Max walked leisurely through the airport. Two Trinity Fashion staff members carried all their luggage, including suitcases. Max didn't need to bring Irena with him to Yazeran. After all, Yazeran, the place where he grew up, had a special meaning for him. He wanted to do something there.Nearby, Eva walked trying to look relaxed. Max could sense Eva's discomfort as several reporters were deliberately following them.“Relax, don't be so tense. They can't reach us.”Eva glanced over with a frown. “Is this really how it feels?”“That's how it is.“ Max laughed. ‘So just relax. Don't let it bother you. Let them do their job. You focus on yours, and I think your outfit today is quite charming.”“Thanks for the compliment,’ Eva said sarcastically.“You're too stiff, Eva.” Max teased again. “By the way, did Irena give you the latest schedule?”“Where I can't breathe?” Eva smiled thinly. ”If that's what you mean.”“You'll get used to it quickly and adjust to the rhythm.”“Why isn't Brina with m
Rita didn't move from her seat at all. Even though the flat screen in front of her eyes had changed channels, she still didn't want to leave. She didn't fully trust the program she had just watched.“Madam,” Maria called softly. The head maid felt that the mistress shouldn't be so quiet. Was she too shocked, or was something bothering her? She had to find out immediately. Maria was responsible for everything the mistress did. She couldn't let her health suddenly deteriorate and leave her in a difficult position.Roderick was not a man who forgave easily, especially since Maria had been entrusted with this responsibility. She couldn't imagine anything bad happening in this house, especially to Marguerite Langley.“Ah, yes, Maria.” Rita cleared her throat. Her mind was suddenly filled with the image of the person who had just appeared on the screen.“Am I disturbing you?“ Maria asked, placing the green tea cup that the homeowner usually drank.“Of course not.” Rita smiled broadly. “You
“What are you thinking about, honey?” asked Rick to Isadora, who seemed gloomy today. It had been two days since their return from NewCastle. Throughout the trip home, Isadora didn't talk much as she usually did. His invitation to tour the city to find things she liked didn't have much effect either.She only smiled occasionally, preferring to remain silent and not respond much to Rick's words. Meanwhile, Rick couldn't stay with her at the hotel for too long. He had important business in NewCastle that couldn't be left unattended. He even had to ask Gustav Wexford to accompany him.Isadora turned her head and tried to smile slightly. She reached out and touched Rick's cheek gently. She shook her head in response. “I'm fine, honey. I'm just tired.”Although hesitant, Rick chose to believe her. ”Is there anything I can do for you?”“You'd better go to the office, right? It's time for you to leave.” Isadora stood up and approached Rick, clinging to his shoulder while whispering, ‘Don't w
Gustav didn't know what to do with himself as he held the latest issue of the magazine with Eva's face on the cover. She stood there confidently, looking like she had just finished an interview after an event with SEO.“An incredible breakthrough,” he said, lifting his cup. Sipping his coffee. As usual, when something required concentration, his way of working was to sit in one corner of the café. He had specifically ordered it for working there. He had a rather unusual view of what focus meant.“You've truly let go of the fear that was holding you back, ma'am.” Gustav smiled broadly. “No wonder Mr. Charles loves you so much.” He glanced at the folder Eva had given him. Nothing had changed in the contents. Everything was proceeding as it should. Even Rick, the majority shareholder, was already aware of what Gustav was doing.The transfer of ownership rights from Charles to Eva was carried out in accordance with the established procedures. Everything was under Marguerite Langley's cont
“How are your wedding preparations going?” Samantha asked, starting their conversation after some small talk. She greeted Isa with a warm hug and complimented the woman who would soon be part of the Langley family.Actually, Samantha wasn't really interested in her niece's love story, but this time she needed Isa. He was easy for her to manipulate.“So far, no problems. Rossa has been helping me out wonderfully.”Samantha smiled cheerfully. “That's a relief.” She called the waiter to serve Isa, who had just arrived. “Auntie has ordered a dish that I'm sure you won't be able to resist. The chef here is a master of flavor.”“I'm sure Auntie's taste is the best.”“When will you make the official announcement? I can't wait to hear the news in the media.” Samantha stared intently at her conversation partner.“Rick said this week. He's handling something; his work in NewCastle reached an agreement yesterday.”“Wow. I heard the project Rick is handling has a huge turnover?” Samantha's smile
Ursula walked casually into the building she was heading to today. She let her pink hair flutter in the breeze. Her brown sunglasses perched sweetly on her pointed nose. Her handbag matched her shoes. Since entering the world where almost all eyes were on her, Ursula could no longer choose her clothes carelessly.There had to be a balance in the color scheme.“Are you sure you're okay meeting that guy alone?” Karen asked, slightly doubting Ursula's decision. ”If Max finds out, you'll be in trouble.”“Really?” Ursula asked with a playful expression. ‘Don't worry. As long as you keep your mouth shut, I won't get into any trouble. Unless you dare to mention that our return has been moved up. Besides, what else would I do there once the work is done?’ She shrugged her shoulders. Her steps were light as she walked through the lobby, paying little attention to whether she was the center of attention.“Yes, yes. I'll keep my mouth shut,” said Karen in a defeated tone. ‘You always get to push
“I think I've got everything.” Eva checked her shopping cart once more. She made sure nothing was left behind while carefully reading Giselle's message about the kitchen area. She didn't want to leave anything behind because, to be honest, Eva hated having to go back and look for something she needed while cooking.She had promised honey-glazed roast chicken with mashed potatoes as a carbohydrate substitute. For snacks, she planned to bring cold chocolate-filled fruit. As soon as Eva shared the menu in the group chat, the trio started buzzing with excitement. They couldn't wait for Eva to arrive at Giselle's apartment and start cooking. They even agreed to empty their stomachs so they could eat Eva's food in double portions.Eva could only laugh at their antics, and honestly, that was exactly what she missed most about the three of them. That's why Eva woke up earlier and moved her visit two hours earlier. She also needed time to shop, right?Her phone rang loudly, making Eva furrow h
Rita. D: Are you busy, Eva? Mommy wants to meet you. Can you?The message came in a day ago, but Eva couldn't give a definite answer yet about when they could meet. Part of Eva's heart also longed for the gentle middle-aged woman. There were many things she could share because Eva considered Rita like her own mother. Their last meeting had made Eva feel sick hearing what Rita had told her.Though the woman didn't shed a single tear, her sadness couldn't be hidden from her usually calm and warm gaze. Unfortunately, there was nothing Eva could do to ease Rita's sorrow. Whether the distress had lessened or been deliberately pushed aside without resolution, she didn't know.Nevertheless, she had no right to ask further. All Eva could do was offer encouragement and ask the woman to be more patient.“You're daydreaming, Eve?“ Nico asked, handing her a bottle of mineral water. This made Eva flinch slightly.“Ah, no.” She smiled and accepted Nico's offer. “Thank you.”“The next session is you
“You don't need to complain like that, Isa,” Samantha laughed in response to all the chatter from the woman she could rely on. She didn't expect Isa's move to be so smooth and flawless, and that it had been carefully considered. She placed the cup of tea she had made especially for the woman in front of her. ”Drink this so you can calm down.”“How can I calm down?” Isa sighed irritably. ‘I believed I could influence Ursula. But it turns out she's just like Giselle. I have to retaliate for what Ursula did to me yesterday.”Samantha laughed. ’Do you really want to be friends with them?”Isa sighed softly. “You know that if I'm in their group, I can have much more influence. What's the point of that if not to enjoy it together?”The woman who owned Sams Group laughed even harder. ”You really take advantage of everything within your grasp, don't you? You've really thought through what you want to do.”Isa grinned. She slowly sipped the tea made especially for her. “I should have done this
“Why do you look upset, Isa?“ Rick asked, glancing at the woman sitting next to him. Since the press conference, which he had also attended, his wife had only smiled slightly and said little.“I don't know,” Isa sighed deeply. “Maybe I'm tired because work at Sams is quite demanding.”Rick furrowed his brow, a bit surprised by Isa's words. “You've only been working for two days. And I think you've been out of the office since lunch today.”The woman chuckled. ”You're right. I intentionally took some time off to pick up Ursula because I felt she's been helping us a lot at Unique, right?”Rick nodded.“But if this latest choice is really the best, I think we should welcome Eva properly.”Rick chose not to speak. He focused on the road ahead, which was no longer as empty as usual. The crucial hour had trapped them in traffic, and they had to be patient to reach their destination: Dominique's residence.“Are you happy to meet Eva, dear?”The man glanced at her with a sneer. “What do you m
“Are they here yet?” asked Rick, checking the watch on his left wrist. It had been almost an hour since Max had confirmed their arrival time.“Just a moment, sir. Their car has entered the lobby and is being directed to the upper floor to avoid the reporters. They are all after a story about Miss Eva.”Rick quickened his pace toward the meeting room. At least he had to entertain the guests properly; he couldn't afford to tarnish his image further. And he couldn't afford to lose focus either.“Mrs. Isa is also on her way to the office, sir.”Rick's steps slowed. “For what?”“She wants to meet Unique's new icon. It seems like Mrs. Isa is giving her full attention to sales. I've seen her discussing things with Mr. Jacob a lot over the past few days. With Mrs. Samantha, of course.”Rick chose to keep that information to himself and wait for the right time to talk to his wife. Since the investor in Milan had caused problems, his concentration had been quite disturbed. He didn't have much t
Rick's anger was pent up, his hands clenched, and he had cursed countless times, but the result was still the same. It wasn't getting done quickly. Indeed, checking several parts took time. But still, as long as Unique was in his hands, and as long as he was under his father's supervision, there had never been a problem like this before.To make matters worse, there was the new project he had recently been assigned. He had already warned the staff involved to focus more, as the production target was far higher than the previous year. There was trust, but also hard work to prove they could deliver.“No word from Gustav yet?” Rick asked, sitting down roughly in his chair. It had been two days since the bad news reached him via email. He couldn't take it lightly at that time. He immediately took action, one of which was to ask Gustav to check it out directly.He didn't know what his trusted employee was doing in Jazeran, but what was clear was that the distance between Milan and Jazeran
“How's it going?” Samantha asked, a little excited. They were enjoying some time together during what was actually a pretty busy day. But for Samantha, being here with her favorite cup of coffee and some snacks to go with it was no problem. After all, Sams Group had started to take off since the woman in front of her got involved.That's also why Samantha wasn't going to let go of the woman who was now part of her family.“I've already tried to convince Rick,” Isa sighed softly. ‘But it seems like my persuasion isn't working yet. He just said he'd think about it.”“Did you give him the most convincing reason?’ Samantha asked with a soft laugh. ”Usually, when you give that reason, a man as stubborn as Rick can't resist it.”“I did.” Isa's shoulders slumped weakly. ‘But it's okay. I'll wait patiently for his decision. I'm sure he won't be able to refuse me easily.”Samantha nodded confidently. ’No problem. I would be helped if I had an assistant, but since this position is meant for you
“According to sources that Mommy can trust, there is indeed a bit of debate regarding the marketing that has been going on. Although some of Unique's top brass know who you are, Eva, because this is outside of Unique, you are considered someone who works where you can bring them certain benefits.”Rita's explanation to Eva and Max made sense.“But this is too much of a coincidence, isn't it?” Eva asked, sighing softly. ”Maybe if they were targeting Giselle or Harvey, I wouldn't be so suspicious.”Rita nodded, understanding the concerns of the woman in front of her. When the car carrying them stopped at one of the tall buildings in the center of Yazeran, the person Rita didn't want to see greeted them. With a mischievous grin and an overly casual demeanor.Despite knowing him for quite some time, the memory of their conversation that night—when they had accidentally met at Eva's house—still made Rita's heart race with irritation. And that irritation only grew as the man's childish beha
“Thank you for helping me,” said Rita with a slight smile. ”And your cookies are getting better and better.”Danisa pouted. “I went to all that trouble to go straight to the kitchen. Why does it still feel like something's missing?” But then she laughed. “I guess the kitchen just isn't my thing.”“You're right.” Rita laughed along with her friend. “Tell Eva I said hi. I wonder when we'll get to try her cooking.”Rita gently rubbed Danisa's shoulder. “You're not the only one who feels that way, Danisa. I feel the same.”“Especially you, Rita.” Danisa smiled faintly. “Are you really okay with what happened? You know, not talking to you has been torturous for me. That woman really went too far in how she treated her own mother-in-law.”“I never considered her part of the Dominique family.” Rita giggled. ‘Don't worry, I can still hold myself together. As long as my silence is seen as stupidity and helplessness in Isa's eyes, I don't mind. Just know that I consider you more than a friend.”
“Thank you for helping me,” said Rita with a slight smile. ”And your cookies are getting better and better.”Danisa pouted. “I went to all that trouble to go straight to the kitchen. Why does it still feel like something's missing?” But then she laughed. “I guess the kitchen just isn't my thing.”“You're right.” Rita laughed along with her friend. “Tell Eva I said hi. I wonder when we'll get to try her cooking.”Rita gently rubbed Danisa's shoulder. “You're not the only one who feels that way, Danisa. I feel the same.”“Especially you, Rita.” Danisa smiled faintly. “Are you really okay with what happened? You know, not talking to you has been torturous for me. That woman really went too far in how she treated her own mother-in-law.”“I never considered her part of the Dominique family.” Rita giggled. ‘Don't worry, I can still hold myself together. As long as my silence is seen as stupidity and helplessness in Isa's eyes, I don't mind. Just know that I consider you more than a friend.”
Eva sat comfortably on the long sofa right next to the large glass window. The view she could enjoy was of Yazeran at night. The first time she came to this partly sandy and quite hot place, Eva fell in love. She was captivated by the ethnic patterns on the clothing and the ornaments found on almost every public building there.And because of that, most of the souvenirs she brought back from Yazeran were woven fabrics with unique characteristics, serving as a sign that the fabric was a souvenir from that desert region. Under Giselle's creative hands, the fabric became a comfortable dress that made Eva feel close to Yazeran.That dress was also what she wore for dinner with Max this time. It wasn't unusual for Eva to hear compliments from the man. And his annoying behavior, almost to the point of being infuriating, but Eva couldn't just brush him off. There was always something he did to make Eva end up under his control again.Including now. Where Eva was staying in the famous Paradis