials, just in case they were ever needed.

Now, they were needed but not for Moore Enterprises.

As Shane stood to leave, Stellar suddenly said, “I can increase the precision by another degree.”

That made Shane pause. His sharp eyes studied her, intrigued.

“Are you an R&D specialist?”

Stellar shook her head. “No. But I can be.”

For this project, the most critical aspect was precision—something that their current machinery and equipment couldn’t achieve. But she could.

What no one seemed to remember was that the last breakthrough in precision technology came from her undergraduate thesis years ago.

When she explained her idea, Shane couldn’t help but laugh.

“Miss Rivers, I’ll admit your offer is tempting, but don’t you think you’re overselling yourself? Have you forgotten that the decision-making power lies with Brighton, not Riverside? Why should Brighton bend over backward for a small, insignificant company?”

But Stellar only smiled, brimming with confidence.

"Mr. Howe, Brighton Group does have plenty of options for this partnership. But when it comes to technical input, I guarantee that only Riverside Corporation, the company I represent, can deliver. I’m willing to provide you with all the core adjustment data. Once you test it, you’ll understand whether this compromise is worth it or not."

Her sincerity and boldness were enough to make Shane’s expression soften with a hint of admiration.

From her appearance, he’d initially assumed she was nothing more than an eye candy—not worth much attention. But after listening to her pitch, he realized she wasn’t as simple as she seemed.

How interesting.

“Alright,” he said after a moment’s thought. “But since this involves the project’s core components, it’s beyond my authority. I’ll need approval from our boss. I’ll arrange an introduction for you later.”

“Thank you!” Stellar replied, extending her hand toward him.

As their hands clasped in a professional handshake, Percy happened to approach with a glass of wine in hand. The sight of the handshake stopped him in his tracks, his expression flickering with both surprise and suspicion.

Chris let out a low whistle.

“Well, now I see why Stellar hasn’t come crawling back to you. Looks like she’s been using a different strategy altogether. Judging by this, she might’ve already struck a deal with Brighton. Gotta admit, she’s got skills!”

A strange light flickered in Percy’s eyes.

The partnership with Brighton was critical—so important, in fact, that Percy hadn’t entrusted it to anyone else, deciding to handle the negotiations personally.

His entire reason for attending this gala was to confirm rumors that Brighton’s elusive owner would be making an appearance.

But after waiting all evening without catching a glimpse of the man, Percy decided to probe Shane for information.

Could it really be that Stellar had secured the deal herself?

No wonder she dressed like that tonight.

She really went out of her way to please him, didn’t she? She would dig up even projects he never mentioned to her and offer to run herself ragged for his benefit.

But…

Hadn’t she said they were breaking up?

Percy’s eyes darkened, and with determined strides, he stepped forward, cutting in front of Stellar.

“Mr. Howe, I apologize. She’s no longer with Moore Enterprises. If she’s approached you on our behalf without authorization, I hope you’ll excuse the disturbance.”

Extending his hand toward Shane, he added, “I’m Percy Moore, CEO of Moore Enterprises. All decisions regarding partnerships go through me.”

Then, as if dismissing Stellar entirely, he turned his head toward her and said in an indifferent tone, “This isn’t your concern anymore. Leave the contract here and… do as you like.”

She wanted to play the runaway act?

Fine. He wasn’t going to give her an easy way out.

He wanted to see how she planned to handle this.