Toph was astonished, but Zuko smiled at him and led him up the stairs.The building had only two units on each floor, and they were headed to the opposite side of Arya Comics."This..."Zuko handed the keys to Toph. "You'll be staying here for the time being.""What?""This is a property developed by the Thompson Group. The quality is absolutely guaranteed!""I'm not talking about that, I mean..." Toph's words trailed off as the door across from them gently opened.Arya stepped out with a smile, holding a paintbrush in her hand.Toph paused and smiled happily. He glanced into her messy studio, where paint, canvases, and papers were scattered all around. The litter of small kittens had grown, and they were now lively and watchful, their round eyes regarding him as a stranger.Toph laughed. This was his first hearty peal of laughter in a while.Zuko understood that it was time for him to leave. He handed the luggage to Toph and smiled at Arya. "He'll be living across from you f
"N-No... No..." Jacquelin shivered.She and Renee were birds of a feather. If news spread about her trying to steal client data, Renee, as a witness, might get dragged into the situation.The seasoned members of the board of directors would likely blow this out of proportion, and Renee might struggle to defend herself later.Jacquelin had a sudden idea. Instead of dealing with this on her own, it might be smarter to involve Renee and split the profits!She composed herself and gazed at Renee. "Frankly, I can't bear being at the Thompson Group any longer, but I refuse to back down! Even if I leave, I want the Thompson Group's reputation in this industry to suffer."I intended to sell the client data. Earning some cash would be nice, but the crucial part is that our peers should be aware the Thompson Group deals in client data trafficking. It might deter potential partners down the line!"Renee was shocked. "This is illegal!"Jacqueline smiled maliciously. "If you and I don't say
Renee smirked and placed Lena's file back. She turned to urge Jacquelin, "Are you done?"Jacquelin was somewhat afraid but still mustered the courage to pull out some documents. She also retrieved electronic versions from the computer.After completing these tasks in haste, they hurriedly left the HR department.Renee was aware of the surveillance cameras' blind spots near the HR department entrance, so she skillfully avoided them. Little did she know, a pair of eyes was watching the screen with a smile at that very moment.-Three days later, the Thompson Group's board meeting took place as usual.Although Renee rarely attended these meetings, she was present this time, as was Zuko. When Renee entered the meeting room, her gaze met Zuko's, causing her to shiver momentarily. However, she quickly composed herself and sat as if nothing had happened.With everyone gathered, Zuko stood up and addressed the board with a chuckle. "Today's main topic is the Thompson Group's future deve
Meanwhile, Zuko observed the situation calmly as if it had nothing to do with him. His indifferent attitude perplexed the board members.Renee recomposed herself and sneered, "Jade, you don't want to fetch it because you know Lena's personnel file is blank, right?"Jade glanced at her with a disdainful smile."Who knows if someone like Lena has a clean past?!" Renee turned hysterical. "If her background is spotless, why wouldn't she dare include her parents' names? Why wouldn't she dare to reveal her past?!"She's hiding it deliberately! Don't think that I don't know anything since I'm rarely here. I know that this is against the Thompson Group's regulations!"At this point, a few board members chimed in."That's right! She's quite suspicious. Is she really from the sales department?""We're a big corporation, after all. We should be cautious about personnel matters!""Ms. Neale, perhaps you could help us fetch that employee's information. Maybe there's a misunderstanding. If w
Toph hadn't heard from Renee in days. Slowly, he realized their relationship could never return to what it once was.During this time, he came to understand a few things. Since their relationship had taken its course, it was best to let things unfold naturally. Not pushing too hard might show respect for their relationship and preserve their last shreds of dignity.Furthermore, he found something he enjoyed.He could chat about comics with Arya daily and discuss plots. When he got stuck, Arya would draw the characters with him. His comic had started serialization again, and with Arya's help, he had made some changes that led to a steady increase in viewership. While it hadn't reached the previous 100,000-plus mark, watching the data steadily rise gave Toph a great sense of accomplishment.Most importantly, he could be himself around Arya.She didn't pressure him with complicated theories or push him to compete for control of the Hamerton Group. In Arya's eyes, family and happiness
They agreed to meet at the coffee shop near the Thompson Group the next day.Renee wore a white outfit and appeared tired. She arrived before Toph and patiently waited for him by the window.This coffee shop used to be their regular spot, and this seat was their usual place. However, everything had changed, even though the setting remained the same.When Toph entered the coffee shop and saw Renee by the window, it felt like he had been transported back in time for a moment. She held her cup carefully, her gaze hesitant as she looked at him, not daring to speak.A pang shot through Toph's heart, like needles pricking him.He walked over slowly and sat across from her. When Renee saw him, she froze for a moment and then smiled, pushing a vanilla latte toward him."This is your favorite," she said.Toph glanced at it and smiled wryly.It was not his favorite.He loved the rich and sweet macchiato. He had only said he liked it when he brought her here for the first time. After tha
Renee stood there, utterly shocked by Toph's unexpected reaction. She had always viewed him as the wealthy, naive son she could easily manipulate.In their previous conflicts, no matter how heated they became, Toph would invariably return to her like an obedient puppy whenever she shed a tear and showed vulnerability.However, something in his eyes had changed this time. Panic briefly gripped her, but she regained her composure and continued crying."Toph, what am I to you? I have realized my mistake and genuinely want to be with you. You're an exceptional man, and I should cherish you—""That's right, I'm quite exceptional." Toph forced a smile. "I must have seemed like a fool to you, huh?""Toph!""Do you have any idea what I've been through?" He locked eyes with her. "I felt like I was losing my mind. No matter what I attempted, there was always a voice in my head saying, 'You can't do it...'""Renee, I started having nightmares. I'd wake up in the middle of the night and cou
Renee even told everyone about her attempted suicide."I swallowed sleeping pills because of this man, and I almost lost my life! But now he's leaving me just like that. I really don't know what I did wrong..."Renee sobbed uncontrollably, leaving Toph standing there, utterly bewildered and unsure of what to do.Suddenly, someone forcefully dragged Toph away. He was stunned when he realized the person who had pulled him out was Lena."Stop this nonsense, Renee!" Lena glared at her. "Do you only find happiness in destroying him?"Renee was taken aback, her eyes turning sinister.Lena stepped forward to stand in front of Toph. She had coincidentally passed the cafe close to the Thompson Group on her way to buy coffee. She had never expected to stumble upon this confrontation."Renee, tell us how he treated you," Lena said earnestly. "Speak honestly with your conscience. You were ready to betray the Thompson Group for your own selfish desires, and now you're threatening him. I used