The Next Day.
*Morning News*
“Late last night, a car accident occurred on X Road. According to witnesses, the accident was caused by brake failure, and the injured driver is identified as Vanessa Saxon, the president of Cortex Group. A bystander who provided video footage reported that the driver fell into a coma and is currently undergoing emergency treatment in the hospital...”
Luca was shocked. After confirming that the injured party was indeed Vanessa, he postponed the morning meeting just to visit her at the hospital. His assistant looked helplessly at the pile of work left behind and muttered, “If I had known this would happen, I wouldn’t have acted like this.”
At the hospital, Luca inquired and found himself in the corridor outside the emergency room. The area was filled with cries and the chaotic sounds of families and doctors discussing cases, making it uncomfortable for him.
At the end of the corridor, he saw a familiar figure and a brigh
At that moment, there was a senior executive and two employees in the office, creating a very awkward atmosphere.Beatriz felt a bit flustered but could only force a smile and say, “Grandpa asked me to tell you not to be late for tonight’s dinner.”“I’ll speak to Grandpa myself,” he replied.Beatriz stood in place, clearly uncomfortable. Luca’s words and expression were already a clear dismissal, yet she continued to smile at him, showing no intention of leaving.“Does Grandpa have any other messages for you to convey?”Beatriz shook her head. “No, just that Grandpa invited me to tonight’s dinner as well. I was wondering if you had a partner—”“I won’t be going home tonight.”“But Grandpa—”‘Slap!’Luca slammed the documents shut in anger and then turned to scold the employees. “It’s just a few pages, and there are four typos! Did you not graduate from elementary school?”The employees and the senior executive kne
Richard rushed back through the emergency exit, looking flustered and gripping his phone tightly, as if he were hiding a secret. Seeing him, the supervisor immediately yelled at him, “Richard! What gives you the right to slack off during work hours? Look at those interns with higher submission rates; they’re all diligently revising their drafts! What are you doing?! Huh? Useless!” Richard had always been the type of top student who excelled in design but struggled with communication. After stammering for a long time, he finally managed to say something useful, “Um... I have a headhunter interested in me.” The supervisor rolled his eyes, full of sarcasm. “A headhunter is looking for you? Then hurry up and leave!” “But... but I still have drafts to finish...” “Then why aren’t you hurrying to finish? What are you dreaming about?!” Feeling a bit wronged, Richard softly retorted, “I’m not dreaming...” &nb
At Ness Corp.“You just said Vanessa met with whom?!”Beatriz was still fretting over the theme for the second bidding. Despite having recruited so many outstanding graduates from prestigious universities, she always felt they fell short. Now, hearing about Vanessa’s meeting with Luca only added to her distress.“It’s President Kensington from K Group.”Bang!Beatriz angrily slammed her coffee cup onto the floor, her eyes filled with jealousy as she yelled, “I already know, no need for you to tell me!”The secretary trembled in fear, not daring to respond, and could only crouch down to clean up the broken pieces, accidentally cutting her hand in the process.“Hiss—”Seeing this, Beatriz’s mind flashed with Vanessa’s seemingly pitiful expression, intensifying her fury!“Stop prete
In the following days, Cortex Group successfully poached nearly ten people from K Group through headhunters. Although this posed no threat to K Group—after all, such incidents occurred every year or two, and the upper management had grown accustomed to it—Luca sensed something was off. “Look into it. Check if all the people who left really went to Cortex.” The assistant was momentarily stunned, asking in confusion, “President Kensington, what do you mean?” “Get me the investigation results as soon as possible, and arrange for me to meet with Cortex’s CEO.” He said this while looking out at the fiery clouds in the sky, a hint of warmth flickering in his eyes. He added, “Don’t mention my name.” “Understood. I’ll arrange it right away.” The study was dimly lit, a habit he had developed over the years, wanting to cherish each sunset, as if that was the only way to slightly melt the frost within his heart
The man’s eyes darted, his legs trembling as he stammered, “No... nobody. If you have the ability, take me to the police!”Not wanting to waste more time with this type of person, Luca knew it was quickest to send him to the police.“Call the police. Fulfill his request.” After saying that, he worried that Vanessa might be in danger, so he rushed to follow her, only to find that she had already vanished as soon as he stepped outside.In the underground parking lot.Beatriz suddenly appeared, blocking Vanessa’s path with an air of pride and arrogance. “You actually dare to come back?”Vanessa felt that Beatriz’s intelligence hadn’t changed at all in the five years since they last met. She kindly reminded her, “It’s only been a few days. Miss Langley, are you already missing me?”“Vanessa Saxon, what exactly are you back for?”“What for? Don’t you know?” She feigned an innocent smile, moving closer, and lightly whispered in her ear, “Of
The next morning, Vanessa had breakfast with Isla and felt happy seeing her appetite.“My dear Isla, make sure to listen to Sister Mariah today, okay?” Vanessa patted Isla’s little head.Isla turned to look at Mariah and playfully asked, “Sister Mariah, am I the most well-behaved little friend?”Hearing the little girl’s question, Mariah paused with her spoon and smiled, nodding. “That’s right, Isla is the best.”“Mom, did you hear that?” Isla confidently looked up at Vanessa.Vanessa kissed Isla and hugged her affectionately. “Mom will miss you, but I have to rush to work now.”Mariah took Isla’s little hand and walked her to kindergarten, only to unexpectedly run into Beatriz. Beatriz glanced at the two of them with disdain and continued walking past.Isla, who wanted to greet Ezra, instinctively retracted her hand.Beatriz was chatting and laughing with a teacher, and Mariah didn’t think much of it. She squatted down and sof
Beatriz planned to claim the design proposal as a product of Ness Corp to ace the upcoming second bidding competition.However, just as she opened the door, she saw Luca and his assistant had returned. The two were deep in conversation about work, oblivious to her presence. Beatriz clutched the documents and slipped out hurriedly.Once outside, she called her assistant. “Contact the media immediately and announce that Ness Corp has produced the design proposal. Let’s create some buzz!”Meanwhile, Vanessa was still working on the proposal, with Mariah offering suggestions beside her.“Technology needs intelligent services,” Vanessa explained confidently. “We should allow visitors to search for exhibitions through smart terminals and help them navigate to the relevant areas.”“That precision is essential,” Mariah agreed with a nod.Just then, a news report on the television grabbed their attention: “Ness Corp is the first to present its de
At K Group, Richard hurried to complete the new design draft, spending the entire day on it. When he reached the president’s office, ready to knock, the assistant stepped out.“The president has left. Just hand it over to me,” the assistant said.Richard shook his head, cautious. “No, I’ll deliver it personally tomorrow. I can’t risk the draft leaking again.”Back at his desk, after some thought, Richard decided to take the design home for safekeeping.Perhaps it was his designer’s instinct, but he couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching him—like he was being followed.However, every time he turned around, there was no one.The next morning, Richard received an unexpected message:"Let’s meet. I have information you need."The message contained the address of a restaurant, signed by none other than Vanessa!Distracted all morning, Richard finally gave in to curiosity and went to the
Luca took advantage of his recovery to stay at Vanessa's house for a few days.During this time, Vanessa entrusted all company matters to Mariah, focusing instead on caring for Luca at home.After a few days together, Luca vaguely sensed that Vanessa’s attitude towards him had softened; she was no longer as cold and distant as before, which filled him with a bit of secret delight.In reality, Vanessa had indeed changed significantly in her attitude towards Luca. She was grateful that he had saved her, yet she was still unwilling to easily forgive him for what he had done before.Conflicted, Vanessa found herself alternating between memories of Luca, injured and approaching her, and his cold demeanor when he had plotted against her child.These two extreme emotions battled within her, leaving her feeling both sweet and tortured.Luca, however, was unaware of Vanessa's inner turmoil. To him, it was already a blessing that she was n
Daxton watched the affectionate scene between the two, his jealousy flaring hotter by the moment.Why?! Why could Luca hurt her so deeply yet still make her love him helplessly, while his own silent devotion had gone unnoticed?Rage nearly consumed Daxton’s reason.If that was the case, then he had no need to hold back any longer.With a cold sneer, he didn’t know whether he was mocking the tragic lovers before him or ridiculing himself as a clown.Then, Daxton pulled a handgun from behind him, loading a bullet into the chamber, and aimed it at the two. “Luca, I’m giving you a choice. Only one of you can leave here today. Will it be Vanessa or yourself?”Vanessa frowned and shouted, “Daxton, are you insane?!”This time, Daxton didn’t glance at Vanessa but fixed his gaze on Luca.Luca had anticipated that things wouldn’t be simple. The current situation was within
“I…” Daxton looked into Vanessa’s eyes, momentarily at a loss for words.Taking a moment to compose himself, Daxton sat down beside Vanessa, taking her hand in his. “Vanessa, you know I’ve always liked you…”The sudden touch and inexplicable words made Vanessa furrow her brows in confusion.She forcefully pulled her hand away from Daxton and interrupted him, her voice firm. “You brought me here just to say this? In this way? Daxton, do you realize this is kidnapping? Let me go right now; I have a mountain of work waiting for me at the office.”As soon as he heard Vanessa wanted to leave, Daxton’s expression changed dramatically. He grabbed her by the neck and hissed, “Want to leave? So you still want to be with Luca. Don’t dream; I won’t let you go this time. You’ll never escape.”With the oxygen in her lungs dwindling, Vanessa's face turned red as she
Even though Vanessa insisted she was feeling fine, Daxton and Mariah were still uneasy. They insisted on giving her a full check-up before they would relax.“I really am fine. Daxton, you should head back. I have Mariah here to keep me company,” Vanessa said, reluctant to face Daxton. She couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off with him lately.Daxton glanced at Vanessa but didn’t say much. He only reminded her to rest well before leaving the hospital.As he pushed open the door to his home, the stark emptiness of the room was accentuated by the numerous photos lining the walls.Upon closer inspection, they were various pictures of Vanessa, many of which were clearly taken from hidden angles.Daxton stepped closer, gently tracing the images with his fingers, as if he were caressing Vanessa herself.
After sending Daxton away, Vanessa immersed herself in her work, carefully examining the design blueprints. Inspired by Luca's suggestions, she picked up her pen and began to sketch.In the following days, Vanessa stayed at the company, and thanks to the team’s hard work, the progress on the project revisions was steadily moving forward.However, thinking of Isla made Vanessa feel a pang of guilt. She had been so busy with work lately that she hadn’t spent enough time with her. She wondered if the little one was feeling neglected.Just as she was lost in thought, Luca arrived.Vanessa was already used to his frequent visits.In the past few days, Luca had come by almost every day, but their discussions were all about company collaborations.Vanessa tried hard to control her thoughts, convincing herself to think of him only as a business partner to avoid future disappointment.That said, each time Luca came, Vanessa’s
Cortex.As soon as Vanessa arrived at the office, she saw Ora pacing back and forth at the door, seeming anxious about something.Feeling a bit surprised, Vanessa furrowed her brows and asked, “Is something wrong?”The moment Ora spotted Vanessa, it was as if she had found a savior, and she quickly stepped forward.Vanessa opened the office door, and as Ora followed her inside, she began reporting the latest updates.However, when she reached a certain point, Ora’s expression changed. “President Saxon, I’ve contacted several suppliers, and they all said that the original materials are in short supply. It seems the previous design plan may not work.”Vanessa frowned. “Is it the main material in the design plan?”Ora shook her head. “Not exactly, but this material is used in several places in the plan, so…”Vanessa understood what Ora meant and interrupted, &ldquo
Upon hearing this, Beatriz's face turned pale, then flushed with anger.This was originally her trick. Worried that Luca might discover something, Beatriz cautiously glanced at him, relieved to see he wasn’t paying attention to her.Picking up on the sarcasm in Vanessa's words, Beatriz felt a bit unwilling to accept it and retorted, “President Saxon, what are you saying? Ezra is indeed feeling unwell, and as parents, it’s only natural for us to be cautious. Why does it become us slandering you here?”Vanessa found this amusing. “Miss Langley, your ability to twist facts is truly impressive. However, there’s no need for your little act in front of me; I’m not falling for it.”Seeing Vanessa’s disdainful expression, Beatriz became even more irritated. She tugged at Luca and said, “Luca, say something! Everyone in the mansion knows that Ezra is unwell. It’s not like we’re trying to sland
Back in her office,Vanessa was so angry that she paced back and forth by the window, pulling out her phone to call Daxton directly.After a few rings, he answered.Daxton spoke as if nothing had happened, cheerfully asking, “Vanessa, have you arrived at the company?”“Yeah,” she replied coldly, immediately confronting him about the assistant change. “Why did you unilaterally decide to replace my assistant? What does our argument have to do with him? Who else do you want to swap out?”Despite her agitation, Daxton remained calm and gentle in his tone. “Ora is quite capable and won’t require your extra effort. Besides, your previous assistant didn’t take care of you at all. Ora was carefully chosen by me; she’s trustworthy. Trust me,” he added, hinting further, “the headquarters k
Vanessa’s wrist was suddenly grabbed, and looking down, she sighed, wanting to break free from Luca's grip, but it only tightened.“Mr. Kensington, if you don’t let go, I’m going to call the police,” she said, already pulling her phone out of her bag with one hand, about to dial when the phone was snatched away.Frowning in anger, she was interrupted by Luca, who said, “Let’s collaborate.”The sudden proposal for collaboration caught Vanessa off guard, and she scoffed, “I don’t think your request for cooperation is sincere, Mr. Kensington. If you want to use me, then don’t even think about it; I won’t collaborate with you.”As she spoke, she stubbornly shook off Luca's hand. Finally free, she returned to the bedroom to collect her belongings, preparing to leave.Suddenly, Luca, who had been sitting on the sofa, spoke up, “I know what yo