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Chapter 37
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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
Not Your Second Choice Chapter 40
The upstairs was tastefully decorated, the design and target clientele of this restaurant clearly catering to a middle-class sensibility. Each table was separated by intricately carved wooden screens, offering a sense of privacy and elegance.It reminded Deidre of one of her favorite restaurants—similar yet distinct. The atmosphere here leaned more toward understated tradition, the kind that felt steeped in history. The seating was sparse, and the background music was fittingly classical, a guitar piece softly playing in the air. Deidre recognized it immediately.This place, she thought, was exactly to her liking."We came here in a rush," Sandy said suddenly, "and now I feel like I need to use the restroom."Deidre saw through her in an instant. "Bringing me here for breakfast wasn't the main objective, was it? The real goal is to finish eating quickly so I can pick out a guitar to teach your talent."Sandy, completely unbothered, smiled with mock innocence. "I've been practici
Not Your Second Choice Chapter 41
"This area has been transformed into a hub for cutting-edge e-commerce information. It used to be…" Sandy patiently explained to Deidre, making the time pass effortlessly."The music store is inside this mall," Sandy continued. "I spoke to the guitar instructor at my company, and they said this shop has a great reputation. It's known for selling quality guitars, and it has the highest number of returning customers in Salve City."As she spoke, Sandy skillfully maneuvered the car into the underground parking lot. Once parked, the two stepped into an elevator, ascending to the shopping mall above.The mall was vast, divided into multiple zones. To avoid wasting time, Sandy quickly pulled out her phone, found the music store's number, and called. After listening attentively to the directions from the store employee, she led Deidre directly to the shop.The store turned out to be a comprehensive music outlet. As Deidre stepped inside, her initial impression was one of quiet admiration.
Not Your Second Choice Chapter 42
In the Winsley family, Deidre was nothing more than an existence tolerated out of necessity—a girl whose biological mother had passed away early and who was unloved by her father.Even though Deidre had worked hard since middle school, balancing tutoring jobs to earn money while maintaining her grades, eventually securing a scholarship to attend university, what did it matter?The Winsley family ran a thriving business; they didn't need her meager tutoring income or scholarship money. The truth was painfully simple: Deidre was the one the family had no desire to acknowledge.Casey and her mother looked down on someone like Deidre, someone they saw as unrefined and pitiably poor. The very idea of Deidre being able to play the guitar was as absurd as claiming she could touch the sky and stand shoulder to shoulder with the sun.Ridiculous. Impossible. Laughable."Miss Landon, the piano you ordered will be arriving at noon," a sales clerk informed her after checking."Oh, really?" Ca
Not Your Second Choice Chapter 43
"Who said we wouldn't buy it?"As the saying goes, a tree thrives on its bark, and a person lives for their pride. One must never lose face.Sandy placed her card directly into Joe's hand. "We'll take both guitars."Casey shot her a sideways glance, her tone sharp and laced with scorn. "Oh? Don't act like you didn't just hear what I said. I was the first to say I'd buy them. First come, first served starts when the money comes out, not when someone tries them."Such brazenness, the kind that tests limits.Sandy opened her mouth, ready to retaliate, but before she could, Deidre let out a long sigh. "Miss Landon, are you certain you want these two guitars?"Both Sandy and Casey turned to look at Deidre.Seeing the faint furrow on Deidre's brow, Casey assumed she was intimidated. Feeling triumphant, she pressed on. "Of course. Did you think I was like you? I have the money to afford them! Joe, hurry and wrap these two guitars for me!"Joe looked uneasy, his expression caught betwe
Not Your Second Choice Chapter 44
Joe glanced at the guitar displayed in the glass case, a non-sale item. "No customer has ever requested to borrow the guitar in the display before. I'll need to get approval for this. Please wait a moment," he said.Casey, trying hard to suppress her irritation, stood coldly to the side, quietly waiting for the outcome. She was eager to hear the result as well."Casey, it's been ages. What's taking so long?"Casey's mother, who had been waiting in the lounge, finally grew impatient. Left without a choice, she came out to look for her daughter, only to find herself unexpectedly face-to-face with Deidre. Her initial smile froze instantly and morphed into a frown. "Why are you here? No, more importantly, why are you even in Salve City?"It was clear that Deidre's return to the country had been kept from her.Deidre's faint smile faltered slightly, but she didn't respond. Instead, her gaze shifted away, calm and unbothered.Casey strode quickly to her mother's side, her tone drippi
Not Your Second Choice Chapter 45
"You!"Casey took a deep breath, suppressing the fire threatening to erupt. She forced a cold smile and looked at Sandy. "You're mad because I hit the nail on the head, aren't you?""Hey! You're just—"Before Sandy could finish, Deidre placed a hand on her shoulder, stopping her mid-sentence. Her eyes glinted with a faint chill, though a gentle smile lingered on her lips. "Miss Landon, have you perhaps forgotten the temperature of the pool water during the business banquet in Zemenia City?"Hit where it hurts the most, a serpent struck right at its seventh inch.Casey's triumphant smile shattered like glass, her face alternating between pale and flushed. That banquet was the darkest chapter of her life, a memory she desperately wanted to erase. Yet Deidre wielded it mercilessly, leaving her defenseless."You bitch!" She gritted her teeth, squeezing the words out as though they'd been trapped behind bars.Deidre's response was calm, each word cutting like a blade. "And surely, yo
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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
