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Chapter 46
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The Richest Man in Metropolis is My Backer! Chapter 47
Edward glowered at me before running off, Maddison in his arms.I froze, confused. What had just happened?It seemed like he resented me—why? Was it because he failed to spend 27,000,000 dollars?I had no idea what happened to Maddison afterward. I returned to Metropolis, happy to have my mother's bracelet, and went straight to her grave. I told her everything.It wasn't until late at night that I realized I had a new problem: how was I supposed to repay Soren for this?!I had to find time to talk to him. I needed to repay him, or this would haunt me forever!-Unfortunately, trouble arrived before I could do anything.When I walked into the office the next day, everyone was knee-deep in gossip.They tried to act serious and politely greeted me when they saw me. I even thought their smiles seemed a bit too buttery.I summoned Cherry into my office to ask what was going on. "You went viral, Tay-Tay!" she exclaimed."What? Why?""The auction! Mr. Kenway spent 40,000,000 dol
The Richest Man in Metropolis is My Backer! Chapter 48
To Soren, it was probably as easy as taking candy from a baby.I hesitated. Should I contact him to express my gratitude?I thought about it for a while and decided to stick to my usual principle: a little gratitude could never hurt. Whether he accepted it or not was up to him.I sifted through the stack of business cards I had collected and found the one Michael had given me.Michael answered the phone. "Miss Jones, hello."This must be Soren's PR office's number. Someone like him wouldn't hand out his personal contact details so casually."Hi, Mr. Kidd. I'd like to thank Mr. Kenway for his help yesterday. Is this a good time?" I asked, getting straight to the point."Of course, Miss Jones. Just a moment," he replied."Got it."I remembered how he had addressed me—Fair Miss Taylor Jones.It sounded like something a lord's retainer might say to a lady in a medieval tale. I had a feeling Michael had used that formality because Maddison was there.Now that it was just the two
The Richest Man in Metropolis is My Backer! Chapter 49
How could someone so perfect exist?Soren was such a gentleman—a truly stand-up guy.He was supposed to be way too busy for me, and yet he didn't look down on a girl from a lower social status inviting him to dinner. He didn't even reject me.He agreed with his characteristic courtesy.Okay, back to reality. Where should we dine?He was a very important person, and I was sure he had high standards for everything, including food. I doubted the usual upscale restaurants would be good enough for him.Luckily, Jeannie's family operated upscale restaurants, so I had help.Me: [Jeannie, I've invited a super important VIP to dinner to thank him for a big favor. Any recommendations? I need a place that's super sophisticated and classy.]Jean: [?? When?]Me: [Tomorrow night.]Jean: [Come to the Oriole. The Pride Room!]I knew I could rely on her!The Oriole was the finest, most upscale restaurant her family owned. The Pride Room was reserved exclusively for VVIPs.Naturally, it was
The Richest Man in Metropolis is My Backer! Chapter 50
I could not believe this woman. She wasn't going to leave my office unscathed!I grabbed my phone to call the cops. Maybe my father needed his wife to keep him company in his cell!Cameron heard me addressing the police and went wild. She circled the desk and grabbed another folder. She began launching attacks on me."How dare you call the cops again, you bitch?! You've already locked your dad up! They charged him with prostitution! He has to be inside for 10 days!"You blackhearted bitch! You're worse than even your mother! You've torn our family apart! How could you still be alive?!"How could God let you live like this? Why aren't you the one with cancer? Why aren't you the one dying? I bet your bitch-ass mom is waiting for you!"Why is my precious darling… the one who has to die so soon? She's so young…"She was hysterical, hitting me and shouting until, somehow, she started crying too.I protected my head as best as I could. I needed to make sure my face was at least fine, but she
The Richest Man in Metropolis is My Backer! Chapter 51
After having my head examined, I told the doctor to wrap my injury—just a scrape—with extra white linen. I even got a medical cap!Then I showed up at the station with my slightly exaggerated injury.The police had finished questioning Cameron by that point.The footage from my surveillance camera had made it clear who was in the wrong, too. In the end, Cameron was charged.Her legal punishment was ten days in a detainment facility, a 2,000-dollar fine, and an apology to my face.She was much more subdued by then, glaring at me while gritting her teeth."Well? Are you going to apologize now, or do you want a few more days in your cell?" a police officer asked.Cameron was visibly nervous. "No, I can't stay in there for too long. My daughter has cancer. I need to be with her as long as possible. She could be gone at any time!""Then why did you spend your time beating someone else up? That's time you could have spent keeping her company!" the police officer retorted.Cameron looked desp
The Richest Man in Metropolis is My Backer! Chapter 52
Well, whoever that hottie was, I bet he paled in comparison to the handsome young man I was about to see!Laughing, I sent her a voice note."Did you throw your arms around him and only let go after he gave you his social media handles?""No! I'm actually a little wary of doing that! He seems courteous and approachable, but there's something about him that makes him… I don't know, like he's above me. I feel like I have to behave myself!"I flashed a smile. I thought I was the only one with that attitude whenever Soren was around.I didn't know there was a man in this world who could make a feisty, confident tease like Jean feel “demure” too!I giggled."Did you take a picture of him?""I did. And then I didn't. One of the people with him noticed and politely asked me to delete it."No way! I was about to respond when someone knocked on the door.The Oriole's manager pushed it open and announced, "Miss Jones, your guest has arrived."I looked up to see the ever-elegant Sore
The Richest Man in Metropolis is My Backer! Chapter 53
I imagined how Jean must look right now and tried my best not to laugh.Jean had asked me what happened after the news went viral. At the time, I had told her I borrowed 40,000,000 dollars to fight Edward and save myself from humiliation.Well, she wasn't going to believe that now.My phone was still vibrating with notifications, but Soren was sitting right across from me. It would be impolite to keep answering them.Thus, I didn't.I set my phone down and turned to him. "Um, the course we'll be having today is entirely based on the chef de cuisine's recommendations, Mr. Kenway. All the ingredients are brought here via air. Is that okay?"He set his wine glass down. "Of course."The conversation seemed to have died before it even began.My cheeks burned. I couldn't think of anything to say.Luckily, Soren was far more relaxed than I was. "You mentioned the bracelet was your mother's."I nodded. "It was passed down through my family. My great-grandfather gave it to my grandmot
The Richest Man in Metropolis is My Backer! Chapter 54
"I'm fine! I was more worried about what it might do to your reputation!" I said quickly."I'll be fine. I stand by what I've done," Soren assured me.That was a relief.The manager knocked on our door, followed by the chef, who pushed a trolley stacked with delicacies to our table."You treat me too well," Soren remarked courteously."No, no. I'm honored to treat you, Mr. Kenway. It's worth it!" I replied.The chef placed the food on the table before announcing, "Bon appétit, Mr. Kenway, Miss Jones."I was a little surprised. The chef knew who Soren was—even though Jean did not!"Does the chef de cuisine know you, Mr. Kenway?" I asked.Soren laid out his napkin and handled his cutlery with polished dexterity. "Chef Remy Charousset's star apprentice works at the Kenway residence. Sometimes, when we throw banquets, we invite Chef Remy to oversee the kitchen."Oh my God!"I see! Well, this restaurant actually belongs to my best friend," I admitted. "It's really expensive, thou
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The Richest Man in Metropolis is My Backer! Chapter 440
I inhaled Soren's natural scent, but no amount of it could absolve me of the love and longing I'd felt for him over the past few days.I stood on my tiptoes, initiating a kiss in a daze, with no regard for the fact that we were still outside.Soren, too, seemed to have lost his mind a little. He knew we shouldn't kiss in public, yet he didn't refuse when I made the first move.But then, the honk of my car brought us back to our senses.The driver shot us a strange look. "Um... Could you close the door so I can park your car, please?"He probably thought something was wrong when he saw how hurried I'd been moments earlier.But now that we'd arrived, it became clear—I was in a rush because I missed my "husband."That realization probably left him stunned.Honestly, I was stunned as well.I never thought I'd act that way, but the driver's reminder sparked such embarrassment in me that I buried my face in Soren's arms.Soren laughed, his chest vibrating with the sound.He reache
The Richest Man in Metropolis is My Backer! Chapter 439
"I'm sorry, Alex, but I have to go. It's an emergency," I said to the birthday girl, not even bothering to hang up the phone.Alex must have been startled by the look on my face. She nodded quickly and urged, "You should get someone to drive you. You've had a lot to drink!"But I didn't reply. I bolted out the door, with Jean close behind, already calling someone on her phone."Calm down, Taylor. He's not going anywhere. No matter how long it takes, he'll still be at your house. Let someone else drive, okay?" Jean pleaded, doing her best to stop me from doing something reckless.The cold night air hit me, cutting through my drunken haze and sharpening my focus.I nodded. "Alright, I won't do anything stupid. I… I can't cause him any more trouble than I already have."I mumbled the last part, but Jean heard it anyway.She grabbed my arm, gripping it tightly. Her tone turned serious. "You really need to rethink this breakup. You two are so in love—it'd be such a shame to throw tha
The Richest Man in Metropolis is My Backer! Chapter 438
I couldn't bring myself to turn Alex down after she'd invited me so many times, so I finally agreed to meet up.I stopped by the nearest luxury store and picked out a bracelet for Alex, having it wrapped in a pretty gift box.By the time I arrived at the venue, I was pretty late—the others had already started, and even the candles on the cake had been lit.Alex looked breathtaking that night. She stood at the center of the crowd, cutting the cake amid everyone's well wishes.As for me... I sat off to the side and drowned myself in alcohol.Jean noticed and came over, nudging my arm. "What's wrong? You look so gloomy tonight. You've only been away from your boyfriend for a few days, but you already look half dead."I twirled my wine glass, my gaze gradually losing focus.In a daze, I murmured, "Pretty soon, I'll be well and truly dead."Jean frowned. "What are you talking about?"I downed my drink and said coldly, "I'm breaking up with him.""What?!"Thankfully, the celebrati
The Richest Man in Metropolis is My Backer! Chapter 437
"Alright then. Miles has strongly requested to speak with you. We'll connect you two through the speakerphone." The officer pulled out his cell phone and made the call.After a brief conversation with the person on the other end, he activated the speakerphone and placed the phone on the table.I heard Miles' voice crackle through the speaker. "Taylor? Is that you, Tay?"Hatred surged within me at the sound of his voice, and I replied through gritted teeth, "Yes.""You need to help me, Tay! I've been set up! Edward told me he had a job that would make me a lot of money. He said all I had to do was take some photos and upload them… I thought it was a legitimate gig, so I went for it, but... it's a trap!"As expected, it really was Edward.How many traps has he set just to get back at me?Hearing Miles call me "Tay" after all the years of his disdain made it clear he was in genuine shock.Unfortunately, I felt no sympathy."You're being charged with espionage. There's nothing I c
The Richest Man in Metropolis is My Backer! Chapter 436
Finally, I felt a sense of relief after that phone call.For the first time in a while, I was even free from insomnia that night.I still had two more fashion shows to attend after the one in Medhelanon, which kept me incredibly busy. Sometimes, I wished I could clone myself.The silver lining was that with my mind so occupied by work, I didn't miss Soren as much, and time passed faster than before.Just as I was about to leave for the day, my office phone rang."Hello?""Hello, is this Taylor Jones?" a polite yet stern voice asked."Yes, this is she. May I ask who's calling?""Miss Jones, we're from the Department of Homeland Security. Is Miles Jones your brother?" "Miles?" I froze. "Yes, he's my brother. Why?""We've arrested him on suspicion of espionage. We'd like a family member to assist with the investigation. Can you visit the nearest police station?"The shock hit me like a wave.Miles? A spy?He had been a total deadbeat for as long as I could remember, living o
The Richest Man in Metropolis is My Backer! Chapter 435
"Yeah, I've been really busy these past few days. There's a special project I've been working on that requires me to hand over my cell phone. That's why I haven't been able to stay in touch."Soren was telling a white lie, likely to keep me from worrying about him."So… are you mad at me?" he asked with a soft chuckle."No, I'm not." Tears welled up in my eyes, blurring my vision so much that I could barely drive.I maneuvered through the traffic and pulled over by the bus station.After wiping my tears and forcing myself to calm down, I spoke again. "I'm not mad at you, Soren. Don't worry about me—just focus on taking care of yourself.""Okay. I'm doing alright, though my hours have been long. But I can manage." His voice remained gentle, and I decided not to call him out on his lie.If he didn't want me to know the truth, I'd pretend not to notice. It was the least I could do to preserve his dignity."How much longer do you have to be away?" That was all I cared about. I just
The Richest Man in Metropolis is My Backer! Chapter 434
I didn't know what else to do except apologize.Lisbeth sighed faintly. "I don't blame you. Soren would never change his mind unless he talked himself out of it."He went overseas because he couldn't bear listening to us rant, begging him to leave you. He thought hiding abroad would solve everything, but it only gave others the perfect excuse to accuse him."I looked at her, grateful she knew her son so well.Still, I blamed myself and regretted my actionsIf I'd known Edward would be in Medhelanon, I would've stopped Soren from going. But from Soren's perspective, he would've gone regardless, even if the world had crumbled around him. Lisbeth said, "I believe he's innocent. I'm sure he'll be proven innocent and home in a few days. But this has been a warning to us all."His grandfather's health has always been fragile, and his blood pressure spiked when he heard what happened yesterday. He made several calls to figure out how the investigation is progressing."I asked urgentl
The Richest Man in Metropolis is My Backer! Chapter 433
My mind was in chaos, thoughts scattering in every direction. "Where is he? Will he be convicted?" My eyes were red, my voice hoarse without my realizing it. "I'm not sure," Lisbeth replied. "His father wouldn't have told me any of this if I hadn't pressed him. Before that, we all thought he was away on a business trip." Throughout our conversation, Lisbeth stared at me without looking away, her expression grave.Although she remained composed, I sensed her deep unease. She wouldn't have come all the way to my studio if she weren't deeply troubled. "I know he's innocent, Ms. Lisbeth. Soren is innocent. He'll be fine, even if he's under investigation," I said, trying to reassure both her and myself. "Yes, I hope so too." She nodded, her demeanor softening slightly. "To be honest, Taylor, I like you very much. Setting aside how you saved Soren's life, I admire you greatly. You're beautiful, well-educated, capable, and self-taught. You've also avoided the vices that pla
The Richest Man in Metropolis is My Backer! Chapter 432
Cherry had been to the Kenway residence before and had met Lisbeth, so she immediately escorted her to my studio, even though Lisbeth hadn't made an appointment.I was shocked by her unexpected visit but greeted her with a friendly, respectful demeanor."Ms. Lisbeth! Why didn't you let me know you were coming? I would've gone downstairs to greet you if I'd known."I had learned a thing or two from Candy, so I did my best to sound as pleasant as possible.Lisbeth simply smiled, removing her goatskin gloves and scarf.Her personal assistant, who had been behind her, took her things before leaving the studio.I hurried over to help as Lisbeth began to remove her coat, then hung it up nearby."This is a lovely place," Lisbeth said after casually scanning the room. "Sol's been talking about it non-stop ever since she came here."I couldn't understand why she was visiting, and I wasn't brave enough to ask, so I played along. "It's a little messy. I haven't had time to clean up after
