Hannah held Blake's hand. "There's actually something I want to tell you."Blake smiled as if she was covering up something. "Mom, I'm so tired! I want to sleep. If there's something, can you tell me after I wake up?"Hannah responded, "Blake, Yael and I came back because of this matter. Not long ago, someone hacked into the filing system. We don't know who it is, but Yael's and my information was stolen. It seems like someone's coming for you. I think you should know about this."Blake covered her ears emotionally. Her eyes turned red as she said, "I don't want to listen. I don't want to hear anything."Hannah saw her reaction and mustered the courage to say, "Blake, if it weren't absolutely necessary, we would've wanted to keep this matter from you forever. But the situation is different now. What I wanted to tell you is that regardless of whether you're my biological child or not, once I decided to adopt you, I'd already decided to treat you as my own daughter."For us, the ado
Blake replied to Liam. In the end, she decided that she did not want to work at Jardin Corporation and definitely did not want to become Cecilia's assistant.She had made that decision, firstly, due to their relationship, and secondly, because she believed she could not handle the position of the CEO's assistant.She wanted to take things one step at a time.Blake had rested at home for a few days, and StartReading Literary did not urge her to return to work.Hannah and Yael had stayed with Blake during the few days too. After resolving Blake's emotional struggles, they left and returned to their research institute.Around seven-thirty in the morning, after driving Hannah and Yael to the airport, Blake went to the company to work.When she arrived, some editors had already started working.An editor said, "Good morning, Ms. Dion!"Blake nodded. "Good morning."When she entered the office, she noticed that Liam had not arrived at the company yet. This surprised her because he u
Blake had just sent out the email, but within just ten minutes, she had already received confirmation that one of their novels had been greenlit for a major film adaptation and television series.She was not surprised, but she heard cheers outside her office. Perplexed, she shrugged her shoulders.She thought, 'It's just the approval of a project, what's there to be so overjoyed about?'However, at that moment, she heard someone outside the door say, "Oh my goodness, I thought our company was almost done for.""Yeah! I intended to resign.""Mr. Xander hasn't been in the company for the past two days, and Ms. Dion was absent for over half a month. Our company hasn't been performing well. My most recent paycheck was only half of what I made in the previous month. I was devastated.""Exactly! People from Jardin Corporation have never taken us seriously. Last week, I sent an email to Mr. Xander, and he told me he hasn't gotten any response from Jardin Corporation yet. And it's been h
Blake continued saying, "Ms. Samford, if you don't have anything to discuss with me, I'll have to leave now as I still have work matters to attend to. My apologies."Blake came to the company just for work and had no intention of getting involved with Cecilia.However, Cecilia ignored her request and immediately asked Susan to drive away from the Jardin Tower.Blake looked at Cecilia with displeasure. "What do you want?"Cecilia replied, "It's lunchtime now, and I've reserved a table at The Deli."Blake resisted the idea of having a meal with Cecilia. "I'm just an assistant, I'm not qualified to have lunch with you. Or have you come up with a new plan to deal with me? Or is it the same as last time; pushing me to the cooperating party you set up?"Cecilia responded, "All those incidents in the past have been misunderstandings. Now that we've finally reunited, let's forget about the past. I'll make it up to you. There's a banquet tonight; I'll introduce you to some people. It'll b
Dishes were gradually brought out one after another. Then a bowl of sweet potato soup was served. Cecilia took the ladle and filled a small bowl for Blake. "I specifically requested them to make this. I used to drink it often. Of course, this can't compare to the soup that you used to make for me in the past."Now that I've made some money, you won't have to cook anymore."Blake, who had been watching Cecilia talk, avoided eye contact. "I don't know what you're talking about."Cecilia smiled at Blake. "It's okay if you can't remember that now; I remember everything."Come on, have some soup. After you finish, I'll show you what you want to see."Blake, despite her initial reluctance, grabbed the spoon and gradually succumbed to Cecilia's persuasion.Blake finished the soup in her bowl in just a few minutes. She said, "Can you tell me now? You'd better not be playing games with me."Then, Cecilia took out her phone and opened a video.In the video, Kevin was dressed in a black w
"Liam, isn't the food here delightful? Let's plan on coming here again, okay?" Ixia's voice was tinged with excitement.Blake's eyes widened in surprise at the entrance upon seeing Liam and Ixia together.With a gentle but firm motion, Liam eased Ixia's hand off his arm, turning toward Blake. "Blake, what brings you here?" he inquired, his tone even.Blake, momentarily flustered, darted at Ixia before averting Liam's gaze. "I was dining with Ms. Samford. I should leave now," she said, her voice slightly strained."Blake," Liam called out, following her retreating figure. On the other hand, Ixia, teetering in her high heels, cried out, "Liam, wait for me!"Outside, Liam caught up with Blake, grasping her wrist decisively. "We need to talk," he said, a serious undertone in his voice.Ushering Blake into his car, Liam swiftly secured the seatbelt around her. Ixia, having caught up, knocked on the car door, exasperation clear in her voice, "Liam, you promised to dine with me. How can
Blake hesitated, then added, "I'm sorry! I completely forgot about our pretend relationship."Liam abruptly stood and approached her desk, "Blake, Cecilia shared some things at the hospital; I may need to return to my family soon. Regarding our arrangement, I might still need your assistance. If it's too much, we can stop."Blake tensed, pondering. After a brief pause, she inquired, "How much longer do you need me?"Liam's silence lingered.Blake continued, "Liam, remember. I have Kevin. I don't want any misunderstandings when he's back. But I'll help if you need me. You've been there for me before."Liam nodded and smiled gently, "Alright. Since we're friends, what did Cecilia tell you? You've been unusually quiet. If something's troubling you, I'm here."Blake hesitated, her thoughts drifting to the video Cecilia showed her, depicting Kevin with a chilling, ruthless expression. His command had triggered a brutal action, reflecting a disturbing lack of concern for human life."
The horrific images, each a visceral shock to Blake's senses, lingered in her mind throughout the day at work. Suddenly, her phone vibrated next to her computer, snapping her out of her thoughts. It was a message from Cecilia, which also contained the unsettling video and photos. Each image, drenched in brutality, depicted Kevin's ruthless actions. Under his command, people lay defeated, lifeless.Shaking, Blake struggled to accept the reality of these images. She reached out to a digital forensics expert at Jardin Corporation, seeking assistance in verifying their authenticity. Once she found a method, she acted swiftly. The results, obtained within minutes, confirmed the photos were real. Blake clutched her mouse tightly, her body tensed. She was battling a storm of emotions. She finally deleted the photos from her computer and, with a sense of urgency, grabbed her phone and hurried out of the office. Liam, watching her hurried departure, was filled with concern.Blake strode purpo