By the time Wyatt snapped out of it, Fiona had already departed.
He looked at Darwin in astonishment, " That lady just now, the elegant Secretary Woods, was your sweetheart?"Darwin's face darkened. There was a hint of panic and confusion in his eyes that he himself had never noticed before. Of course, he remembered the agreement he made with Fiona.But he didn't really believe that Fiona would actually leave just because he was getting married.Over the years, she had been obedient to him no matter how terrible his demands were...How could she defy him?How dare she defy him!Darwin stood up, ignoring the chattering Wyatt, and with an aura that seemed ready to devour someone, he chased after her in big strides.Fiona didn't like to drag things out. After submitting her resignation letter, she was immediately ready to start the handover process. But as soon as she returned to the secretary's office, Darwin, with an icy presence, followed in."Is there anything else Mr. Solomon wants to discuss?" Fiona looked at him, completely devoid of obedience.Gentle.Darwin’s expression became even more unpleasant."Fiona, am I not good enough to you? What are you fussing about?" Darwin walked step by step towards Fiona, emanating strong pressure.Fiona’s face turned pale.Instinctively, she wanted to create distance between herself and Darwin. But Darwin seized her wrist and pulled her closer to him.“Mr. Solomon, you’re married and I’ll leave, that was agreed from the beginning,” Fiona said in a low voice.Darwin sneered mockingly, "So, 20 million and that villa, isn't that enough?"Fiona’s body stiffened.Recalling Darwin's words just now, "Once she's given enough money, she'll agree to anything!"Her stomach started churning again.She forcefully restrained herself, struggling desperately to free herself from this man who was humiliating and trampling her.“Darwin, let go!”"Fiona, my patience is limited, I don't have time to play games with you. How much do you want? Just name your price," Darwin's tone was icy cold, and he squeezed Fiona's wrist tighter and tighter. As if he wanted to snap that delicate wrist.Up to now. Darwin still believed that Fiona wanted to leave because he hadn't given enough money. Just like at the beginning when Fiona didn't want to sell herself. But what about later? When there was a good amount of money, she obediently climbed onto his bed, letting him toy with her. So, it was just a matter of not giving enough money. She wouldn't really want to leave him!Fiona frowned, looking at Darwin. Thank goodness. All these years, she had always remembered clearly that she was just a substitute. All of Darwin's tenderness and affection was meant for someone else. If she were to sink into it even a little bit. At this moment, she would have been left with countless wounds, in unbearable pain."Darwin, I'm not for sale!" Fiona looked at him, "My mother was driven to death by a mistress. I will never be a third party."Inside the secretary's office, they fell into a brief silence. Only the sound of their breathing remained. No matter how incomprehensible Darwin was, he realized that Fiona truly intended to break things off with him."It's been a long time since you visited your grandmother. I'll give you a month's vacation, think it over before deciding," he suppressed his anger and softened his tone.Grandmother...Fiona instantly felt like she had fallen into an icy cave. But then she became even more determined and resolute."No need to think, I have already decided."“Fiona!”Darwin couldn't contain his anger any longer. He had swallowed his pride by descending from his lofty position! Yet she still didn't know how to appreciate it!"You're just a substitute for Lilian, I've used you for five years and gotten used to it. Do you really think I can't live without you?"Yes, just gotten used to it.There were other substitutes, but he couldn't be bothered to adapt."Mr. Solomon, I am aware of my place and won't dare to overstep it," Fiona answered with cold firmness.“Very well!”Darwin's anger could no longer be contained. He had lowered himself by giving her enough leeway! Yet she still couldn’t appreciate it! He nodded and released Fiona's wrist."Fiona, you may not look the most like Lilian, but you are the most well-behaved among everyone, and that is your only advantage." Darwin looked at Fiona, returning to his usual cold and frosty demeanor. "Now, you have lost even this one advantage. Since you have made up your mind, so be it.""Thank you, Mr. Solomon." Fiona suppressed the various emotions surging in her heart and calmly replied, "I will handle the transition of all the work and not cause you any trouble.""There is no need to transition the secretary's work to someone else. A new secretary will come, and before you leave, you should teach her well."“Yes.”Darwin left without looking back, radiating intense anger.. He was a proud person to the core, after all. This moment of regret just now was only because she played the role of Lilian too well, and she was very obedient. Now that she was not obedient, he had no patience for her either. Naturally, he would no longer bother with her.Fiona glanced at her reddened wrist.Hmm.Finally, she was free. Fiona left the company and went to Darwin's house. Most of the time, Darwin had his demands, and she would be either at the accommodation he arranged for her or in the secretary's rest area. She rarely came over and didn't have many things.A carry-on suitcase was enough. Fiona packed meticulously, making sure nothing was left behind before she could leave at ease.Back at her residence, she started organizing her work notes and some work to be handed over. The handover of secretarial work was not a big problem for her since she had two work notebooks that the other person could fully comprehend. The trouble was the large-scale infrastructure project she was responsible for following up on last year. It was her first time taking charge of such a big project, and she had put in a lot of effort. Now, leaving midway, she worried that it would affect the progress of the project.While thinking about it, Fiona's phone rang. It was a call from the medical center. Recently, her best friend Ashton, who returned from studying abroad, insisted that she looked too frail, so she dragged her for a medical check-up. She figured it might be the report from the check-up. She answered the call.“Miss Woods, this is CBS health center.”"I know, just send the electronic version of the medical report to my email," Fiona replied.After speaking, she was about to hang up.But the other person spoke first, “Miss Woods, you’re pregnant!”Fiona froze, "What?""I said, congratulations, you're 8 weeks pregnant!" the voice on the other side was as jubilant as if celebrating the Lunar New Year.Fiona was stunned. She was pregnant? How was that possible? She and Darwin had always been strict about contraception!"Miss Woods, here's the thing, we have the best private maternity hospital in the country, as well as a luxurious postpartum center..." the person enthusiastically advertised.Fiona was already in a daze and didn’t hear a single word."I understand, if there's a need, I will..."“Contact them.”After regaining her composure, Fiona mumbled a few words and quickly hung up the phone.Then, she gazed at the steady autumn rain outside the window. Lost in thought for a while. Then, rationality slowly returned, and she quickly weighed the pros and cons in her mind. She glanced at her flat stomach.She thought to herself, "This child cannot be kept."Fiona couldn't sleep all night, so she took two days off. Early in the morning, she went to the hospital for another check-up. The check-up confirmed that she was eight weeks pregnant. She thought and recalled vaguely that two months ago, on Darwin's birthday, there was indeed a moment of risky behavior. Just that one time. Only once..."Young lady, you're not easily conceiving, so it would be best to keep this child," the doctor said gently, seeing Fiona alone and looking worn out.Not easily conceiving, yet pregnant with just one incident? Should she consider herself lucky or unfortunate? Fiona felt bitter in her heart."I will consider it carefully," Fiona said as she left the hospital.She stood still, lost in thought, as the chilly autumn wind blew around her. Then she bought a plane ticket back home. The plane landed in Serene city. Fiona bought a bouquet of roses, a bunch of purple chrysanthemums, two bottles of good wine, and called a car to West Mountain cemetery.As soon as
Fiona raised her eyes to look at Bella, who resembled Lilian more than she resembled herself."Okay, Mr. Solomon," Fiona nodded."Fiona, thank you for your hard work. I will study hard and learn quickly!" Bella said in a sweet voice."You're welcome."Fiona's attitude remained polite and composed. Darwin couldn't see any hint of unwillingness or envy in her. Not caring is what prevents jealousy... This thought suddenly came to Darwin's mind. Irritation rose within him.“Coffee.”Darwin stormed into the office, leaving behind just two words. Moments later, in the pantry, there was a conversation."Miss Robbins, the CEO has very particular preferences when it comes to the taste of his coffee, so...""Fiona, it's better if you don't appear in front of Brother Darwin anymore. Whenever he sees you, his mood turns sour. He's mine now, and if he's unhappy, it'll hurt me~"Before Fiona could finish speaking, Bella changed her expression, crossed her arms, and stared haughtily at Fiona, clearl
"It's alright," Darwin said casually, trying to comfort Bella.Bella, feeling wronged, shrank behind him, looking fearful of Fiona.Fiona remained silent.“Fiona, should she accuse you? Should I accuse you?” Darwin’s voice was icy, sending a chill down the spine.Fiona stared blankly for a moment, her eyes suddenly feeling sore.Darwin... didn't believe her. Darwin took out a few data sheets from the files and placed them in front of Fiona. "Even if someone tampered with the data, these signatures are yours, right?"“Yes,” Fiona replied."Then you are responsible, without a doubt," Darwin declared Fiona guilty."I'm giving you three days to resolve this matter. Otherwise, the company will follow procedure and report it to the authorities."Fiona glanced at him. A slight sense of injustice welled up in her heart, only to be quickly suppressed. Whether or not she was involved in this matter, Darwin knew the truth. She couldn't say she was disappointed. Darwin had always been vengeful. Sh
"Sorry, I have something to do. I'll listen to your fairy tale next time," Fiona said, no longer wanting to waste time, and walked away."Wait, I don't even know your name!" The young master with a foreign look snapped out of his daze and hurried to catch up.At that moment, several security guards ran over from behind, seeing the young master and quickly loosening their steps.They took a deep breath and walked quickly towards him."Young master, the cocktail party has already started. Mr. and Mrs. are looking for you everywhere!"The handsome young man anxiously looked in the direction Fiona had left, about to chase after her."No rush, I need to find someone..."Before the handsome young man could finish speaking, several bodyguards exchanged glances and dragged him away!Fiona was tall, slim, and curvaceous. Her naturally fair skin seemed to glow under the lights on the cruise ship. Just by standing there, she didn't need to do anything special to attract numerous gazes around."W
Wyatt smirked cunningly.Some people might talk tough, but it seems they are about to explode~But…Is Fiona really here to seduce a wealthy man?Wyatt watched Fiona passing through the crowd. Without any hesitation, it was clear where she was headed. He followed her gaze in that direction. At the end of the deck, there was a classical music band.“Hey, isn’t that R&K’s owner, Newton?” Wyatt raised his chin in that direction.Darwin only glanced briefly, showing no surprise.Wyatt reacted, widening his eyes in shock. "Oh! You said you wouldn't come to this party, but you suddenly showed up today! You knew that Newton would be here, and you're here to find him for the project Secretary Woods is handling, right?"Darwin looked at him with icy eyes that could freeze someone even in the midst of summer!“A discarded substitute like her is worthy?”Wyatt: "..."“I came to the party because Bella wanted to come”…" Darwin added.Wyatt awkwardly forced a smile. Darwin has always been a woman
"Master Young Master?"The two who had just scolded Fiona were stunned when they saw the newcomer.“What are you doing?” Harold frowned and positioned himself protectively in front of Fiona.Surprised whispers filled the surroundings."Some guests raised objections earlier, this young lady didn't have an invitation, so we were just here for a routine inquiry," one of them explained."She indeed didn't have an invitation because she was personally invited by me," Harold replied sternly. "If you have further questions, ask me!""Master, we wouldn't dare! We wouldn't dare!" The two quickly waved their hands. "Miss, we simply don't understand the situation. Please don't mind and let it not affect your pleasant mood for attending the banquet!"“That’s right,” another person chimed in.“'It's alright,' Fiona said, shaking her head.”"Carry on with your duties." Harold waved his hand, though his expression still held a hint of displeasure.Everyone working for the Klein family knew that the
"Why are you so sure?" Newton became interested."If you have seen our company's complete proposal, even with those flaws in the data, I believe you would still choose our proposal."Newton had been running his company for so many years. Starting from a technician and working his way up to president, he had seen countless business plans. But no one had ever stood in front of him and confidently declared that if he saw their proposal, he would have adopted it."Little girl," Newton walked slowly towards her.The aura of a high-ranking executive was intimidating without even being angry."Since you're so confident, how about we make a bet?""What do you propose?""I'll give you another chance, but if your proposal doesn't impress me, my company will never have any possibility of working with Solomon again," Newton said slowly. "Do you agree to the bet?"Fiona: "..."This cunning old fox is putting so much pressure on her?But...She was only responsible for delivering this contract. As
The cruise ship would dock the next morning. Tonight, there would be a wild party that would last all night. Of course, for those guests who didn't want to join the festivities, there were luxurious rooms available for rest. Harold didn't spend much time with Fiona. As the host, he needed to entertain the guests. Besides, she was tired, so Harold arranged a room for her to rest.Back in her room, Fiona finally had time to call Ashton and report on her work. Ashton was having a great time with a few friends. They didn't talk for long before hanging up.Fiona slumped onto the bed, gently placing her hand on her abdomen."My dear baby, Mommy wasn't able to take care of you these past few days. You have to be good and wait for Mommy to finish her work so she can take care of you properly."After lying down for a while, Fiona's phone rang. It was Darwin's special ringtone.Years of work instinct made her sit up and answer the call immediately. Then she said, "Hello"Damn instinct!"Come to
As Ashton was sorting through the gifts, she too was reflecting on everything."Isn't my life just a series of bizarre twists?" she mumbled, looking down. "Finding out Chris was secretly going on blind dates behind my back, then breaking up. Watching him get engaged, and seeing my own mom take his fiancée's side, leading to our fallout. That should have been my rock bottom, right?"Fiona nodded in agreement.The day Ashton cut ties with her mom, she'd even bought her a plane ticket. She wanted to send her to some tranquil getaway for a much-needed vacation to relax and rejuvenate."Who would've guessed? Right after the falling out with my mom—a spur-of-the-moment decision—I ended up marrying Kenny. I was so down on my luck, I thought, 'How much worse can it get?'” Ashton chuckled ironically, then softened a bit. "But, who could have predicted how good Kenny would turn out to be? How he'd respect every single wish of mine."It was a kind of care that she hadn't felt since her dad had l
Fiona was actually surprised. After all, she wasn't a saint without desires. It all made sense to just go with the flow and do what naturally came next. She might only berate herself later for succumbing to her cravings. But Darwin stopped, and that was beyond her expectations. In the past, this would have been unthinkable. It seemed as though... he really had learned to respect her.She pressed a quick, rewarding peck onto Darwin's lips, smiled, and teased, 'Mr. Solomon, maybe you should head to the bathroom?”Her smile was captivating and bright, causing Darwin's past five years of distressing memories to resurface. He pulled her into his arms again."Wife, I miss you so much, I'm starting to lose my mind," Darwin's voice shook, betraying his emotional turmoil. "I keep seeing your shadow at home, but when I chase after it, there's nothing... Thank goodness... this time I've really got you in my arms."Fiona listened to his voice laced with sobs, her heart aching with each word."Ser
Darwin had always been self-centered in matters of intimacy. Whenever he desired, she couldn't refuse.In her haziness, Fiona felt like she was back in those times again."Don't be afraid."Sensing her anxiety and unease, Darwin softened, kissing her lips again and coaxing her with his gentle voice, "I won't force you. I'll wait until you're ready to truly accept me."In Fiona's misty eyes, desire began to cloud her vision. Her gaze often seemed distant and disconnected. As Darwin kissed her, her mind turned into mush, instinctively she kissed him back softly.Mr. Solomon just stood there, silent, his towering frame taut."You know exactly how to torture me," Darwin groaned, voice hoarse, as he peppered her neck with more fervent kisses."Be gentle..." Fiona clenched his hand. "You'll leave marks!"Darwin chuckled lowly, then tilted her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze, "Why fear my marks? Scared that man will see and get jealous?""No, it's not that…" Fiona turned away with a sligh
Once finished, the anxiety within Lilian began to subside.Just wait a little longer, Lilian. All these nuisances will soon vanish.And then, you'll be there for Darwin with all your gentle warmth. He’ll eventually be moved, realizing you're the one for him...Lilian took a deep breath and exhaled.On her way out, she passed by the flower shop where Darwin made his purchase. From a distance, she had only glimpsed the type of flowers Darwin had bought and decided to buy the same kind.Inside the apartment, Darwin silenced his phone and tossed it aside."Why didn't you tell me? Worried I'd take Lilian's side?" he pulled her close and asked earnestly.For five years, she had lived in Lilian’s shadow, a daily reminder that she was merely a stand-in and that Lilian was the more important one—a notion that had likely seeped into her very marrow.This realization made Darwin wish he could travel back in time to give his younger self a good thrashing.He
"The only person I've ever schemed for was Solomon. What could possibly make you believe I'd harm someone I don’t even know, like Miss Rhoads?" Lilian asked. "If that's truly how you see me, maybe it'd be better if you just kicked me out of Solomon's life..."Darwin had promised to protect Lilian.Hearing her say this, he felt a twinge of guilt.But...Darwin feared even more that because of the thorn that was Lilian, his wife’s heart, which had just started to soften toward him, would turn cold again.He was walking on eggshells just to avoid pushing her away.So..."I'm sorry, Lilian," Darwin said flatly. "There's no room for discussion."Lilian sat frozen in the car, as if her blood was slowly turning to ice.Even in her early days back in the country, Darwin had never protected Fiona like this.He used to drop everything to be at Lilian's side whenever she needed him, leaving Fiona behind.Now...Even when she tried to befriend Che
Fiona gazed at Darwin, his face inexplicably brimming with pride."Lilian places great value on the RH Company project." She kept to herself the fact that Lilian had plagiarized her proposal, but Fiona wasn't about to let it slide.This was simply a clash of interests, and she felt no need to drag Darwin further into the fray, avoiding the mess of tangled priorities."Hmm," Darwin's smile faded slightly, "Her proposal is indeed impressive, but it pales in comparison to yours."Fiona studied him intently, searching his face for any hint of romantic sentiment towards Lilian.Her search ended in vain."What are you looking at?" Darwin pulled her closer by the waist, gazing up at her.Fiona brushed her fingertips gently across his cheek, causing him to nuzzle into her hand like a kitten seeking affection."Don't stay away too long, come back soon," he whispered softly, his voice barely a murmur.What he truly wanted to say was, "Don't leave."Thei
Darwin had no clue about the sunny-side up egg story. Upon hearing it, his gaze immediately sought Fiona's.Fiona was clutching her burger too tight."Oh, why bring that up, mother?" the daughter-in-law chided softly, "I'm sorry about this.""It's fine," Fiona shook her head gently.Seeing Granny distressed, she excused herself to rest.Fiona stared at her burger, lost in thought.She had never imagined it.Her death had cast such a shadow, not only over her loved ones, but over those beyond her immediate circle.“It’s okay.” Darwin soothed her gently.Fiona cast another glance toward where the Hamburger Lady had disappeared and bowed her head to eat slowly.If the Hamburger Lady was so affected...What about Darwin?She had never been fully convinced of Darwin's love for her. It always seemed to her that his treatment of her was nothing more than possessiveness.Like an old belonging he didn’t want to discard, nor did he want anyo
Darwin sat in the treatment room with Fiona sitting beside him, scrolling through messages on her phone, while a doctor attended to Darwin's wound."The wound's not too deep, but it's not superficial either. You'll have to watch your diet," the doctor advised after dressing the wound."Got it, thank you for your help," Fiona put away her phone and politely thanked the doctor.Then they left the treatment room together.Darwin's face was brimming with relief, "We really didn't have to come to the hospital for this."Fiona didn't look at him.Leading the way, she said over her shoulder, "I'm here to prevent someone from using their wounds as an excuse to get me to come back."At that,the joy visibly drained from Darwin's face."I would never do that," he murmured softly.Fiona finally stopped and turned to look at him, "Mr. Solomon, you're becoming shamelessly unprincipled. Aren't you embarrassed to say such things?""Hungry?" Darwin steppe
“Monsoon Investment and I have always held deep respect for traditional industries. We hope that while guiding these industries through current challenges, we can also preserve the essence of the company's original culture as much as possible. Furthermore, we aim to highlight the significant contributions that RH Company has made to Armie Country and its citizens during challenging times. Monsoon Investment sincerely wishes to join hands with the esteemed shareholders of RH Company, to usher in the next era of brilliance,” Fiona concluded her address with a respectful bow.As she stepped down from the podium, the auditorium was quieter than expected.In contrast to the heated reactions to Lilian’s proposal, Fiona’s approach landed like a heavy punch right at the heart of RH Company’s shareholders. Lilian's face turned particularly sour.Chelsea's new strategy represented a complete shift.While the first proposal seemed, at first glance, to have a stronger pull on pe