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Chapter 31
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Not Your Second Choice Chapter 32
At this very moment, Valerie deeply regretted her past decision. She should have gone all the way back then, made sure Deidre was ruined instead of simply taking photos.Sometimes, being decisive meant doing things thoroughly, leaving no loose ends. If she had destroyed Deidre's reputation and pushed her to the brink, things would have been different. Deidre wouldn't have had the chance to come home and slap her three times in public, humiliating her. And there wouldn't have been that scene earlier in the luxury jewelry store, where Deidre stood before her and left her utterly embarrassed.Kiera couldn't let it go either. "That wretched girl better just be back temporarily. If she dares to stay long in Salve City, I won't let her have an easy life!"Mother and daughter stared in the direction where Deidre had disappeared, though she was long gone from sight. Harsh words spilled from their lips while cunning plans brewed silently in their minds. After lingering for a moment, both f
Not Your Second Choice Chapter 33
Passing through the thick crowd, Deidre finally reached the bar where Sandy was."Miss, I'll leave your friend to you," the bartender said politely as he handed Deidre a phone that clearly belonged to Sandy.The bartender's words came just as Deidre ended her call. She nodded and took the phone, noting the bar's meticulous management. Here, drunk patrons were cared for to prevent anyone with ill intentions from taking advantage of them."Thank you for looking after my friend," Deidre said, retrieving Sandy's phone. She offered a tip, but the bartender declined with a smile. So, Deidre bought several cases of alcohol and had them stored under the bartender's name, boosting his performance for the night.The bartender, delighted by her gesture, eagerly recorded her name."Sandy? Wake up! Sandy?" Deidre gently shook Sandy, calling out to her. It took some effort before Sandy's eyes finally cracked open."Deidre? Why... why are you here?" Sandy's words came out in broken fragments,
Not Your Second Choice Chapter 34
Casey stood silently to the side, her cold gaze fixed on the scene, a faint trace of mockery tugging at her lips. In her mind, Deidre's earlier actions were laughable. How audacious, she thought, to offend someone from the Decker family—pure folly.Perfect, she mused. Neil could teach her a lesson and, in the process, vent the frustration she'd bottled up since the Zemenia City banquet.The two men and two women accompanying Casey adopted a relaxed stance, their expressions rife with anticipation, ready to enjoy the impending drama.Deidre, having retreated to avoid Neil's lecherous hand earlier, had clearly considered the consequences. Some people, she thought, I avoid out of kindness, yet they insist on courting disaster. If that's the case, there's no reason for me to hold back."Endure the storm and it will pass; take a step back and the seas will open wide." That saying held meaning for her, but only for a moment, only for a step.She had already taken that step. Neil, howe
Not Your Second Choice Chapter 35
Was that scene just now real?The Deidre she knew—the one who used to be timid and silent—when did she develop such skill?Deidre had gone mad! How could she have struck Neil?Casey rushed over to Neil, squatted down, and confirmed he was unconscious. She screamed at the nearest waiter, panic in her voice, "Why aren't you calling an ambulance already? Can't you see someone's been beaten unconscious? Call an ambulance now!"Deidre stood nearby, watching as Casey and her group flailed around Neil like headless chickens. Her hands, hanging loosely at her sides, tensed slightly as she struggled to suppress the storm of anger roiling inside. A faint mockery glinted in her eyes.So that's it, she thought. All playboy decadence, no substance. One shoulder throw, and Neil was out cold. His body really was as fragile as a house of cards—not even worth the effort.That move of hers wasn't even a warm-up.Deidre raised an eyebrow, then turned and headed back to the bar as if nothing had ha
Not Your Second Choice Chapter 36
Word would spread fast—how the fourth son of the Decker family was struck by a woman. That would be an absurd tale.By evening, the Decker family would no doubt spare no effort to suppress it, erasing any trace of the incident.And now, it made sense! Benedict had been unusually accommodating, agreeing to hand over the surveillance footage without resistance. Particularly since it was the Landon family asking for it.Others might not understand, but the bar manager did. He knew well about the grudges between Benedict and the Deckers in business. Benedict handing over the footage so easily? It was unnatural.The bar manager straightened his posture and said with utmost respect, "Mr. O'Reily, I understand. I'll step out and inform the Landon family's lady immediately."The door to the private room opened, then clicked shut again.Larry, who had been quietly seated, turned his attention to the monitor, his gaze lingering on the surveillance footage. Lost in thought, he mused to hims
Not Your Second Choice Chapter 37
"Mr. Landon, you said it yourself, she's your sister. What does that have to do with me? If you want to spoil her, go ahead. Whether I chose to hold a grudge or not has nothing to do with you."Deidre's tone dripped with sarcasm, and Micah could hear it clearly. Her faint smile, hovering between amusement and mockery, only deepened the sting."Regardless," Micah replied, his irritation barely concealed, "she once called you her sister-in-law.""Exactly," Deidre shot back, her smile cold, "and in the unluckiest streak of my life, I nearly became her real sister-in-law."The atmosphere thickened.Deidre's phone rang, breaking the silence. Without sparing Micah a glance, she answered it with her usual composure, ignoring the way his previously gentle demeanor cracked into something darker.The voice on the line belonged to her driver, booked through a ride-hailing app. "Hello, I'm at…"As the driver described his location, Deidre scanned her surroundings, her eyes landing on a car
Not Your Second Choice Chapter 38
"Be right back."Ending the call, Micah's gaze lingered in the distance, watching Deidre and the others get into the car.The car was a rare, globally limited-edition Maybach. From where he stood, the distance made it hard to discern details. Once the engine roared to life, the car quickly disappeared, leaving no trace of its license plate.His expression darkened.That car's black-market valuation easily reached nine figures.Who in Salve City could afford such a vehicle?Micah was now eager to meet Larry's "Boss".…"This is it." Deidre broke the stillness.The drive had been silent until they arrived. Larry stepped out, gentlemanly as ever, opening the door for Deidre and helping Sandy out as well.The security guards at Serenity Bay were diligent. Recognizing the returning resident, they hurried over to assist.Larry, perceptive as always, refrained from entering. After all, it was past midnight, and he'd only met Deidre twice. Inviting himself in wouldn't be appropria
Not Your Second Choice Chapter 39
"There really isn't!"Sandy was on the verge of exploding. "And Finn is just too much. He had his company's legal team issue a statement right away. For the team member they poached, the penalty fee? Decker Media's willing to double the compensation. It's blatantly throwing money at the problem. He's determined to get what he wants. Damn it, this kind of filthy rich arrogance makes my teeth itch."In Salve City, the Decker family was one of the three old-money aristocrats.Sandy's family was well-off, sure. But her arms were no match for Finn's mighty legs.Hearing this, Deidre immediately understood—getting Sandy's talent back was completely out of the question."What about finding a replacement?" Deidre's expression grew thoughtful. "Didn't you mention your agency's talent selection process? Narrowing a hundred down to ten, then choosing the most suitable ones from those ten to debut? Maybe you could pick someone else to fill in.""Of course, I've thought of that."Sandy sighe
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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
