"Because the previous night, the hotel room where I was staying suddenly caught fire," Gabriel continued, causing a stir among the audience. "Miss Melanie rushed into the room to save me at the risk of her own life. However, both of us suffered from smoke inhalation, and it took two days for our sense of smell to fully recover. Hence, we couldn't smell anything at the Fragrance Gathering.""What caused the fire?" Someone from the audience queried."Excellent question!" Gabriel pointed at the individual. "I wondered the same thing. How could such a coincidence occur in a high-end, professional hotel? Such a matter with a low probability of happening couldn't be mere chance, right? Would you like to know the truth?"As he spoke, he signaled for his assistant to come forward.The assistant connected a laptop backstage, and a large LCD screen descended onto the stage. The screen began displaying a photo taken by Mr. Smith. The photo had been enlarged. In the bottom right corner sto
"Let's leave it at that for now," Melanie said with a hint of resignation.She hadn't anticipated Jacob's appearance. Her plan was to exploit John's momentary lapse to pressure him into publicly admitting his involvement. However, Jacob's unexpected arrival threw a wrench in her plans."Just like that?" Gabriel looked at her, disbelief evident in his eyes. "That doesn't sound like something you'd say.""I said, 'for now,'" Melanie emphasized as she pursed her lips. "Besides, even if we didn't completely cripple White Group tonight, they will require a substantial recovery period. Our plan might not have achieved maximum impact, but it's far from a failure. Look over there..."Melanie gestured discreetly. Across the room, the head of White Group's business department was surrounded by a throng of people. Many guests tonight were White Group's partners, and now they were clamoring to terminate their contracts out of fear that White Group's tarnished reputation would affect them
"Jeffrey!"Grace looked utterly surprised, unaware that Jeffrey was also present tonight.In truth, not only was Grace caught off guard, but Melanie herself was puzzled as to why Jeffrey had exited the banquet hall.Ignoring Grace completely, Jeffrey approached Melanie. His tone was soft when he spoke to her."What did she say to you?"Melanie felt a tightness in her chest, and her body tensed up. She remained silent.Sensing her unease and recalling Grace's track record of causing trouble, Jeffrey gave a subtle gesture. Soon, his car pulled up in front of them. "Get in. I'll take you home."He deliberately supported her waist and ensured she got into the car safely. Just as he was about to follow her in, his gaze fell upon the photo in Grace's hands. The sight of those two familiar figures from his past instantly ignited a fiery rage in him."What do you have there?!" Jeffrey's voice was cold and menacing.Startled, Grace instinctively took a step back. However, Jeffrey s
Upon hearing the words that she might have to face legal consequences, Grace's legs went weak, and she almost collapsed.If she were imprisoned and tainted by scandal, Duke Wilhelm would surely sever their father-daughter relationship... Her future would be utterly ruined!She couldn't let that happen!Grace's face turned pale, her eyes filled with fear as she looked at Jeffrey, hoping for some mercy. However, Jeffrey couldn't be bothered to spare her another glance and simply turned to leave."Don't let me hear another word about this photo again. If I do, I won't just spare you or your family!" Jeffrey warned as he walked away, leaving Grace trembling in place.-The black Maybach had driven quite a distance and was now navigating onto the elevated highway.In the stifling silence, Melanie finally said to William, "Take me to the Jones’ residence.""Madam... President Morgan will be home shortly. Would you like to..."William was still trying his best to secure a chance fo
Melanie couldn't sleep anyway, so she immediately headed toward Cyrus's workshop after hanging up the call.It was getting late, and Cyrus' fragrance blending room was located on the outskirts. As she continued driving, the roads became increasingly desolate, prompting her to switch on the high beams.After a while, Melanie unintentionally glanced into the rearview mirror and instantly narrowed her eyes. She noted that the car trailing behind her was the same one she'd noticed earlier.She had been driving for an hour. How coincidental could it be to share the same route?She adjusted her speed and watched the black SUV behind her.The car was quite inconspicuous and wasn't following too closely. Perhaps her subdued mood today made her sensitive to this oddity.Ten minutes later, the car was still leisurely trailing behind her. Melanie frowned subtly as she glanced at the GPS.Ahead, a secluded road led to the countryside. A plan formed in her mind, and she suddenly floored the
Melanie was startled, and her heart tightened. Instinctively, she reached for her phone to call for help when the man outside said, "Miss Melanie, is that you? I'm Mr. Nathan's assistant. Is your car having issues?"Melanie's fingers were poised to dial, and she hesitated. She took a closer look at the man outside, feeling a hint of recognition. He did seem familiar, like someone who used to follow Nathan around.However, her anxiety outweighed any surprise she might have felt at encountering Nathan at this moment.She hesitantly lowered her window, and Nathan approached her vehicle. "Miss Melanie? It is you! I recognize your license plate.""Mr. Nathan!" Her expression was tense. "What brings you here?""I have some land nearby where I'm building a factory. I just finished inspecting the site and was returning to the city," Nathan explained. "What happened to your car?""I ran out of gas," she replied truthfully."In that case, why don't you come with me?" Nathan suggested.
Melanie had a sleepless night.Annie messaged her at four in the morning. According to the private investigator, the black SUV she remembered and its owner were legitimate. He lived near the village Melanie had been at last night.Therefore, the private investigator concluded it wasn't stalking, just a coincidence."I don't think it's a coincidence," Melanie said firmly, gripping her phone."Going with your gut feeling?" Annie asked.Melanie responded without hesitation, "Something felt off when that car was tailing me. I refuse to believe it's merely a coincidence.""But we've checked the owner and everyone around him. There weren't any red flags. Even so, I'll have them continue looking," Annie said, trusting Melanie but lacking evidence."Forget it. Let's not waste more effort," Melanie replied. "Even if my instincts are right, the mastermind behind this has planned meticulously. Let them think I believe it's a coincidence. It might make them lower their guard.""Agreed. I k
"I haven’t thanked you for last night." Melanie took the chance to say. Nathan smiled and shook his head. "Ever since we met, you've been thanking me." "That means you've been helping me." Melanie reminisced and smiled. “But I haven't had the chance to repay your kindness." "Then let's consider it a debt for now," Nathan replied humbly. He sat opposite her. They didn’t have much to say to each other. Just when they were feeling awkward, the doctor led the nurse into the room. After examining Melanie’s ECG for a long time and conducting some basic tests, the doctor said, "There's nothing wrong with you. Just make sure to rest more when you go back and try to keep calm." "Can I be discharged now?" Melanie asked. The doctor nodded. Nathan looked at her with a smile and said, "It's about dinner time. I'll take you to have something good." Melanie's eyes flashed, and she decisively said, "I'll treat you. Consider it as me repaying a favor, even though it’s not much." Nat