"Cut!"The photographer called for a break. "Let's take a break. Maybe you're tired, Stephen. Take a moment to refocus."As Stephen stepped out from the glow of the spotlight, he immediately caught William signaling him urgently from the shadows. Stephen hurriedly went over.-In the dressing room, Jeffrey was already waiting.Seeing his uncle's cunning eyes, Stephen was reminded of the vulnerability he felt when stripped bare at the high-society event. Instinctively, he covered his chest with a hand."Uncle Jeffrey? Didn’t you say you weren’t coming?" Stephen cautiously asked."If I didn't come, I wouldn't have found out you had the guts to do something like this!" Jeffrey eyed him coldly."Uncle Jeffrey, please don't misunderstand. You saw it earlier! I kept my distance! I didn't even dare to look Aunt in the eyes!" Stephen swore.Jeffrey snorted. At least the boy had some sense! Had he looked, he wouldn't be treated so lightly now!"Take off your clothes," Jeffrey or
"Mr. Nathan!"Seeing the familiar man, Melanie's thoughts quickly returned to her time at the hospital in Azure City. This man had visited her on behalf of the International Socialites Gala.She remembered his name was Nathan Quinn.The eyes of the elegant and humble man before her lit up with surprise. "Miss Melanie, you actually remember me?"Melanie smiled slightly without explaining.The reason she remembered Nathan's name was that Jeffrey seemed particularly concerned about him."So, Miss Melanie, are you here to look around, or do you have your eyes on a particular piece of land?" Nathan asked, exchanging pleasantries."My family is planning to build a new factory, and we do have our eyes on a particular plot," Melanie replied gracefully."I see," Nathan nodded with a smile. "So do I."As they exchanged pleasantries, neither noticed a mother-daughter pair standing in another direction.It was Lena and her mother.After being ousted by Jones Enterprise, then spurned by
The auction began.The first few plots of land presented were highly sought-after. Some had prime locations, some were close to water sources, and others offered great value. All of them sparked intense bidding wars.However, Melanie remained indifferent. Occasionally, she'd glance at updates on her phone. Vivian's talent agency had completely abandoned her, and the internet was filled with criticism against her. Melanie felt she got what she deserved.As the auction neared its end, the final plot of land up for bidding was the one Melanie was interested in.After a brief description by the host, the opening bid was announced at forty million."Forty-five million!" Melanie announced loudly, raising her paddle.Some men turned their heads in surprise. Hers was the first female voice heard in the auction. Everyone seemed satisfied when they saw her appearance, as her looks matched her confident bid."Fifty million," came a voice from another direction.Lily glanced over and
Lena almost choked on her saliva!She had tried so hard to get close to Nathan, and now she found herself near him, only for Melanie to ruin the moment completely!Melanie seemed like her jinx!Lena clenched her fists tightly as Nathan and Melanie moved away. Her lips turned pale from how hard she was biting them.-"Mr. Nathan, thank you for your concession earlier," Melanie said, breaking the silence first.Nathan smiled and shook his head. "Just call me Nathan. Why were you interested in that plot? It doesn't seem to offer much value."Melanie explained about Jones Enterprise's plans for a factory location and then turned the question around, "What about you? Why did you want that piece of land? If I hadn't persisted, you would have had it."Nathan looked down with a smile and paused before he said, "Because... it's a place someone I once loved dearly was fond of.""Oh," Melanie quickly responded, sensing Nathan's hesitation and the pain in his eyes. "I'm sorry to hear that
Ten minutes later, Nathan appeared in front of Melanie. "Miss Melanie, why did you suddenly change your mind again?"Melanie smirked and said, "Do you want to hear the truth or a lie?"A glint flashed in Nathan's eyes as he chuckled. "Why don't you tell me both?""The lie is that I couldn't wait to repay you this favor. The truth is, I just found out that there's a business partner at this banquet whom I've been wanting to meet."Observing the charm radiating from Melanie's eyes, Nathan's lips twitched into a meaningful smile.Melanie continued, "But truly, I don't like owing favors to others. So, the lie isn't entirely false."Nathan laughed heartily. "Miss Melanie, you truly are amusing."Melanie's lips curved into a beautiful smile.Nathan gestured with his arm, and Melanie looped her arm through his. Then, they walked side by side toward the banquet hall.Nathan presented the invitation, and the attendant at the entrance checked it. Once done, the attendant politely ushe
Outside the dessert shop, a black Maybach slowly approached the street corner and stopped. The window was halfway lowered, revealing Jeffrey's narrowed eyes on the woman inside the shop.The shimmering tear at the corner of her eye stabbed at his heart, leaving a bitter taste.Was she crying because of him?Reflecting on his words from earlier, he realized he had gone too far.He had always been a man of extreme rationality. How could he have acted so impulsively today, letting his emotions get the better of him and uttering words that hurt both him and her? He gripped the steering wheel tightly, his brows furrowed deeply.Just as he was about to step out and meet her, he received a call from William."President Morgan, your guess was correct. Nathan indeed had someone tamper with the banquet. However, since you took Madam away, he probably ordered them to retreat. We've only found some faint traces. Would you like to come and see for yourself?""I got it. I'm on my way!"End
It had been a while since Melanie last saw her mother. Rushing home, she quickly freshened up and playfully crawled into her mother's bed, insisting on sleeping together.After a night of heart-to-heart with her mother, Melanie felt replenished with love and energy, ready to face the world again. However, the unanswered questions that her mother deliberately avoided remained untouched.The next day, Eliza took a break to rest at home.Melanie made it a point to leave work early to spend more time with her mother. However, as soon as she arrived home, her assistant called to consult her about the next phase of the new perfume testing.After the recent Vivian incident, the upcoming trial would undoubtedly attract widespread attention. The perfume department at Jones Enterprise was on high alert, anxious not to make any more mistakes.Meanwhile, Eliza and Nancy were busy preparing Melanie's favorite dishes in the kitchen when a servant returned with news. "Madam, Mr. Moore is here.
Ha!Haha!Jeffrey turned his gaze towards William, his eyes radiating an icy coldness that could freeze one to the bone.William wore a pained expression. At this moment, he wished he could find a well to jump into and disappear. But what could he say? In front of Jeffrey, he had no voice or authority!Jeffrey and Melanie were playing this game of a secret marriage, yet every time something went awry, he found himself bearing the brunt of it in front of Eliza. To make matters worse, Jeffrey would never blame Melanie. Instead, William always found himself at the receiving end of Jeffrey's wrath!That was truly unbearable!"What were you two discussing?" Jeffrey broke the awkward silence."Oh, I was just reminiscing with Mr. Moore about Melanie's childhood," Eliza replied."Was it interesting?"Jeffrey stared coldly at William next to him. William was as stiff as an ice sculpture and did not dare to move, knowing that nodding or shaking his head would mean death."These are p