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Chapter 51
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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
The Richest Man in Metropolis is My Backer! Chapter 55
"Where are your achievements?!" My voice broke from shock. "You're nothing but achievements! You're so accomplished in your business, your net worth… everything! If someone like you has nothing to show, then we plebs are basically…"I paused for a moment before saying more quietly, "Human slop.""What was that?""Nothing! I was just saying your standards for yourself are a little too high!""No, they're not. The 'achievements' you mentioned aren't really mine, are they? They're simply something I inherited. I was lucky—not skilled," he replied earnestly.My heart skipped a beat. Here was a man who remained self-aware despite the privilege and blessings he had been showered with. How perfect could this guy be?!"So in Mom's eyes, I have no achievements to show," he added.I shook my head. "You're too humble… though, I agree with Madame Kenway on one thing. You are a seriously exceptional guy. You should get married and pass on your exceptional genes for the good of humankind!"
The Richest Man in Metropolis is My Backer! Chapter 56
"Fine, fine!" I raised my glass. "To love that eludes us."Love had eluded me too, hadn't it? I had made so many sacrifices for Edward, only to be abandoned in the end.It seemed I finally found the one thing I had in common with a man as privileged as Soren, after all.He clinked his glass against mine, but before he drank, he stopped. "Do you still love your ex?"I took a sip of my red wine. "Nah. But it does take time to completely remove him from my mind—we were together for years.""I figured," he replied."And a minor correction: he's hardly my ex-husband in the eyes of the law. It's a load of crap, but the long and short of it is that I have a feeling we won't be legally separated for a while," I complained.Our second appointment was tomorrow, but I was worried he would be a no-show again. If he pulled that stunt, I'd have no choice but to sue him.I didn't want to do that, though, simply because the legal procedures would be too time-consuming. I was too busy for these things
The Richest Man in Metropolis is My Backer! Chapter 57
Thanks to my best friend's encouragement, my daydreams, and my own admiration for him, I dreamed of Soren that night.My wedding to Edward had continued. I walked down the aisle in the bridal gown I had sewn for myself.The crowd showered me with cheers and praise as I made my way toward my Prince Charming.The man lifted my veil.I gazed into the eyes of the groom.It was not Edward at all. It was Soren!I scanned the crowd in bewilderment, searching for Edward, certain there had been a mistake. But Soren… He took my hand, and we continued down the aisle, walking and walking, as though we would remain on this path together forever.I was about to kiss him when the alarm started to buzz.I held onto the dream as tightly as I could, trying to savor this moment, but reality had a way of breaking your dreams apart.I opened my eyes with difficulty and reached for my phone.My reminder memo shook off any lingering grogginess: [Divorce appointment.]I quickly jumped out of bed an
The Richest Man in Metropolis is My Backer! Chapter 58
A few years ago, Marcus had convinced my aunt to retire from her job at the company, and she followed his advice. But since then, too many of his relatives had wormed their way into positions within the company, like pests. The business had begun to spiral downward.This forced Sarah back into the workforce. After much effort, she finally regained control of the company's finances, ensuring that the Zack family could no longer exploit it for financial gain.Her actions quickly turned her into their enemy. They started badmouthing her to Marcus, driving a wedge between them and causing cracks to form in their relationship.My aunt must have taken some money out of the company's account to help me. Marcus discovered this and seized on it as a decisive blow against her.Even though nothing came of it and the money was returned without a dime spent, it was enough for them to make an issue of it.If they were to get a divorce, I feared that my mother's terrible fate would befall my aun
The Richest Man in Metropolis is My Backer! Chapter 59
The amount he asked for was so absurd that it destroyed any goodwill I could have had for him.Sure, I might appear to be the cause of this mess, but it was all the Zacks' doing.There was no way I was going to let these fools use me as a scapegoat.Wayne scanned my office, jealousy clearly written on his face. "I heard you're divorcing Edward, but in return, he gives you the company."And then! You've managed to charm the Kenways, huh? Especially that mysterious Mr. Kenway. He even spent 40,000,000 dollars to buy your mom's bracelet," he said matter-of-factly."The way I see it, 7,000,000 dollars is as easy as a spit, right? Use your womanly charm on Edward or Mr. Kenway, and either of them would gladly throw the money at your face!"I smiled. No wonder this brat was here. He seemed to think he had me all figured out."I broke up with Edward—and it wasn't exactly on good terms, to put it mildly. I'm not borrowing money from him. Ever," I replied calmly. "And I'm not involved wi
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The Richest Man in Metropolis is My Backer! Chapter 202
"Good evening, Taylor." Soren's voice was low and soft.The way he enunciated his words made him sound so proper and gentlemanly. It was so refreshing that I felt as if the cold had left me.My mind started to blank. I suddenly realized I could not speak. In the end, I could only squeeze out lamely, "So… had your dinner?"He chuckled. "Yes. You?""Me?" I suddenly felt like my soul had snapped back into my body. "You really don't know?""Huh? Is that something I should know?" Soren asked, confused.Wait. So Richard didn't report anything to Soren after all! I had been fooled!"Oh… damn it," I muttered, smacking my forehead. "Mr. Rockefeller played me like a fiddle…""Huh? You mean Ritchie? What did he do?"I sat up straight and forced myself to calm down. Well, I started the conversation, so I had to finish it myself."I had dinner with that colleague after we finished discussing work. We were eating at a seafood hotpot place. Then, when we were about to finish, we saw Mr. Roc
The Richest Man in Metropolis is My Backer! Chapter 201
When we were almost finished, I heard someone call out, "Miss Jones! Fancy seeing you here!"I looked up, stunned. It was Soren's best friend, Richard!"Mr. Rockefeller, hello!" I said, rising to greet him.He nodded. "Hello to you too."Richard then glanced at the man sitting opposite me."This is my newly hired General Manager, Jamie Young," I quickly introduced. "Mr. Young, this is Richard Rockefeller of Rockefeller Media. He's one of the city's elites. Who knows, we might work with him one day."Jamie stood and extended his hand. "Pleased to meet you, Mr. Rockefeller!"Richard shook his hand. "Likewise!"He turned back to me. "It's the weekend today, so why aren't you hanging out with Soren? It's the first snow of the year. People are in a pretty festive mood."I knew exactly what he meant. The snow had blanketed the city in white, and people were out enjoying it, taking pictures, playing, and simply reveling in the change of season."We met earlier today, but I have thin
The Richest Man in Metropolis is My Backer! Chapter 200
When someone cared about another person, they were mindful of everything that person possessed. Even the smallest pain was worthy of concern.Real life wasn't like fiction. Most people didn't experience cataclysmic events or life-threatening situations. Thus, where else could we show our care and love, if not through the mundane sufferings of daily life?The more I thought about it, the more I regretted how I'd spoken to Soren. I really needed to apologize."Miss Jones? Miss Jones!"I snapped out of my thoughts. "Oh! Yes?"Jamie fixed me with a questioning look. "Are you alright? We can always talk about this on Monday.""No, let's do it today. I'm free today." I forced myself to sit up, holding the ice pack to my forehead while flipping through the documents with my free hand. "What are your questions? I'll answer them."This company was the culmination of my blood, sweat, and tears. And now, I had found someone just as invested in making it better as I was! How could I be a de
The Richest Man in Metropolis is My Backer! Chapter 199
Jamie started toward the pantry. "What would you like to have, Miss Jones? Tea? Coffee? Or perhaps milk and juice?""Coffee will be good.""Got it."As he prepared my drink, I rubbed my forehead.To my dismay, I could feel the swelling! I quickly tried to cover it with my bangs.Jamie brought two cups of coffee over. "These coffee beans were gifts from a friend from Oz. Have a taste.""Thanks!"I took a sip.Before I could even savor it, Jamie suddenly asked, "Miss Jones, is your forehead alright? I think it's… swollen…"I gulped down the coffee and tried to cover my forehead with my hair. "Oh! It's, uh, nothing! I just bumped into something, haha.""It'll recover faster if you put some ice on it," he said, heading toward the fridge.This office used to belong to Edward. He rarely stayed in his office for long, but it was well-equipped regardless. The pantry, fridge, lounge, and bathroom were all included.Jamie found an ice pack and started looking for a clean towel to wra
The Richest Man in Metropolis is My Backer! Chapter 198
The loud "thud" I made nonetheless startled both the people inside the escalator and Soren."Taylor?" he called out suddenly.But I was so embarrassed that I quickened my pace.As people entered the escalator, I pressed my forehead and called out to them, "Hold the door!"I dove into the escalator, and the doors closed.I breathed a sigh of relief. My heart was pounding, and my mind was still reeling from the shock.I couldn't imagine Soren's reaction to my "near-miss." He must think I was the clumsiest woman on Earth. Or perhaps he thought I was so taken by his confession that it had broken me, leaving me incapable of functioning properly.-I entered my office, and as I passed by the General Manager's room, I was surprised to see someone inside.I peeked through the window. It was my new recruit. He was working overtime today.He noticed me too and looked up in surprise. "I didn't expect to see you here today, Miss Jones!"I smiled. "That's my line! It's the weekend, and y
The Richest Man in Metropolis is My Backer! Chapter 197
Soren's gaze was soft and calm. After a while, he finally said, "I can wait. It doesn't matter how long you'll need. I can wait."I felt a bolt course straight through my veins. I could faint.Just like that—without warning or any plan—he tore down the wall between us and spoke his mind candidly!I had no idea what expression I might have been wearing, but I could tell my heart was beating at warp speed.How the hell was I supposed to respond to this? Reject him again or say, "Well, I hope you like waiting!"?"Look, M-Mr. K-Kenway—""Don't call me Mr. Kenway."I froze, my mouth still open. Just that interruption alone made my mind go blank.Soren got out of the car, circled it, and came to me.I turned mechanically toward him, my eyes wide enough to fall out of their sockets. I stared at him helplessly."I couldn't bring it up before because, firstly, you were still legally tied to someone else. Secondly, I couldn't tell if you liked me. If I made my feelings known too soon,
The Richest Man in Metropolis is My Backer! Chapter 196
I froze. "Oh, I'm not sleepy!"And then I cracked a yawn.Soren laughed. "Just take a nap. It'll take an hour to reach your office anyway."Well, here were my options. If I chose not to sleep, this silence between us would feel awkward. If I chose to talk, what happened when our topics veered into certain territories, and we're back to being awkward again?You know what? A nap was the best choice after all. Even if I had to pretend to be asleep."Sounds good," I replied.I intended to pretend to sleep. I thought I could close my eyes and imagine some designs and arrangements for the fashion show in Medhelanon next year.What I didn't expect was Soren pressing a button and adjusting my seat to the most ergonomic position. I was reclining way too comfortably!I stared at him. He flashed a smile. "It's more comfortable this way.""Ha, okay… Thanks…"God, the embarrassment was killing me. Could you imagine what this felt like?It felt like we were a couple. A married one, even!
The Richest Man in Metropolis is My Backer! Chapter 195
Lisbeth rose and simply said, "I've finished my meal and would like to rest in my room. Please, enjoy your meal. Taylor, please visit me from time to time."I thought for sure I must have offended her enough that this would be the last time I'd sit here. But instead, she extended an invitation for the next time!I was moved. I rose from my seat politely and replied, "It'd be my pleasure, Madame Kenway.""The pleasure is all mine," she replied, smiling faintly, before heading toward the stairs.Soren noticed I continued to stand and called out, "You can sit down now, Taylor."I looked at him with downcast eyes. "I'm fine. I need to get back to my office.""Hey now. Did what my mom said startle you?" he asked gently. "She didn't mean any malice. It was her way of expressing sympathy—she seems to think you've always been alone in everything, and she hopes you can find a reliable partner to weather the storm with you soon.""I know she means well.""Phew, that's a relief to hear!"
The Richest Man in Metropolis is My Backer! Chapter 194
I breathed a sigh of relief. My eyes met Soren's, and he offered a faint smile, as if reassuring me not to be nervous.But how could I not be? The ambiguous tension between us—were we or weren't we?—had only grown more intense.I shouldn't even be this close to a family of such blue-blooded stature. I was no match for them. Yet, as the owner of my own company, I couldn't afford to turn away a valuable client like Soren. Social connections had become more crucial than ever.Having a powerful and elite friend like Soren was undeniably beneficial—not just for me, but for my company and the people who relied on it. This connection could open doors to endless opportunities and revenue.Some might see my actions as undignified, as if I were constantly accepting handouts. But this was simply how the world worked.It wasn't as though I was leeching off him—he was the one offering his generosity. And who could fault me for accepting it?Finally, I managed to calm myself down, at least a
