Many aspects of the product were modeled after their version—essentially an upgraded variant. It was more advanced than theirs…Since modifications had been made, it couldn't be considered outright theft of their technology.Previously, the stock value of the Schwartz Group had rebounded due to Franklin’s situation. Now, with Blueheart Company—one of its subsidiaries—launching a new product that had gained widespread attention, its stock price soared the moment the market opened.However, this was not the time to dwell on these matters. With Blueheart Company’s launch of a superior product at a lower price, they had almost entirely lost their competitive edge.Just as Britney finished speaking, her phone suddenly rang.She glanced at the caller ID. "You all continue the discussion. I’ll take this call." With that, she turned and walked into her office, shutting the door behind her.—After finishing the product launch conference, Conrad stepped into the backstage lounge, unable to res
This time, she asked as a daughter.The current situation was not optimistic. As soon as Blueheart Company launched its new product, their sales figures started to decline. Blueheart Company’s product had a slight edge, and their prices were also marginally lower. If they engaged in a price war, they would not only have to refund the price difference to their previous customers but also risk long-term negative consequences.Their only option was to adjust their sales strategy—or consider Hugh’s proposal.Seemingly anticipating his daughter's question, Quinten sighed. "The project Rafael was in charge of—just yesterday, the other party suddenly withdrew their investment, causing us a significant loss. Right now, the company's total liquid assets are less than ten million."Such a coincidence?She didn’t believe it for a second.Britney frowned. If it was a project handled by Rafael, then Maxwell might have been involved as well. Now that both of them were in prison, the only person lef
“Tonight, I'll be waiting for you!”Seeing these words, Britney’s smile froze on her face...This man, seriously...The little bit of happiness she had felt was completely disrupted by his four clearly suggestive words.His mind was always filled with thoughts tinted with color…—In the afternoon, Britney received the results of Quinten’s discussion with the shareholders. She had already expected that, given the shareholders' previous stance, this matter wouldn’t be too difficult to push forward.“Hugh, go ahead and start negotiations with them. I’ll work on drafting the budget plan first,” Britney said, calling Hugh into her office after receiving confirmation.“You don’t want to look into it first?” Hugh asked, surprised that she was entrusting this task to him so directly.Britney simply curved her lips into a faint smile and countered with another question. “If it wasn’t a good deal, would you still go through with it?”Hugh let out a hearty laugh. The two of them had already bui
Sierra unbuttoned her coat and pulled down her low-cut top...Her delicate skin was exposed to the air.Conrad looked at her. "You...""I love you. I'm willing to be your woman..." She whispered, offering her lips to him.The two of them fell onto the office sofa, lost in passion.Sierra longed for this man to belong to her completely.What was the position of a general manager's secretary worth?A month's salary could only go so far—how could it support the life she desired? She wanted the best bags, the finest clothes, the most luxurious shoes, and the most exquisite jewelry...She needed someone to depend on!Reality was harsh, and finding the right person was easier said than done.She hadn't planned on Conrad, but at this moment, she had no better option.That night, it was as if fate was on her side, handing her the perfect opportunity. He could provide her with a lavish home and the wealth she craved...Their bodies intertwined, passion igniting between them. Yet, beneath the h
Lu Daniel had just finished work when he stepped out of his car and saw Manuel and Britney getting out of another vehicle.Manuel pulled Britney closer and instructed a servant to retrieve the items from the trunk.“Dad,” Manuel called out, and Britney followed suit.Lu Daniel smiled and nodded. He had already received word that the young couple would be visiting. “You're here.”“Yes. Brie insisted on coming back to thank you and Mom. I couldn’t stop her, so I had to accompany her,” Manuel said, deliberately making his wife look good.“Britney, if you came specifically to express gratitude, there’s really no need to be so formal! Ever since you and Manuel got married, we’re all family—there’s no distinction between us,” Lu Daniel said, though his eyes reflected his approval of her gesture.“Well, I’ve been so busy with work lately that I haven’t had the chance to visit you and Mom,” Britney admitted.“Nonsense! You’re both in a critical stage of your careers. This is the time to focus
Manuel used his own bowl to take the broccoli that Livia had picked up. "Your Miss doesn’t like this. Give it to me instead."What an excuse…She had literally eaten this dish just moments ago. Did he think everyone was blind?Still, Britney didn’t argue.Although no one really believed Manuel’s words, Livia was happy. After all, her beloved brother Manuel was eating the food she had picked for him."Brother Manuel, you like this one!" She excitedly added more food to his bowl, and he accepted it all with a calm demeanor.Livia felt overjoyed.The dinner table was filled with harmony.Since Manuel had to drive, he didn’t drink with Lu Daniel. Before long, dinner was nearly finished."Sis-in-law, can I stay at your villa for a few days?" Livia suddenly asked, biting her chopsticks.She always had a way of dropping the most shocking statements at the most unexpected times!Letting this girl stay at their villa for a few days? That would be chaos waiting to happen! Britney wasn’t about t
As they left the Castro family home, the sky was already draped in darkness. The air in the villa district was fresh and crisp, with a clear night sky twinkling with countless stars.Soft, melodious music played inside the car. Britney rolled down the window, letting the cool breeze brush against her face.The car made its way back to their home.By this time, Parker, who had a strict sleep schedule, had already gone to bed. However, knowing they would be returning, he had left all the villa lights on.Perhaps it was because she had eaten too much garlic spareribs at dinner, but as soon as Britney stepped into the living room, she felt a strong urge to drink water. She quickly walked into the kitchen to quench her thirst.Manuel, seeing her pouring water, followed behind her and suddenly covered the rim of her glass with his hand.She looked at him, puzzled. “What’s wrong?”“Drink some milk instead. It helps with sleep.”With that, he took out a bottle of fresh milk from the fridge, g
Due to time constraints, arrangements had already been made in advance for Malia Rylie to organize today's press conference early in the morning.Checking the time, Britney left her office and took the elevator with Malia Rylie to the event venue. Before stepping out of the department, she exchanged a glance with Hugh and gave a slight nod.Exiting the elevator, Britney walked ahead while instructing, “Contact Jacob and have him calculate the profit from our new product sales. Notify the distributors that we’ll be offering an additional 3% rebate to major distributors and an extra 2% to smaller ones, which will be covered by the Hammond Group. At the same time, increase the sales commission by 1% for those selling our products, also covered by us. However, all settlements will be done every three months.”She continued, “Also, get in touch with the distributors who intended to cancel their orders. Inform them of our latest discount policy and give them until the end of the press confe
Skyler had fallen asleep, but her mind remained alert. After all, Raiden had left a psychological scar on her today.As soon as Raiden mentioned being hungry, she couldn't help but complain to herself. He hadn't felt hungry earlier, and now, suddenly, he was.But despite the resentment in her heart, she didn’t dare voice it. After all, he was the young master, and she was just a servant..."Should I heat it up for you?" Since this "ancestor" had called for her, it was clear he wouldn’t do it himself. And it was late, so the other family members had likely already gone to sleep.Sure enough, the young master kicked his feet and said, "Should I do it myself?" If he was going to do it himself, why bother calling her? The real reason was that he couldn’t sleep and, seeing her sleep soundly beside him, a psychological urge stirred within him.If he couldn’t sleep, neither should she. It was a kind of unhealthy mentality.He wanted to wake her up
Skyler finally had the chance to observe the entire room. The decor was simple yet refined.A large sky-blue bed, a desk with a desktop LCD computer, and some model decorations—all expensive just at a glance. It matched his unruly personality well. However, it was clear he didn’t come home often; everything here still looked brand new."Where are you sleeping? Why are you asking me?"Since his father let her move in, he must have arranged a place for her."Do you have an extra blanket? I’ll sleep on the floor."The bed was big enough for two people, and she had slept with him before—otherwise, how would she have gotten pregnant? But at this moment, she didn’t dare sleep with him. She hadn’t forgotten the way he had looked downstairs, as if he wanted to devour her alive.She didn’t dare provoke him again, afraid that if she shared a bed with him, she might not even know how she died.She knew t
"Do you think you've found yourself a backer now? Is that why you feel so important?"Raiden’s tone was full of sarcasm.He looked exactly like a little kid afraid of losing his father's love.It’s often said that women mature faster than men, and Skyler was one of those women. She could see exactly what Raiden was upset about, and a smile tugged at her lips."No, Mr.Calderon! My biggest backer is you," Skyler admitted her mistake.Like hell he’d believe that! The innocence she had before was completely gone now.Raiden let out a cold snort and sneered, "Skyler, I didn't expect your appetite to be this big. First, you took my house, and now, in the blink of an eye, you've managed to squeeze a fortune out of my dad. Did your brain suddenly become enlightened? You’re making money at an impressive speed!""Mr.Calderon, I did go back on my word in this matter. I’m sorry! Here’s the key to the house you
Every parent, when talking about their child, always wears the kindest smile. Frankie was no exception. And when he thought about the fact that he would soon become a grandfather, his mood improved even more.Feeling good, he couldn’t help but chat a little more with Skyler.As Frankie flipped through old photos of Raiden’s childhood and talked about his younger days, Skyler truly saw how adorable he had been as a child.Uncle Calderon wasn’t lying—Mr.Calderon had been handsome since he was little.Big eyes, double eyelids, a high nose bridge, rosy lips, pearly white teeth, and fair skin—all combined with that charmingly arrogant expression…Skyler subconsciously placed her hand on her belly, wondering if the baby inside would be just as good-looking. If it were a girl and took after Mr.Calderon, she certainly wouldn’t be unattractive."Master, dinner is ready!" a servant came forward and announced.
"She should take a good look at herself! She doesn't want to marry me?" Raiden shouted.Who did she think she was? And who was he? Since when did a woman have the right to reject him?Since he was old enough to understand things, he had been surrounded by countless women, all vying for his attention. Which woman didn't want to marry him?Raiden sneered internally. This woman was definitely playing hard to get in front of his father, trying to win his favor so that he would pressure him into marrying her.I didn't see this coming.Skyler, so you dare play tricks on me!Skyler shivered slightly under Raiden’s sharp gaze. Was it a crime now to not want to marry him?Frankie stepped forward and kicked his own son. "And you should take a good look at yourself!"That kick wasn’t light. Raiden gasped in pain and quickly pulled his leg back to clutch it.Damn it!He was almost thirty, yet his old man still kicked him with
When Raiden walked in, he actually found that woman in his house!Without a word, he rushed up to her, grabbed her wrist, and started dragging her outside with large strides."Mr.Calderon, what are you doing?" Caught off guard by his strength, Skyler’s wrist throbbed in pain as she frowned and couldn't help but cry out."Don't ask, just come with me!"As soon as Raiden received a call from the person he had arranged to take Skyler to the hospital, he rushed back immediately.He had sent her to get an abortion, and she was already on the operating table—yet somehow, the old trickster in his family had intercepted her! Just thinking about how the plan was almost completed but was suddenly interrupted made him incredibly frustrated.How could he not know what that old fox was scheming?For the past few years, every time he returned home, the old man would pester him about marriage. Eventually, he got so fed up that he outrigh
Frankie was setting up Skyler, but unfortunately, she was too young and inexperienced to realize it. She had never encountered such schemes before, let alone faced an old fox like Frankie.At first, Skyler had no idea who had decided against her abortion. It wasn’t until she had spoken with Frankie for a while that she finally understood—it was the old master himself who wanted to keep his grandchild.She had already promised Raiden that she would terminate the pregnancy, and she had struggled internally for a long time. But in the end, her heart leaned toward keeping the child.“However, I have three conditions.”“Go ahead, go ahead…” Frankie was so delighted that she had agreed that he would have accepted a hundred conditions if necessary.“First, after the child is born, I want to be able to visit them whenever I wish. But you can rest assured—I will only be visiting the child and will have
Raiden’s Father...Hearing Frankie's words, Skyler couldn't help but look up. He wasn’t like what she had imagined. The middle-aged man in front of her was well-maintained, looking energetic and full of vitality. His smile was warm and friendly. There were indeed some resemblances between him and Raiden—he must have been quite a charming man in his younger years.Seeing her subtly relax, Frankie chuckled, “What do you think? Not quite what you imagined, right?”Having her thoughts seen through so easily, Skyler blushed, feeling slightly embarrassed. “It’s a bit different from what I expected,” she admitted.“Sit down and talk. I’m not used to looking up at people while speaking.” Frankie deliberately said this, knowing that otherwise, she wouldn’t sit down.Just as he had anticipated, Skyler realized that standing while talking to someone like this was somewhat impolite. Beside
Skyler looked at the cold, sterile operating table, her steps heavy as she walked over and lay down with the nurse’s help. Staring at her still-flat stomach, she silently whispered to the tiny life inside her, "Baby, I'm sorry."He had been so well-behaved. She had heard that during the first three months of pregnancy, morning sickness was common, sometimes severe enough to make one feel like the world was spinning. Yet, she hadn’t experienced any of that—she felt just like a normal person. She knew her baby must be a very obedient child.Unfortunately, she had no ability to keep him. If she forced his birth, he would only suffer alongside her.So, I’m sorry. It’s because I’m not brave enough…She had never intended to keep this child, but that didn’t mean she had no feelings for him. He was, after all, her own flesh and blood."Miss Oneal, we’re going to administer the anesthesia now. Try to r