Grace felt curious when she saw his anxious expression but didn't inquire further. She pointed where Lydia had gone and said, "She just went over there. She couldn't have gone far."Caleb didn't wait around. He immediately strode in the direction Lydia had gone. He had barely walked a dozen steps before he noticed the familiar silhouette. Caleb slowly composed his emotions, but he couldn't help but pick up his pace. "Lydia!" he called out to her. Lydia froze in her tracks. The next moment, Caleb had already caught up to her. "Why are you in such a rush?"Lydia raised her head to look at him. She was very calm as she said, "Are you here to have me answer for my crimes?" Caleb raised his eyebrow in silence as he eyed her from top to toe. His gaze ultimately landed on her right hand. Lydia clenched her fists quietly when she felt his gaze. "If you're here to get even with me, I don't have anything to say. I did slap her. I was also the one who asked her for the 30 millio
Tears began streaming down Kayla's face. She had gentle and feminine features, so her crying face looked very pitiable. "It's fine. Just tell me what's troubling you." Grace comforted her.Kayla started crying even harder. The people around them started to stare at them. Grace instinctively frowned. Kayla stopped crying after a long while. Then, she said, "Ms. Lewis, VERE Jewelry terminated their sponsorship contract with me. Also, Ms. York slapped me. This mark on my face is her doing."Grace's expression turned grave when she heard that. She started to think about what Kayla said.She had known Lydia for many years. Lydia was someone who tried her best in life and work. She had gotten to where she was by creating countless designs all by herself. Besides, Grace knew how Lydia treated other people. She would never be the instigator of an incident. Of that, Grace was very sure. So she asked calmly, "It's okay. Tell me slowly. What happened?"Kayla heard that and thought Gra
Grace smirked. "You must be very well off if 30 million dollars can be considered minor to you."Kayla felt a chill go down her spine."Ms. Lewis, I—"Grace ignored her. She looked like she was adamant about making things right. "Say no more! You're one of my artists. It's only natural that I defend you. Let's see the surveillance footage. If it's really Ms. York who's in the wrong, I'll definitely get justice for you.""Ms. Lewis, this—"Grace had already seen through Kayla's lies, so her tone grew harsh. "What? Are you feeling guilty?""No, I'm not.""Since you're not guilty, let's go to the control room. We'll let the facts do the talking."Seeing how persistent Grace was, Kayla knew she didn't have a good reason to stop her. So she started panicking. What was she to do now?"Let's go." Grace urged. Kayla took a deep breath. She had no choice but to follow Grace to the control room.Coincidentally, Caleb was also in the control room when the two of them walked in.
"Penalty?" Kayla murmured.She said uncertainly, "What penalty? Was there such a clause in our contract?"Grace was a little bewildered. "Ms. Green, did you sign the contract without reading it?"Kayla's heart skipped a bit. That was exactly what she had done. She had been so fixated on getting Caleb's attention when she had signed the contract that she hadn't paid attention to the details. She had barely even looked at the contract before she had signed her initials on it. Kayla was panicking as she silently grasped the hem of her shirt. She had already used most of her money to pay for the necklace. She didn't have any more money to pay for the penalty. But given the situation she was in, what else could she do?"How much is the penalty?" Kayla asked with a frown. Her heart was about to jump out of her chest. Grace shrugged and told her the truth. "If you want to end the contract now, the terms dictate that you need to pay a penalty of 50 million dollars for breach of con
Kayla was truly frightened. There wasn't a way out for her. "Are you sure?" Grace asked. Kayla's face lit up when she saw that Grace had relented. She quickly replied, "I'm sure! I'll do anything as long as you give me another chance."Grace gave it some thought. "Are you sure you won't regret it?""Yes, I'm sure.""Let me think about it."Kayla felt as if a weight had been lifted from her chest. "Thank you, Ms. Lewis. Thank you!"Kayla slumped to the floor after Grace left. Her back was already covered in sweat. She smacked herself on the head remorsefully. Why had she signed with Amirate Corporation back then? Luckily, she still had a chance. As long as Grace didn't stop giving her resources, she would try her best to make enough money to terminate the contract and get out of there. Kayla figured she would settle the score with Grace after she got out of her contract. The future Kayla had envisioned was nice, but Grace had already anticipated that. The following day, K
After he said that, Luke turned around and left.Kayla stood frozen in place, her face ashen with shock.…In the office on the top floor, Grace had just sat down when Luke entered. She didn't even look up as she continued to work on the documents before her.Luke saw that and walked up to her. He reported what had happened politely. "Ms. Lewis, the job is done."Grace flicked her wrist and signed her name on the final page of the document."Then, that will be all for now. We'll have to watch and see what she'll do.""Understood, Ms. Lewis. One more thing …" Luke said hesitantly. Grace stopped what she was doing and looked up. "What is it?"Instead of answering her question, Luke asked, "Did you watch the news today, Ms. Lewis? The news about the groundbreaking ceremony for the plot of land Landon Group acquired from the government?"Grace raised her eyebrow. Jessica sure moved fast. She had acquired that plot of land on the south side of the city in two weeks. And they were
"It's still such a pity we missed out on such a promising project. I should have invested in it privately. It would have turned a nice profit," one of the directors said with a sigh. Samuel smiled. He felt even better about himself now. Fortunately, he had the foresight to do exactly that. The project's development had already begun. Housing units would be up for sale next month. He would get his capital back very soon. "Look who's here," someone called out. Everyone turned and looked to the right."If it isn't Ms. Lewis. Let's go have a chat with her," one of the directors suggested. Everyone else agreed. All of them followed his lead."Ms. Lewis!" Grace instinctively stopped in her tracks when she heard someone calling out to her. She turned around and saw the directors walking toward her."How may I be of assistance?"Director Tucker, who was leading the group, snorted and said, "Have you seen the news lately, Ms. Lewis? I think you already know the project on the sout
Under the crowd's expectant gaze, Xander asked, "I'm pretty curious. You are all directors of Amirate Corporation, right?""Naturally."Xander added, "Your annual dividends are tied to the company's revenue, right? Why are you all making things difficult for Ms. Lewis?"The directors started to feel a little awkward after Xander said that."Why would you say that, Mr. Fulton?" one of the directors asked. "Ms. Lewis is doing her best for Amirate Corporation, but none of you see it. Instead, you show disdain and make things difficult for her. It's like you're not even loyal to your own company."The directors' expression changed as soon as Xander said that. Tucker's face flushed as he said, "Mr. Fulton, what do you mean by that? We're all devoted to Amirate Corporation!"If Ms. Lewis had listened to us and invested in that plot of land in the city's southern area, it would have brought great profit to the company. "The project's revenue would also far exceed expectations. I dar
"Well, it's just that since Mrs. Jarvis introduced me to Ms. Lewis last time, I haven't had the chance to say thanks."The elevator doors opened then, and Dexter left after saying this.…After two hours of emergency treatment, Diana clung to a thread of life. Grace walked out, exhausted, and saw the angry figure of Dexter.Coincidentally, Dexter saw her as well. He turned and called out to her, "Ms. Lewis."Dexter, known for being stern and upright, suddenly smiled, which surprised Grace. "Mr. Hamilton.""You don't need to address me like that outside of work. Just call me by my name."As he had a higher seniority than her, Grace didn't dare be casual. "Are you here visiting a patient?"The weather was nice today. Standing in the sunlight, Grace's complexion was shining, seemingly hovering between youthfulness and freshness. She seemed even more beautiful than the flowers.Dexter suddenly recalled something Orson had said, and his expression darkened momentarily."I must ask
"Mr. Fulton, this.."The guard looked hesitantly at Benjamin lying on the ground and frowned."Isn't this a hospital? He won't die."As Xander said this, he coincidentally met the gaze of a nearby doctor. The doctor flinched and instinctively took a step back."Xander—" Benjamin's call suddenly came from behind as Xander took a step forward."Even if you deal with me, can you handle Alexander?"Benjamin's voice was filled with resentment and self-mockery. He lay flat on his back on the ground, staring at the ceiling. "My elder brother seems to avoid fighting, but if he does, you're no match for him."Xander paused momentarily, then continued to walk away without looking back or responding.Hazel followed closely. "Benjamin doesn't seem to be joking. Could there be a backup plan?""Someone needs to take over to completely deal with the Hawkins family. Let's see if the eldest son of the Hawkins family is willing to step up."As Xander entered the elevator, he coincidentally met
At the entrance, the police saw what was happening and moved to intervene but were stopped. A signal to hold back was given. "Don't worry. Mr. Fulton won't cause any fatalities.""Especially since you dared to make a move against Grace." Xander gave a cold laugh. "She spent a few days in prison, so I'll make sure you repay that a thousand times over.""Xander—"Grace brought this on herself. She even dared to investigate the Hawkins family, to dig into the past of the previous Mrs. Hawkins, to investigate Alexander!" Benjamin endured the pain he felt and was on the verge of a breakdown. "By the way, do you know who Alexander is? And the person he loves the most."Xander's face turned ashen, and he applied more force, causing Benjamin to scream in agony."If you were in my position, you would do the same." Benjamin struggled to speak. "Besides, don't you want Alexander to disappear? Don't you want Grace to be yours and only yours?"Xander remained silent, looking around disdainful
A commotion broke out again outside the hospital room. At the same moment, the medical equipment started beeping urgently. Reina's face turned pale with fright as she threw herself onto Diana. "Di Di! Doctor! Someone come quickly!"In a panic, Grace rushed out and pounded on Cael's office door. "Bed 24, Dr. Simpson! Di Di is not doing well!"Cael immediately hurried over with the nurses.Grace was pushed into a corner by the crowd. She leaned against the wall, her face filled with melancholy. This scene did not escape the eyes of someone hidden in a corner, who also felt a sense of wistfulness.She didn't notice the figure cast long shadows in the light, with her being the sole focus in their view.…Meanwhile, in another building, police stood guard at the hospital room door where Benjamin was confined. His face was haggard and unshaven, and he no longer looked like the well-dressed Benjamin Hawkins.Instead, he resembled a prisoner.Before entering, Xander asked, "What's the
"If it were as usual, working for these wealthy families would keep money in my hands. But after Di Di's incident, our whole family got crushed. Her father wanted to give up, but I couldn't, so we divorced.""When I worked at the Hawkins family, both Mr. Hawkins and Mrs. Hawkins treated me well. Mrs. Hawkins knew about Di Di's situation and kept giving me money, but it was never enough. One day, I accidentally stumbled upon Mr. Hawkins having an affair with Susan…"Reina recalled the past with a look of melancholy on her face. "Susan gave me hush money and promised another payment if I did something for her."Grace had a hunch after hearing this. "She wanted you to frame Mrs. Hawkins, who was pregnant at the time.""I didn't want to." Reina shook her head, clearly pained. "But I have a daughter. I couldn't lose Di Di. I needed that money."Even as a mother herself, she could actually harm Felicia Wilson, Alexander's mother."The Hawkins family is wealthy. If you had told Mrs. Haw
Grace thought about it. So that's what happened."So you had someone beat him up?""I forgot to ask. Which hand did he touch you with?" Xander asked seriously.She thought for a moment. "The left hand? I can't remember exactly.""No problem. Both hands were hit," Xander said casually as if discussing the weather. Grace remembered the content of that video. Orson was clearly heavily injured and beaten mercilessly.Luckily, he got what he deserved. Xander had fiercely avenged her.The coat slipped off, revealing her outfit for the day. Xander glanced at it and said, "You're going out."Grace didn't deny it. She thought of today's matter with Celia. "Benjamin was released for medical treatment. I want to see him."Since it had come to this point, a meeting with him was reasonable.Xander leaned back on the couch, not speaking for a moment, his jaw clenched tight. He seemed to be contemplating something, or perhaps he was angry.Grace couldn't be sure, but she was resolute. "I
An hour later, Xander concluded the negotiations, with the partnership successfully sealed and the contract signed that day.He personally escorted the clients to the elevator and then returned to his office. Hazel approached cautiously with a cup of coffee. "Mr. Fulton.""Speak." Xander didn't look up from his documents."Ms. Lewis came by."He looked up at Hazel, his expression shifting. "Where is she?""She wanted to see you directly, but since the contract wasn't finalized, I didn't dare let her in to disturb you, so I…""I asked where she is."His gaze was icy, cutting her off mid-sentence.Hazel immediately lowered her head. "She's in the lounge."He stood up abruptly and headed straight for the lounge, leaving a stern warning, "If you take matters into your own hands again, resign."Hazel was left stunned.Grace hadn't left. Exhausted from the sleepless night, she lay on Futurelink's large couch, lost in thought.When Xander entered, he saw her fragile figure, as if
"What is it?""Ms. Lewis, I just received news that Orson from the municipal bureau is in trouble…"Grace's expression changed. She had just seen him last night. How could something have happened so suddenly? Her first thought was of Xander.Luke sent her a video.It was night time In the video, the street outside a bar was brightly lit, and neon signs flashed from the tall buildings. The place was bustling with people. The videographer had been capturing the night scene when suddenly, the sound of roaring engines was heard—Orson stepped out of a car, dressed formally, and entered a club discreetly. But within minutes, he was kicked out, landing heavily on the ground.Approaching him were five or six masked men in black, clearly part of an organized group of thugs. Orson screamed in fear, "Who are you?"Two men grabbed him, while the others began beating him badly. His screams echoed through the street, and it was clear they were showing no mercy.Blood pooled on the ground.
With nothing better to do, Grace nodded. "Let's watch."Caleb led her out the door.The leading actress of the film they were heading to was a friend of Caleb's in the industry, which allowed him to visit the set under the guise of catching up. As their car parked at the entrance, they saw a throng of reporters pushing their way inside.Celia wore a hat and mask. She was dragging a suitcase, and she looked disheveled and desperate. "You can't fire me! I'm the second female lead! The film is almost finished! You're breaching the contract!""You caused a scandal. That's the real breach of contract. It's a good thing we're not asking you for damage compensation! Get out, get out!"The staff were shoving her out.Reporters swarmed her. "Celia, how do you respond to the video online?""Is it true you have a sugar daddy?""Celia, Celia!""Shut up!" Celia screamed, her hair a mess. "It's fake, all fake! I'm an actress, how could I do such things?""But the video…"Celia lashed out,