“No results,” Mariah replied succinctly.
Vanessa didn’t press further. She knew how complicated the situation was, so she had to make herself stronger. One day, she would uncover the truth.
Once back in her office, Vanessa immersed herself in work as if under a spell.
She glanced at the stock market performance of the company today; everything was running smoothly, but that wasn’t nearly enough.
That one bidding win was just the beginning. The business world was like a battlefield; if she stood still, she would soon be crushed by others.
Therefore, Cortex Group couldn’t rely on a single development model. She had to explore new industries.
After staring at the screen for a while, an ad suddenly popped up that caught her eye.
“Millennia-old antiques, one day in X City.”
The antique industry seemed like a promising direction for development.
Just then, her assistant rushed in, flustered.
“President Saxon, bad
The first item up for auction was a classical tea set from the last century, said to be one of a kind.With a starting price of 100,000, Vanessa thought it was reasonable.A middle-aged man next to her raised the bid to 150,000, and his assistant quickly lifted the bid card.On the other side, the bids kept climbing, reaching 200,000, which intrigued Vanessa even more about this industry.The auctioneer began calling: “200,000, going once… going twice… sold!”With the final hammer strike, the tea set was claimed by another buyer.Vanessa realized that the following items were even more exquisite, their prices skyrocketing.Finally, it was time for the grand finale. Four staff members carried a transparent glass case onto the platform.A dazzling vase sparkled under the lights, leaving the audience in awe.“This is a real treasure!”“I’ll take it home tonight!”Vanessa felt tempted to snap a photo but restra
After hanging up the phone, Vanessa felt a twinge of nervousness—she would finally uncover the mystery that had been bothering her.Meanwhile, Luca pondered for a long time.“Have Lesley meet with her,” he instructed before continuing his work.“Understood, President,” the assistant replied and took the documents to find Lesley.Arriving at the agreed coffee shop, Vanessa had arrived early to wait.After about five or six minutes, the doorbell rang, and she looked up to see a stranger approaching with a briefcase.“Hello, are you Miss Saxon?” the well-dressed man inquired.“Please, have a seat,” Vanessa gestured for him to sit.Although she didn’t know this man, she suspected things weren’t as simple as they seemed.As they discussed the details of the deal, she was surprised to
Arriving at the French restaurant at the agreed time, Vanessa walked in just as music began to play. Daxton approached her, holding a bouquet of white roses.“Hey, what’s this about?” Vanessa was taken aback and didn’t accept the flowers.“Where’s your mind at? I’m here to congratulate you on your product launch and discuss a few matters,” Daxton said, appearing relaxed.Vanessa couldn’t help but glare at him. “Put the flowers away. Let’s talk about what you wanted to discuss.”Daxton helplessly shook his head, putting the flowers aside and gesturing for her to sit. “Can we talk while we eat?”This time, Vanessa didn’t refuse again. She walked over to the lavish dinner spread and started eating without hesitation.“Actually, I wanted to talk to you about financing. I think your company has great potential, and financing could significantly aid your company’s development,” Daxton said candidly.Upon hearing this, Vanessa fell into deep
“Are you Isla?”“Yes, I’m Isla Saxon, but you can just call me Isla—no need for the last name,” the little girl replied cheerfully.Grandpa Kensington burst into laughter, feeling happier than he had in a long time. The presence of such a joyful child brought warmth to the otherwise quiet house, filling it with a sense of warmth and affection.Vanessa was momentarily taken aback but still encouraged, “Isla, say hello.”As she said this, she glanced at Luca, subtly indicating who Isla was supposed to greet.Isla blinked her eyes, and her expressions mirrored Vanessa’s from years ago, pure and innocent.What a pity he had lost that…“Hello, Uncle Luca!” Isla sweetly called out, stepping closer and grabbing one of his fingers. She marveled, “Uncle, your hand is so big! It’s much stronger than Mommy’s…”“And how does it compare to your dad’s?” Luca, surprisingly unfazed, crouched down and asked with a gentle smile.Isla turn
Vanessa took the box with confusion and opened it, momentarily stunned.“Are you still keeping this?”As the green light turned on, Luca started the car.“I didn’t expect you to remember it,” he said, a hint of surprise in his voice.How could she forget this necklace? It was the only gift he had given her when they got married. Back then, she deliberately chose not to take it with her to show him that she had completely given up on him…Now he was returning it to her. What did that mean? Did he think a necklace could win her forgiveness?Vanessa closed the jewelry box and handed it back to him from the back seat. “This necklace belongs to its rightful owner; it’s not mine, and I don’t need it anymore.”Hearing this, Luca slammed on the brakes, pulling the car to the side of the road. “What do you mean by that? If you want i
On the Flight to London.First Class.Luca had already put on his eye mask and slipped into a restful state. He had informed the flight attendant not to disturb him, allowing him to catch up on some much-needed sleep.To ensure he made this flight to London, he had stayed up late handling work and was still busy dealing with tasks during the car ride to the airport. Thankfully, he managed to board the flight on time.Originally, Vanessa should have arrived in London much earlier on an earlier flight, but due to a last-minute meeting, she had to reschedule to this flight.Both of them were completely unaware of each other’s presence.Nearly ten hours later, the plane landed safely and on time.They still did not realize they were in the same place until they stood at the same exit, waiting for their cars.
The Second Day in LondonOn her second day in London for business, Vanessa was so busy that she barely had time to sleep. Meanwhile, Luca seemed to have all the time in the world, constantly interrupting her work.She had hoped to balance her workload with adjusting to the time difference, aiming to be fresh and alert for the upcoming negotiations. However, after twenty-four hours of continuous work, Vanessa felt her head growing heavier, her breaths becoming increasingly labored.Despite not yet reaching her designated rest time and worrying that the time difference might affect her performance, she pushed herself to continue.Eventually, unable to endure any longer, she decided to step out for a drink of water. But as she staggered toward the door, she dismissed her unsteadiness as merely the effects of sleep deprivation.Crash!Suddenly, Vanessa felt dizzy and collapsed.Hearing the noise, Luca rus
Luca wouldn’t dare ask her about it.After all, even if he did, Vanessa wouldn’t tell him the truth.The next day.After finishing her IV drip, the nurse handed Luca the discharge papers. Once he settled all the hospital fees, he drove Vanessa back to the hotel.As soon as they arrived, the front desk staff stopped them, relaying, “Mr. Kensington, the lady in the presidential suite would like to see you.”Upon hearing this, Luca glanced at Vanessa, as if wanting to explain the situation to her.But Vanessa’s cold and indifferent demeanor made him feel it was best not to say anything.“Okay, thank you,” he replied and followed Vanessa into the elevator.Inside the elevator, he tried to lighten the mood. “Are you upset, Miss Saxon?”Vanessa frowned slightly and turned to look at him, finding his attempt amusing.“Mr. Kensington, after all these years, you’ve learned how to joke?”Confused by her remark, Luca
“Ha ha, I thought Miss Hutchson was a smart person, but it seems I was mistaken…”The private investigator said this as he tossed the photos he had taken onto the table.Mariah was a bit perplexed as she picked up the photos and flipped through them. They were pictures of her alone with Leonardo, and judging by the background, they were taken during her last visit to the hospital…“What do you mean by this?” Mariah frowned, her tone displeased. “I hired you to find out who spread the rumors, not to investigate my relationship with Leonardo!”“I know, but it seems we have some unexpected surprises here. If you really had a clear conscience, why react so strongly…” The private investigator looked at Mariah’s expression, smiling as if everything was going according to his plan.“Just tell me, what&rsquo
Hearing the sound of keys jingling outside the door, Luca and Isla instantly switched from their playful banter to a more serious demeanor.The two had already agreed that to avoid raising Vanessa's suspicions, they needed to maintain their act once she returned.“Uncle Luca, you should take your medicine. Even if you don’t eat, you can’t skip your meds,” Isla urged, pushing the glass of water and the pills toward Luca.“I won’t take it. I’m not eating until your mommy comes back,” Luca stubbornly turned his head away, his tone defiant.When Vanessa walked in, she was met with this scene.“Why aren’t you taking your medicine?” Vanessa frowned, glancing at the table where the medicine lay.“Oh, you’re back!” Luca exclaimed, standing up with surprise upon seeing her.&nbs
When Mariah returned from her business trip, she was informed that Leonardo had been abroad the entire time and hadn’t returned.For some reason, she felt a pang of disappointment upon hearing this news. Before leaving, she had resolved not to let Leonardo’s actions affect her, but now… she hadn’t even seen him.Determined not to dwell in this uncertain emotional state, Mariah shifted her focus to work, immersing herself in tasks to keep her mind occupied.Meanwhile, under Vanessa’s care, Luca’s health gradually improved.His relationship with Isla grew closer, too.Sometimes, Vanessa would watch the two of them whispering to each other and couldn’t help but marvel at the bond of blood. Despite years of separation, they seemed to become familiar with each other almost instantly, even sharing little secrets behind her back.
However, mentioning Leonardo seemed to have become a taboo for Mariah. As long as no one brought him up, everything was fine; but as soon as his name was mentioned, Mariah would revert to her silent, withdrawn state.Vanessa wasn’t sure if Leonardo had reached out to Mariah afterward, nor did she ask about their situation, especially since Luca still needed her care.In truth, Mariah didn’t want to hear Leonardo’s name anymore; whenever she did, it always brought back unpleasant memories.But then, something strange happened.For several days in a row, Mariah received mysterious gifts.Almost every day, the receptionist would look at her with a teasing smile. “Miss Hutchson, your boyfriend is so thoughtful. Even though you’re just on a business trip, he keeps sending you gifts.”Seeing the receptionist’s envious expre
When Luca opened his eyes again, he found himself lying on a hospital bed. Vanessa was dozing off at his bedside, while a little one sat nearby, engrossed in her mechanical toy.Isla? Vanessa even brought Isla here?*Seeing them there, a faint smile tugged at his lips, his heart inexplicably at ease. He reached out to gently stroke Vanessa’s face, and as the sunlight from the window brushed her features, the fine hairs on her skin seemed to glisten.It had been a long time since he'd seen her so peaceful, and he couldn’t look away.That was until a sharp-eyed little observer broke the silence, her voice piping up, “Uncle Luca, you’re awake!”“Shhh…” Luca quickly gestured for Isla to keep quiet, worried that she’d wake up Vanessa. But it was too late. Vanessa stirred, blinking blearily before her eyes widened in surprise at se
Luca felt an overwhelming sense of unease as he drove along the route he remembered. To ensure his safety, he activated real-time location sharing and sent it to his assistant.His instincts were correct. The people who had kidnapped Vanessa were no ordinary criminals; they had a certain level of counter-surveillance skills. The moment he arrived at the location where Vanessa was last seen, he was surrounded.Facing a group of men holding various weapons, Luca understood their intentions and calmly got out of the car. He looked directly at the leader and asked, “Where is Vanessa?”“Heh, who the hell do you think you are?” the leader sneered, spitting out his cigarette. “You want to see her? I’ll gladly take you to her right now.”Before Luca could react, the men moved in to search him.As the sole heir of The Kensingtons and president of
Bang!The door swung open as Grandpa Kensington stormed in, visibly furious. "Luca, what did you just say? Who were you talking to on the phone?"Seeing his grandfather had overheard, Luca decided to be straightforward."Grandpa, please calm down and let me explain.""What’s left to explain? Ezra is your son! How could you be so heartless as a father?!" Grandpa's anger shook his voice, and he coughed in frustration.Luca quickly helped him sit down and poured him a cup of water. Once Grandpa settled, Luca began to explain, "Grandpa, I’ve located Ezra. He’s safe; this kidnapper is just trying to extort us.""What?" Grandpa's eyes widened in surprise.It was a relief to know Ezra was unharmed, but the idea that someone dared to toy with The Kensingtons sent his temper flaring again."Do you know who&rs
Upon hearing this, Luca nodded, but he still had his doubts. After Beatriz left, he instructed his assistant to investigate the matter thoroughly.Meanwhile, Vanessa was starting to regain her senses as the effects of the drug wore off. She woke up to find everything around her pitch black.The sounds around her were chaotic. Vanessa strained to identify where she was and realized she was in a moving vehicle, swaying back and forth."Ahem," Vanessa cleared her throat and tentatively tried to communicate with the driver. "Mr. Land, I don’t know who sent you or what promises were made to you, but if you let me go, I can give you what she can—no, I’ll give you double.""Shut up! If you keep yelling, I’ll gag you," one of the men beside him said, clearly irritated.Undeterred, Vanessa pressed on, "Or just tell me what you want.""Shut up,
"Alright, I understand. Let’s not make this public for now."After hanging up the phone, Luca rubbed his temples.Isla, rubbing her eyes, came out of her room and saw Luca standing alone. She asked curiously, "Where’s Mommy? Why is she still in bed?"Luca wasn’t sure how to explain to Isla, so he vaguely said, "Isla, Mommy has something to take care of. Uncle will take you to kindergarten later, okay?"Isla pouted, a little unhappy, but didn’t refuse.After finishing breakfast, Luca first dropped Isla off at kindergarten before heading to the police station.Since it hadn’t been 24 hours yet, they couldn’t file a report. Luca could only describe Vanessa’s appearance to the police and ask them to keep an eye out for her.One of the officers on duty paused as he overheard their convers