Melanie stayed backstage.Gabriel wasn’t back yet, and she had no idea what to do if she headed out. What’s more, both Nathan and Linda wanted to make life tough for her, be it secretly or openly.A while later, it was Derrick who ended up going backstage first instead of Gabriel.“Ms. Melanie! Apologies for keeping you waiting,” Derrick said.“Don’t say that. Is anything the matter?” Melanie asked as she stood up.“Your performance just now was absolutely stunning! It’s unbelievable!”Derrick was generous with his praise. “I’ll be honest and say that your performance is on par with that of professional pianists. I’m flabbergasted. You didn’t rehearse this piece at all, but you were able of playing it so perfectly! You’ve completely exceeded my expectations!”“Perhaps you didn’t expect much from me?” Melanie joked.Derrick chuckled. “Did you learn how to play the piano when you were young? Your skills clearly sound as though they’ve been honed from your childhood.”“I did le
“Ms. Melanie, why would a quote exist in a co-branding effort?” Derrick asked.“Mr. Lynch…you mean…?” Melanie asked in surprise. “I’m still willing to collaborate with you,” Derrick said with certainty.Just then, Gabriel joined them backstage. He winked at Melanie, who then figured out why Derrick made such a sudden decision.“I know your piano skills well, but I also know of your family background. I know you’re single-handedly running your family business, and you went to great lengths to come to me for help for the sake of your company’s products. It’s clear to me that you’re a responsible woman. Someone like you is an ideal business partner,” Derrick said sagely.“Mr. Lynch, are you sure about this?” Linda said with arched brows, deliberately sowing doubt.“Why would I not be? Having been fellow players of this industry for many years, despite the arguments that our fans have had, I’ve never offended you on a personal level. Yet, you refused to spare me tonight. I think I’v
Derrick’s performance was supposed to mark the end of the banquet, but the atmosphere reached a peak.Gabriel found himself surrounded by elders he was familiar with, eager to exchange pleasantries with him. Melanie avoided the crowd, and headed to the washroom alone.She felt great remorse.It would have been all right if she were unaware, but she clearly knew about the grudge Yancey Group had against Morgan Group. Why was she still so careless as to allow Yancey Group to resort to decoy tactics, and thereby successfully attack Morgan Group’s most major business lines?She stood before the sink in the washroom for a long time, rinsing her hands with cold water. The cold water pierced through her numb hands and right into her bones.She forced herself to remain calm, reminding herself to remember this painful lesson. Morgan Group was on the cusp of collapse, and couldn’t withstand yet another wrong move…Tonight’s banquet was organized by Mr. Sheppard.Sheppard Co. had been work
“Ha!”Melanie smiled coldly.Give the man an inch, and he’ll take a mile!She retracted her stubborn expression and sneered. “I just didn’t want to waste all the risk I took for a few days. You died from an infection after I saved you... Then I shouldn’t have saved you in the first place.”Jeffrey’s eyes darkened as he flapped his wounded arm. He had bandaged it in a rush, so he didn’t properly sanitize it. He pursed his thin lips and agreed.Melanie led the way and walked around to the back of the party.“How did you know that there’s an infirmary here?” Jeffrey asked in shock. This was where he’d found the medkit just now.Melanie didn’t answer.In order to get closer to Derrick, who had asthma, she had specifically asked where the infirmary was, just in case.The two of them soon reached the infirmary.Melanie opened the medkit, familiar with its workings, and removed all the bandages that Jeffrey had put on himself. While she had an idea of what his injuries were like, it
“Calm down!”Jeffrey immediately raised his hand to stop her.This woman thought that he was Jefford Yancey and detested him. If she suddenly missed...Melanie sneered. “If you’re afraid, then you better hold your tongue. I don’t want to listen to any of your sexual harassment.” “Is it sexual harassment? It’s obviously normal for a man to flirt with a woman,” Jeffrey continued to speak with Jefford’s personality.Melanie rolled her eyes. “In your understanding, is this something that you can say to a woman so simply?”She was learning new things again.“Correction. It’s a man flirting with a woman that mutually likes him back,” he explained with careful use of words.Mutual?Likes?There was a bit too much information in that sentence of his!“First of all, allow me to emphasize that I don’t hold any “liking” towards you at all. Also, what do you mean by ‘mutually like’? Do you like me too?” Melanie asked attentively.Jeffrey was just going to answer when suddenly, there w
There was excitement in Melanie’s eyes as Jeffrey’s heartbeat accelerated.This was the first time he told her that he wasn’t dead.He hid the excitement in his eyes and said, “Take me there and I can tell him that I’m Jeffrey Morgan. That I’m simply putting on a disguise as I stayed with the Yanceys.”“...!”Melanie was shocked.She believed that she was listening to fiction!“You must be mad, Mr. Jefford! Or do you think I’m mad?! How can this help you? Don’t you want to have a hold on the Yanceys?!”“It’s exactly because I want to take a hold in the Yanceys.”Jeffrey handled her suspicion well. “There’s a condition for my assistance. If we succeed, then you have to promise me that you’ll support me against Linda and her faction.”“Me?”Melanie smiled coldly. “What do I have that can assist you?”“Your relationship with the owner of the Windborough Estate,” Jeffrey answered.“What does this have to do with him?” Melanie asked, confused.“He’s extremely important to the Y
The flash light from Gabriel’s mobile disappeared into the darkness. Only then did Jeffrey come out from behind the cabinet.He was still hurt.A few months ago, he had awakened from darkness and had to face the entire alien Yancey family.Most of the Yanceys were loyal to Linda; they rejected him and spied on him. And the small portion of people that supported him were all the matron’s men and not his.He disguised himself with an unruly personality, trying his best to find his missing memories. He thought that those would be the worst days. But it was only when he recovered his memories on the day the woman he loved the most was giving birth did he realize that just because he remembered the past, it wasn’t like he could return to it. That was even more painful.Just like today—Even if he knew that the Morgan Group’s core businesses had suddenly failed, he didn’t dare drink any alcohol.He was scared that he might say something he shouldn’t when he was drunk.All he could do w
The owner’s grayish-white brows twitched. He didn’t expect that Melanie would know so much. “Seems like you know more than I thought. However, you only know half of it.”“What do you mean?”“The jade ring is half of a pair. Mrs. Yancey has been keeping one of them, and she has passed the other one to Jeffrey’s mom...”“Is there a meaning to separating the two?” Melanie asked.“Of course there is.”The owner started to explain. “When overseas, all the Yancey Group’s employees will need to obey the orders of the one with the jade ring as if they have met the confirmed scion. However, that’s to the outsiders. For insiders, the Yancey Group’s board will acknowledge the one with both jade rings as the true scion.” That was why Jefford wanted to get his support!Melanie finally understood the reason!But...“If this is so important, why didn’t you take this back to the Yanceys after so many years?” she asked doubtfully.The owner then nodded and explained...“Your suspicion also