Chapter 8

At the same time, in the top-floor office of Brighton Group, a man stood before the expansive floor-to-ceiling windows, watching the bustling city traffic below.

The sunlight poured over his sharp, chiseled features, casting a warm golden hue that softened his otherwise cold demeanor. He stood like a figure carved from marble—aloof, otherworldly, and indifferent as if surveying the world from above.

Behind him, a table held the proposal and contract sent over by Riverside Corporation.

Shane, unable to contain his excitement, was effusively praising their latest acquisition to Stephen Ward.

“Stephen, that Miss Rivers is truly something else—stunning and incredibly capable. The technical support she’s provided is nothing short of brilliant. I’ve got a strong feeling this partnership will last. It looks like the Rivers family has struck gold with her. With her leading Riverside, that new company of theirs has limitless potential.”

Shane wasn’t just an employee or subordinate; he and Stephen were close friends and co-founders of Brighton Group. Since Stephen, as the heir to the Ward family, couldn’t always appear in the spotlight, Shane often took on the more visible role. Therefore, their conversations were unusually candid.

Stephen turned around slowly, showing little interest in Shane’s enthusiasm. His dark, piercing eyes swept over the documents on the table, but he made no move to pick them up. Instead, a faint smirk tugged at the corner of his lips, tinged with mockery.

“This is the first time I’ve seen you so impressed by a woman. What, have you fallen for her?”

Shane, knowing Stephen well after years of friendship, didn’t bother to hide his thoughts.

“I suppose I have. There’s just something different about her.”

Stephen didn’t bother to crush his friend’s excitement.

He’d long stopped believing in the idea of “good women.” Even the girl he once thought was destined to become a rising star in aerospace had abandoned her dreams and responsibilities for a man.

“Well, it works out. I’ve got other things to handle right now. Since you like her so much, I’ll leave this project entirely in your hands,” Stephen said, though his tone was indifferent.

Then, as an afterthought, he added with a slight frown, “But don’t let a pretty face cloud your judgment. This project is critical. If you take it on, make sure you see it through.”

“Seriously?” Shane’s eyes lit up in surprise.

With a grin, he gave an exaggerated salute. “Understood, Mr. Ward. Mission accepted!”

As he spoke, a flicker of intrigue danced in his gaze.

As soon as Stephen finished speaking, his phone rang.

He glanced at the caller ID, silenced it, and tossed it onto the sofa.

"Another call from your grandfather? Trying to push you into marriage again?" Shane remarked, unable to resist. "Stephen, from what I’ve heard, that engagement was arranged ages ago between your families. With your grandfather’s health declining, maybe you should just go through with it."

Stephen’s cold glare shot over instantly.

"Trying to meddle in my business now?"

Shane quickly raised his hand and mimed zipping his lips shut.

At that moment, Shane’s phone started ringing. Seeing Stellar’s name on the screen, his eyes lit up with excitement.

"Stephen, Miss Rivers is calling me."

Stephen felt the urge to curse.

Here he was, being pressured into marriage, while his best friend seemed to be striking gold.

Irritated, he waved Shane out of the room. Once the office door closed, Stephen finally answered his own phone.

An elderly voice came through, as usual, with the same opening question.

"When are you coming back to finalize the wedding?"

"Grandfather, I’ve told you, I’m calling off the engagement," he replied, his answer as consistent as always.

It felt like an endless battle of wills, a game to see who would back down first.

After a brief silence, the voice on the other end spoke again.

"The Rivers family is down to its last heiress. My old friend, Laurence, guards her like she’s the most precious thing in the world, and I haven’t even met the girl yet. But Laurence’s birthday is next month, and she’s bound to attend. Whether you’re breaking off the engagement or going through with it, you’ll have to meet her."

Stephen recognized this as his grandfather’s biggest concession.

"Fine. Since everyone will be there, I’ll end the engagement that day.”

Marcus Ward was too shocked for words.

…

Compared to the tense atmosphere around Stephen, Shane’s mood was noticeably lighter after leaving the office.

He arranged for Stellar to visit Brighton Group.

First, to finalize revisions to the contract and handle the signing. Second, he wanted to give her a tour of the research and technical departments.

Setting aside personal feelings, Shane was still a businessman—one handpicked and meticulously trained by Stephen himself. Maximizing the benefits of this partnership was his top priority.

It wasn’t long before Stellar arrived at Brighton Group, dressed in a sleek black business suit with her hair elegantly pinned up. She exuded an air of sophistication and capability. Her graceful figure, coupled with her poised demeanor, was like a swan gliding across a tranquil lake—proud, serene, and breathtakingly beautiful.

Since Claude had entrusted her with this task, she was determined to see it through perfectly.

As she pushed open the office door, Shane was once again struck by her beauty. Offering a warm and friendly smile, he extended his hand, his tone now free of the initial wariness he had shown upon their first meeting.

“Apologies for keeping you waiting.”

Stellar returned the smile and shook his hand briefly, her gaze sweeping past him to look behind him. However, the rumored mysterious owner of Brighton Group was nowhere to be seen.

Her brows furrowed slightly before she offered a polite smile. If they had called her to the company, it surely meant they intended to sign the deal. She spoke calmly.

“Is there an issue with Riverside’s proposal, or is Brighton dissatisfied with the details of the contract?”

Shane quickly waved his hand.

“Not at all. Our boss has entrusted this entire project to me. From signing the contract to managing the project’s progress, it’s all in my hands. I guess I just wasn’t charming enough to catch your attention.”

His light-hearted joke drew a laugh from Stellar, her already radiant features becoming even more captivating.

The blinds in the office weren’t fully closed, and though the sound of their conversation couldn’t be heard, the image of the two chatting animatedly was clearly visible from the outside.

In the lounge area of the lobby, Percy watched the scene, his face dark and stormy.

He hadn’t slept much the night before, evident in the exhaustion etched around his eyes. Yet his gaze remained icy and piercing.

Despite his simmering anger, the partnership with Brighton Group was far too critical to ignore.

Early in the morning, Percy had made a point to visit Brighton Group in hopes of negotiating once more.

However, after waiting for hours, Shane claimed to be too busy to meet with him.

Now, seeing Stellar arrive and Shane suddenly becoming available, Percy’s suspicions boiled over.

It was clear that Stellar had betrayed him.

How dare she?

His anger surged as he pulled out his phone and dialed a number.

…

Completely unaware of the storm brewing, Stellar was engrossed in a discussion with Shane about the contract details.

She was clear: while she could provide technical support for the project, she would not be a free laborer. That had to be spelled out explicitly.

After their back-and-forth negotiation, Shane’s admiration for her grew even stronger. Not only was she stunning, but she was sharp and knew how to stand her ground.

“Miss Rivers, it’s a pleasure working with you,” he said, handing her a pen to sign the contract.

Stellar accepted it with a confident smile, her gaze bright and resolute.

“I believe you’ll be saying that again in the future, Mr. Howe—more than once.”

Riverside Corporation would undoubtedly rise with Brighton Group’s backing.

Just as she was about to sign, the door to the meeting room was suddenly flung open with a loud bang.

The receptionist hurried in after the intruder, her face flushed as she tried to explain to Shane.

“Mr. Howe, this gentleman, Mr. Moore, insisted on coming in...”

“It’s fine. You can leave,” Shane said, waving her off and turning his calm gaze to Percy Moore. “Mr. Moore, what is the meaning of this?”

Percy strode forward and slammed a proposal document onto the table, his cold eyes fixed on Stellar.

“Mr. Howe, this is Moore Enterprises’ proposal for this project. The evidence is right here—Stellar has stolen confidential information from Moore Enterprises. As the company’s president, I have every right to bring legal and compliance teams here to apprehend her.”