"We did a fingerprint scan in the victim's room earlier...""And what were the results?"The detective took a deep breath. "No traces or prints that could identify the owner. But we suspect a shadowy group, a dark community, that is rumored to have a base on the outskirts of the city.""A dark community?"Clara frowned, feeling a sense of unease at the thought of such depravity still existing."That's what we believe, but no one can confirm their existence, even after searching the remote areas, including the forests."It sounded trivial, but it was quite complicated.Thinking about it, Clara rubbed her temples and excused herself from the room.Seeing this, Joe felt concerned and followed her. "Miss Lara..."He stopped mid-sentence as the woman, leaning back against the patio chair, gestured for him to be quiet. "Didn't we agree not to use formal titles?""O-okay, alright. But you look pale. Are you sure you're okay? Or should I order some food delivery for you?""Deal!"Joe hadn't e
At Values Airport, Clara Clark stood nervously in the waiting area, a large suitcase at her feet.She glanced at her watch again. It had been forty-five minutes since she disembarked the plane. Yet, her husband, the man she had married a year ago, was nowhere to be seen.She frowned, smoothing her dress with her fingers, already harboring a bad feeling about a man she had never met.This was supposed to be their first meeting. How could he be so late?As she watched people come and go, she couldn't help but recall her rushed marriage.It had happened a year ago, after her grandfather had fallen critically ill.Clara, who had been abroad at the time, rushed home to see him. Her grandfather expressed his wish to see her married before he passed.Clara had wanted to refuse. But remembering how her grandfather had adopted her from a destitute family and raised her to be the woman she was, she couldn't bring herself to disappoint him.And so, Clara married the man her grandfather had chose
Clara and Sheina rode the elevator to the top floor.During the ride, Sheina was very enthusiastic. She kept telling Clara about the company. “The CEO’s main office occupies the entire top floor. Most employees are not allowed to enter there. Only those who report directly to him or have something very important can go there.”Clara listened silently.She wanted to learn as much as possible about her new boss, so she appreciated this new lecture.Suddenly, Sheina stopped. Then, she turned to Clara and asked casually, “I heard before that you worked at one of the group’s branches abroad. Why were you suddenly transferred to the headquarters? Did you know Mr. Halle before?”Curiosity shone in Sheina's eyes. It was clear she wanted to know this for gossip purposes.Never before in the history of Founderflash Group had anyone been hired or transferred without going through an interview. In fact, the process of becoming an employee here was longer than most.Clara had broken that record.T
Sheina led Clara to the public relations department. She then introduced her to the other employees. “Listen up, everyone! This is Clara Clark, your new colleague.”With a polite smile, Clara said, “Nice to meet you all. It's an honor to be a part of this department. Hopefully, we can all work well together.”The others were surprised by Clara's quick acceptance. They whispered to each other.“Is she the PR officer who was transferred here to work directly for Mr. Halle? She looks beautiful. I wonder if she’s beautiful and intelligent or just empty.”“Come on. You should know that Mr. Halle picks the best talent. I’m sure she’s an expert in her field.”“I’m so envious of her. She gets to work close to Mr. Halle. How lucky!”Clara heard everything. However, her smile remained the same, and she didn’t say anything.On the other hand, Sheina’s face turned slightly red. She frowned at Clara.These comments reinforced Sheina’s dissatisfaction.Everyone knew that Adrian conducted strict int
Simon’s face darkened. “What did you just say?”“You heard me right!” Adrian said nonchalantly. “You were disrespectful to the female employees of this company. And we will no longer be collaborating with you. There are thousands of piano compositions in the world. It should be easy to find another pianist.”As Clara gazed at Adrian’s broad back, her eyes sparkled with gratitude.He was so classy. His wife was a lucky woman.Simon’s mouth gaped open, and he looked utterly embarrassed. The next second, he lost his temper. He jumped to his feet, stormed out, and slammed the door shut.The other employees left their desks and craned their necks to look at the meeting room door.As Adrian walked out, he reprimanded Sheina in front of the others. “Don’t you know that you should have conducted a background check on Simon Alexander before offering to work with him? As a PR professional, you should know that every wrong step can lead to disaster and can come back to haunt this company.”With
Clara returned from the restroom and saw that her husband, Jordan, still hadn’t arrived. As she returned to the table, she saw her boss.She greeted her boss, but noticed that his eyes seemed gloomy.Adrian answered briefly, “I’m here to meet a business partner.”“Oh, okay.” Feeling that he wasn’t in the mood to talk, Clara didn’t continue the conversation.Adrian turned and left without looking back. Clara returned to the table and checked her watch. It was already seven forty. Jordan was half an hour late.Frowning, she took out her phone and reread the message she had sent him earlier.There were no errors in the address and time.Why hadn’t he come yet after agreeing to come? Was he letting her down again?What was the matter? Did he not want to meet the woman he married? Did he already hate her before they met?As her mind was filled with various questions, Clara felt a little sad.The steak she was eating tasted bland in her mouth. After swallowing a piece forcefully, she put do
"Alright, that's all for this meeting. I'll expect the next report next week."For some reason, Clara felt like Adrian's smile was forced."The boss seems down today. What's wrong with him? Did he just have a fight with his wife?"Apparently, a few staff members shared Clara's thought, as whispers started to fill the room as everyone started leaving.Clara sighed as she was left alone to tidy up the files and laptop from the meeting. Her current situation, added to her disappointment with Jordan last night, made her mind even more muddled. But Clara didn't want her personal problems to affect her work, so she decided to find a solution on her own when she was finished.Back in her office, Clara leaned back in her chair, gazing out the large window with its sheer curtains. 'What should I do?'The ringing of her phone diverted her attention."Yes...""Lara, I have some brands calling, asking if you'd be interested in modeling for their new product launch, which happens in two days."
"I knew you'd be here, Adrian."Clara was taken aback as an elegant woman approached her boss, her lips curving into a knowing smile.However, Adrian's reaction was starkly different as she extended her hand toward him. “It's nice to see you again. How are you?”Oddly, the CEO ignored her and walked away, searching for an empty table."I’ve reserved a VIP room over there –""No need, I’ll stay here."Drawing a breath, feeling ignored, the woman glanced briefly at Clara before pulling something out of her purse. "You're his assistant, Adrian? Could you please order drinks from the front?"Who was this woman?Clara stared at the exclusive VIP card she was handed. Owners Clarissa!Clara felt a sense of familiarity. She planned to search for her on Baidu once she had the card.'No way! Clarissa is a gold mining entrepreneur and owner of a globally famous app. If that's the case, she's probably very close to Adrian.'After putting her phone away, Clara bought the best drinks in the caf