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Chapter 22
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Not Your Second Choice Chapter 23
Bryan, seeing that Benedict was about to leave, quickly stood up and moved to block Benedict.Benedict glanced at him, his voice neither cold nor warm. "Did you forget? You called my assistant to come pick me up because I'd had too much to drink."Bryan was speechless.What a random excuse and absolutely fake excuse!He had used it earlier and now Benedict was throwing that back at him.Bryan stared at him, wanting to argue, but in front of Deidre, he couldn't bring himself to respond. That would be like admitting he had lied.Benedict swept his gaze over the room and saw Deidre rising to follow him. He said nothing, simply striding toward the door.As soon as Deidre stepped out of the room behind Benedict, Bryan's voice rang out behind them, "Deidre, next time I'm in Salve City, let's hang out. Teach me to drink!"She glanced up at Benedict. His lips were pressed together, and the corners of his eyes turned down, his face clearly impatient.Deidre opened her mouth to reply wi
Not Your Second Choice Chapter 24
Larry's foot paused over the accelerator. Through the rearview mirror, he saw his boss roll down the window."Get in."It was clear the words weren't meant for him.Larry frowned, looking toward the entrance of the Bealeys.Deidre was about to hail a cab when she heard Benedict's voice. She immediately turned her head.After a brief hesitation, she quickly stepped down the stairs and briskly walked toward the Maybach.It was the rule to listen to the new boss's words. A good subordinate followed orders.She smiled at Benedict, her expression respectful yet natural. "Thank you, Mr. O'Reily, for the ride."Of course, she wasn't going to sit in the back with him. She thanked him by the door and then moved quickly to the passenger seat, opening the door and settling inside.Larry hadn't really paid attention to Deidre before.Sure, she was over 1.6 meters tall, but his boss was over 1.8 meters, and just now, Deidre had been following Benedict, dressed in casual clothes. He hadn't
Not Your Second Choice Chapter 25
Deidre looked up at the airport entrance and saw a tall, elegant woman in a business dress waving at her, walking briskly toward her.It wasn't until Sandy Mallark stood before her that Deidre's eyes showed surprise, as if she couldn't recognize the woman in front of her. The person, dressed as a professional, was none other than the 23-year-old girl she had parted with three years ago, fresh and full of youth."I know what you're going to say," Sandy said, taking Deidre's suitcase. With a casual tone, she added, "It's not like I wanted to dress more maturely, but it's the only way I can command respect from the board of directors at my agency. Otherwise, they'd just call me a young girl and wonder how I could possibly run the entire company."Not all rich young women like to flaunt their wealth.Yes, Sandy was a low-key, rich heiress. Unpretentious, willing to work hard, and down-to-earth, she proved through her actions that she didn't rely on her family."You're right. It's rare
Not Your Second Choice Chapter 26
"Of course, I'll hold on to my big, strong friend, and never let go.""Tsk, tsk..."Sandy smiled, her eyes narrowing slightly. As they approached yet another red light, she slowed the car and shot a mock angry glare at Deidre. "You haven't changed a bit. Still sweet-talking your way through everything, huh?"They laughed, talking about everything and nothing, drifting between topics like two old friends. Before they knew it, they had arrived.Sandy had a vacant apartment nearby, close to where Deidre would be working. With her constant travels, she had prepared the place early, knowing that Deidre was returning to Rowanda to develop her career.The driver helped move their things into the apartment's living room."Alright. You can head back to the company," Sandy instructed the driver before turning to Deidre."Take a look around first. I've added some things, but if there's anything you're missing, just get it yourself."As soon as the door closed, Sandy collapsed lazily onto
Not Your Second Choice Chapter 27
The moment Deidre entered, she immediately noticed that the restaurant was much more spacious inside than it appeared from the outside. The place was busy, almost every table occupied. A friendly server approached her with a smile."Good evening, are you dining alone?" she asked."Yes, just me," Deidre replied with a nod.The server gestured for her to follow, guiding her to a table. Once seated, the server pointed to a QR code on the table."You can place your order online. If you need anything else, feel free to let us know," she added.Deidre nodded in understanding, then took out her phone and scanned the QR code. As she browsed the menu, she overheard a conversation from the next table, separated by an intricately carved partition."Did you hear? They're reopening bids for the Dobinsky project," one voice said."Really? I thought the bidding was already over. Why do they need a second round?" came the surprised reply."Well, if there's no second round, our company, Veiln
Not Your Second Choice Chapter 28
Deidre knew that Veilner Corp., one of the companies under the O'Reily Group umbrella, was not far from her apartment.It amused her how even during a casual meal, people at the next table were already delving into company matters. Soon-to-be colleagues, unwittingly discussing the business she'd soon be part of—it felt like an unplanned preview of her new environment.The two men at the next table seemed engrossed in their conversation. As Deidre finished her meal, she stood and glanced over, noticing a few cans of beer had joined their table. Her lips curled into a faint smile as she subtly took note of their faces. Then, with deliberate nonchalance, she turned and made her way to the cashier. After scanning the QR code to pay, she stepped out of the restaurant.Settling back into her car, Deidre recalled Sandy's suggestion about the nearby shopping mall. Sandy had assured her it had a comprehensive selection of goods and wasn't far from the apartment.Deidre set the mall as her
Not Your Second Choice Chapter 29
The sales associate's smile grew even wider, as though the stars had aligned that day. She had come across a customer who was not only good-looking but also about to drop a seven-figure sum on a necklace."Okay, I'll bring it right over."When the necklace was placed in front of Deidre, especially when she held it in her hands, the difference between seeing it through the glass display and holding it was stark. Her first impression was that earlier, outside, she had felt a faint sense of longing. But now, holding the weight of seven figures in her palm, she felt an unmistakable pang of heartache."Wrap it up. It's a gift.""Of course, please follow me to the gift box counter so you can choose the packaging."As Deidre followed the sales associate toward the counter, two figures walked into the store."Mom, I swear that looks like Deidre."Valerie would never forget the day Deidre had slapped her three times.Growing up, she had always been treated like royalty by her parents.
Not Your Second Choice Chapter 30
Kiera watched as Valerie tried on several pieces of jewelry, her dissatisfaction growing with each one. She turned to the saleswoman, signaling to continue searching for another style. Meanwhile, Valerie seized the moment and glanced toward the gift-wrapping counter.But this time, all she saw was a saleswoman carefully wrapping a piece of jewelry, and the familiar, infuriating figure she had seen earlier was nowhere in sight.Where was she?Valerie's curiosity grew. Kiera, meanwhile, urged, "What's the matter with you? Your dad finally agreed to buy you an expensive piece of jewelry, and now you're acting so indifferent. Come on, pick something.""I know."Annoyed, Valerie looked around the store one more time, but the person she was looking for was still nowhere to be found. Sighing, she turned her attention back to the jewelry.In the tea room, Deidre sat with her phone, checking stocks. She hadn't drunk much of the tea in front of her, knowing that soon, someone would bring
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Not Your Second Choice Chapter 60
"The agenda for today's meeting is simple," Benedict began without preamble. "Most of you are familiar with me, so there's no need for introductions. Instead, I'd like to introduce someone else."From the moment they walked into the conference room, Larry had followed closely behind Benedict. Observing this, Deidre hesitated for a moment, then decided to follow suit, stepping into place behind Larry.When Benedict spoke those words, Deidre's eyelids twitched instinctively.As expected, the man's calm, resonant voice filled the room. "This is Deidre Winsley, my new assistant. You may get acquainted with her."His words were like a single drop of water falling into an oil pan, calm on the surface but igniting a wave of chaos beneath. Shock rippled through the room, leaving no one untouched.The young president, practically a prince in his stature, had called a meeting just to introduce his assistant?All eyes turned to Deidre.Among the senior executives present, the thought on ev
Not Your Second Choice Chapter 59
When Deidre hesitated momentarily, Benedict had already circled around the desk, heading straight toward her."Mr. O'Reily?" she asked, her voice tinged with uncertainty.Benedict, tall and upright like a perfectly straight pole, strode over with long, purposeful steps. In no time, he was standing before her.At 5 foot 3, Deidre had to tilt her head slightly to meet the gaze of this man who stood well over 6 feet. Her smiling face betrayed a flicker of surprise as she looked up at him.The man before her was dressed impeccably, his suit without a single crease. Even the top button of his shirt was fastened, giving him an air of restraint. He exuded an aura of stern composure, a man who seldom smiled or indulged in unnecessary words.Benedict lowered his gaze to Deidre. "Your résumé is exceptional. You could easily serve as the president of one of the O'Reily Group's subsidiary companies. I'm curious—what terms did the old man offer to make you settle for the role of an assistant?"
Not Your Second Choice Chapter 58
Since Micah already found out her secret, Casey saw no reason to hide it from their mother. She decided to lay everything out."So, someone helped her, and the video ended up in her hands?" Casey's mother's tone carried the weight of contemplation."Exactly! You have no idea, Mom. That Half-past Five Bar is something else. I tried to pay for the video, but they told me they'd only hand it over to the police! Now someone else got their hands on it and cleared her name." Casey's frustration flared up again as she recounted the events."Deidre must have seduced someone of power!"Casey's mother mulled this over. "Fine. Leave this matter alone. I'll handle it myself."She would never allow Deidre, someone she had never approved of, to have any connection with the Landon family. Not even a whisper of association.That was precisely what Casey had been waiting for. A grin spread across her face as she beamed. "Thanks, Mom! I knew you'd always have my back."Back in her room, Casey gla
Not Your Second Choice Chapter 57
"Casey, I'm extremely disappointed in you." Micah's voice was calm but carried a distinct chill, as his gaze locked onto Casey like a hawk eyeing its prey."So what?" Casey snapped. Since the truth was out, she decided there was no need to hide it anymore. "Yes! I bought the trending topic in the first place. I wanted Deidre to be humiliated. Who does she think she is, acting all high and mighty? Just because she's got some looks, she thinks she can marry into wealth. I can't stand that fake, pretentious act of hers! Especially after what happened at the banquet and the bar—I wasn't about to let it go!"Her words came out in a torrent, her fiery glare meeting Micah's unwavering gaze. "You're my brother. What, are you expecting your own sister to apologize to her?""This whole mess is your doing," Micah replied, his voice heavy with disappointment. His expression darkened further as he regarded her unrepentant attitude. "Look at yourself—do you still think you're behaving like the
Not Your Second Choice Chapter 56
Through the screen of her phone, Casey could feel Neil's seething rage. Her heart clenched with unease—fearful that he might uncover she was behind the initial trending topic. But just as quickly, her nerves settled. It was only natural that Neil would pin all the blame on Deidre."I'll hang up now and ask around," she said. "Take care of yourself, don't get too worked up. Getting upset will only give certain people the satisfaction they want."Her tone was calm, considerate, designed to soothe. She waited for him to hang up first. As soon as the call ended, however, her expression darkened. The anger that had been simmering inside her boiled over, twisting her features into a scowl that radiated malice."Damn it! Who the hell is helping that wench?" she hissed.It wasn't possible that the Mallark family had managed to obtain the video footage—if a Landon couldn't, how could a Mallark? Casey's fury erupted, and she hurled her phone to the floor.Just then, a knock came at th
Not Your Second Choice Chapter 55
The moment the name "Neil Decker" leaped onto the screen of her phone, Casey's heart gave a sharp jolt. Forcing herself to stay calm, she answered, "N-Neil?""Do you know what the hell that trending topic is about? And that video? That Deidre—damn it—I won't let her get away with this!"Neil's voice, full of rage and frustration, exploded from the other end of the line.In the hospital, Neil had woken up from unconsciousness, only to find himself lying in a hospital bed. The sheer humiliation struck him like a tidal wave.He had been thrown to the ground like a ragdoll by a woman, sprawled out in an utterly disgraceful posture. To add insult to injury, he had managed to knock himself out with the very wine bottle he had intended to smash on someone else.The moment he regained consciousness, his first instinct was to call someone at Half-past Five Bar to have the previous night's video destroyed. But before he could dial, his elder cousin Finn's call came through.Neil, clueles
Not Your Second Choice Chapter 54
Deidre's eyes were clouded with suspicion.It didn't take long for her to understand.Clearly, the trending topic had shifted. It was no longer a smear campaign."Take a look at this!"Following Sandy's lead, Deidre's gaze landed on the screen, showing a video clip.After watching for a moment, she realized the earlier part of the footage was missing, but the middle remained intact without edits."There's more, look!"The video was divided into segments. In one of them, Neil was raising his wine glass as if to smash it at her, but the part where she slapped him was conspicuously absent."Now that this video is out, anyone with half a brain can tell you were acting in self-defense," Sandy said, her smile almost mischievous. "Check out the comments!"Sandy exited the video and navigated to the comments under the tag "The truth behind the rejected bride—Fact or Fiction?" Deidre scrolled down.[This girl in the video isn't the bride from the Landon family's wedding seven years
Not Your Second Choice Chapter 53
"Gabriel, let's wrap up here for today. I'll review the proposed contract changes and get back to you later," Benedict said."Alright," came Gabriel Augustin's response.The video conference ended swiftly. As the screen went dark, Benedict's voice cut through the room with a calm authority, "What happened?""Your phone rang earlier. It was the bar manager. He mentioned Deidre's appearance on the trending searches online.""Trending searches?" Benedict's brow shifted slightly as he raised his hand. "Give me the phone."Larry promptly handed over the device, his tone steady as he relayed his impressions of the situation. "Sir, this reeks of manipulation. It's almost certainly the work of hired trolls."Benedict's gaze locked onto the phone screen, his fingers scrolling through the flood of comments. One by one, he read them, the darkness in his eyes deepening into a cold, unfathomable hue."They've invested quite a bit of money in this. The effort is obvious," he said, his voice
Not Your Second Choice Chapter 52
"That incident has escalated?"Larry sounded surprised. "The surveillance footage from the bar wasn't released. How could photos have gotten out?"He doubted any random bystander would be reckless enough to provoke the Decker family by leaking those images online. The way public opinion was being guided online reeked of calculated intent, not coincidence."I've reviewed the photos circulating online," the bar manager said, his tone cautious. "Judging by the angles, they were taken up close. My guess is someone who came with Miss Landon snapped them on their phone at the time."That made things trickier.Larry frowned and cast a glance toward the closed conference room door. "Alright, I get it. Keep stalling on your end. Don't let any reporters into the bar for interviews. I'll bring this to the boss's attention."Ending the call, Larry remained seated, his gaze lingering on the door as his thoughts churned.He vividly recalled Benedict's demeanor when they encountered Deidre at
