Beatriz was taken aback and quickly pushed her away, retreating as she said, “What are you talking about? I don’t understand!”
Vanessa gave a slight cold smile. “Since you don’t understand, I won’t bother explaining further,” she said, preparing to roll up the window and drive away. Halfway through, she suddenly remembered something and added, “By the way, I believe you know that both our companies successfully entered the second round of the bidding. See you then.”
With a casual smile and bright eyes, she rolled up the window and drove away.
Left behind, Beatriz stomped her feet in anger.
“This is what you’ve forced me into, Vanessa!” With hatred in her eyes, she had originally just wanted to keep Vanessa away from Luca, perhaps letting her off the hook, but now it seemed this woman couldn’t be spared!
...
HM Group’s President Office.
“Is the recent news about VH your doing?” The short, plump man gl
Vanessa walked over, carrying the prepared dishes and waved her hand, saying, “It’s good that you’re awake; come and eat!” “Mommy, is there the braised beans I love the most tonight?” Vanessa lifted her onto the child seat and smiled, “Yes, yes, yes, you little eater!” At the dinner table, Mariah appeared somewhat reserved, making the mother and daughter both notice her demeanor. “Sister, my mommy told me to call you auntie, but I think you’re so pretty you shouldn’t be called that,” Isla said sweetly, offering Mariah a piece of braised bean. “Can I call you sister?” Mariah was taken aback and blushed at the sight of the braised bean. “Um, sure.” “Yay! Then what is your name?” “Mariah.” “Hello, Sister Mariah!” “Hello,” Mariah replied, returning the gesture by giving her a piece of braised bean and asking, “What’s your name?” Isla looked at Vanes
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
“What do you want to talk about?” Leonardo asked, watching William’s back.William abruptly turned around, grabbing Leonardo by the collar. “You’ve got some nerve asking that!” he growled.Before Leonardo could respond, a harsh slap landed across his face.Leonardo didn’t retaliate. He calmly touched his cheek where the slap had landed and said lightly, “My face is insured. If you want to hit me, aim somewhere else.”Seeing Leonardo’s nonchalant attitude, as if this had nothing to do with him, William became even angrier, throwing punch after punch, this time sparing Leonardo’s face and landing the blows on his body.Seething, William spat, “How dare you come here? What right do you have to see Mariah?”Originally standing there as if made of stone, Leonardo’s calm demeanor finally cracked. He responded with a sneer, “Oh? If I have no right, then what g
Seeing that it was getting dark, Vanessa glanced at William and suggested, “It’s getting late. Why don’t you go home and get some rest? I’ll stay here and take care of things.”William shook his head. “I’ll stay with Mariah. You both should go home and rest.”Vanessa hesitated, feeling the weight of the complex relationships between everyone involved, which only made her headache worse.Luca watched with a detached look and said to Vanessa, “Vanessa, maybe we should go. Isla’s still waiting at home, and with William here, I doubt there will be any problems.”Reluctantly, Vanessa nodded, especially after seeing Mariah’s silence, and decided to leave.Meanwhile, Leonardo was still filming a show and hadn’t checked his phone.When filming finally wrapped up, Leonardo grabbed his phone, only to have it immediately taken by his manager.“Leo, we have another gig lined up
After Mariah left, she didn’t go straight home. Feeling unsettled, she wandered the empty streets alone, letting the evening breeze cool her frustration.Looking at the desolate street, Mariah felt an even deeper emptiness inside her. She had thought that Leonardo at least had some feelings for her, but now it seemed that, despite their mutual attraction, it wouldn’t lead anywhere. There were too many barriers between them, and just the unspoken rule that celebrities couldn’t date was enough to crush any tender hopes she held.Lost in thought, she didn’t notice a drunken man stumble out of a nearby alley, heading straight toward her.Without warning, he bumped into her, sending her crashing to the ground.Seeing this, he lunged at her. Luckily, Mariah had learned a few self-defense moves and managed to dodge him. But the drunk man was relentless and con
Mariah also felt the oppressive atmosphere in the car and shifted restlessly, moving closer to Leonardo to create some distance from the manager. The manager immediately frowned and sneered, “I didn’t expect Miss Hutchson to be this kind of person. Last time at the hospital, you promised me you would keep your distance from Leonardo. How is it that just a few days later, you can’t help yourself? Let me tell you, don’t think these tricks can fool everyone; I’ve seen many seduction tactics like yours.” Mariah's expression instantly turned cold, and she was clearly displeased. However, due to the manager’s status, she suppressed her anger and tried to explain patiently, “You’ve really misunderstood; I absolutely don’t mean that.” The manager curled his lip, not believing Mariah’s words. Leonardo also became a bit unhappy; he had initiated this meeting, so why wa
“Grandpa, I know everything. But haven’t I already been dismissed?” Luca’s calm voice came through the receiver, and the old man could detect a hint of grievance in his tone. Clearing his throat, the old man replied solemnly, “Luca, this situation has come up unexpectedly. I plan to personally go to the company, and I’d like you to come with me.” After a moment of silence, Luca refused, “Grandpa, I think I’ll pass. It’s rare for me to have a break, and I’d like to rest a bit more.” Hearing this, the old man sighed. “Alright then, I won’t force you.” He understood that Luca’s reluctance to return to the company was likely due to Vanessa. It was a rare opportunity for Luca to spend time with her, and he didn’t want anyone to interfere. Besides, going to the company now might not be very useful anyway. Beatriz was no
Vanessa posed as a wealthy investor and contacted the founder of the public account through its backend, claiming she was interested in investing in the platform and requesting a meeting.The public account was still in its early stages. Although it had gained a modest following, it wasn’t influential enough yet. Being approached by a potential investor left the founder both surprised and excited, and he immediately agreed to the proposal.Seeing the red dot notification pop up on her chat box, Vanessa smiled—her prey had taken the bait. After adding him as a friend, she wasted no time and called him directly. The man answered within seconds: “Hello? Is this Ms. Saxon?”“Yes, it is,” Vanessa replied calmly.“I heard… uh, that you’re interested in investing in our account?” The man’s excitement was clear in his voice.Vanessa remained silent for a moment.
Ever since William met Cassandra, he feared rumors would surface that could harm her reputation, so he didn’t stay at her house that night.Even though he left, William couldn’t stop worrying about her. Despite repeatedly reminding Cassandra not to open the entertainment news sections or care about the hateful comments, the barrage of insults still infuriated him. He couldn’t bear the thought of Cassandra reading those words and feeling hurt.William knew that he was already deeply involved, but he accepted it willingly.Determined to help her get through the storm, William devised a plan—to confess his feelings as soon as possible. He believed that if they were together, it would give her the strength to leave the scandal behind.A confession was something a man had to take the lead on, and William had made up his mind. But uncertainty gnawed at him—what if Cassandra didn’t feel the same? This thought
A day had passed, but the overnight scandal involving Cassandra and Luca showed no signs of dying down. Instead, the uproar online grew louder.An anonymous user even dug up old photos of Cassandra and Luca together, claiming the two had known each other for a long time. Some netizens fixated on Cassandra’s expressions in the pictures, saying that she had admired Luca back then, with her eyes full of affection for him. This, they argued, only proved the accusations of her having ulterior motives.Under these posts, the comments were filled with sarcasm and insults directed at Cassandra.Some users even went to the social media pages of brands still working with Cassandra, threatening to boycott their products unless they canceled her endorsement deals, putting enormous pressure on the companies.At this point, Cassandra was practically trapped at home. Her agent, Nicole, ordered her to stay off the internet and avoid reading the posts and comments.
Seeing this, Vanessa elaborated, "Mariah wanted to protect Leonardo, so she asked William to pretend to be her boyfriend. William might have liked Mariah before, but now he has someone else he likes."Before Cassandra could feel happy about the first part of that statement, her mood plummeted at the latter half.Vanessa didn’t notice the change and continued, "However, they’ve changed their minds again. After your incident, William and Mariah don’t plan to pretend to be a couple anymore."The thought that her situation had influenced William’s decision made Cassandra feel a flutter of excitement, and she couldn’t help but wonder if he cared about her.But if they weren’t pretending to be a couple, what would happen to Leonardo?Cassandra voiced her concerns, and Vanessa reassured her, "You’re barely holding it together; why worry about others? Don’t worry, everything is fine with Leonardo. He’ll