Azure Group had only been founded recently, so they didn't have many employees. The two young women in charge of the exhibition were merely interns. They had never been to such a grand event before, and had exercised caution the whole time.“I’m so sorry, Sir. Ms. Everheart is a very busy person. If you have any issues you’d like to bring up, please inform us instead.” “Fine then!” The man scowled. “The Global Technology Summit has provided a list of mandatory requirements for participating companies of this annual exhibition. Not only has your company only been established less than a year ago, you don’t even have any independently produced products! Clearly, your company does not meet the requirements. I’m giving you three minutes to get out of this exhibition hall, or I’m calling security!”“B-But we received an invitation from the summit, which means that they allow us to participate. If you chase us out now, doesn’t that mean you’re going against the organizers?”Hearing the
Everyone thought Renee was doomed, only to realize that the scream had actually come from the large man's mouth. "Ah! My arm is broken! It's broken!" The man howled in agony, but still had the strength to continue threatening her. "You wretch! You should know that I'm the head of security for this summit! Anyone in the industry would know to give me the utmost respect… Now that you've provoked me, I'll make sure you and your company are wiped from this plane of existence if it's the last thing I do!" He snarled, his eyes bulging in fury.Renee loomed over the man, crushing his shoulder with her foot this time. "I'm counting to three. Apologize to me and my employees, or I'll break your other arm too."The man was quite unwilling to admit defeat at first, but as Renee stepped harder on his shoulder, he felt as if his arm was about to be dislocated. Chickening out, he yelped in pain. "I… I'm sorry! I was wrong for behaving like that! I was wrong! Please let me go!"As more people
"Hah, you're in for it now! Mr. Hunt will definitely make your life a living hell!" Jason said gleefully as he held onto his broken arm. Despite the pain causing him to break out in a cold sweat, just thinking about Renee's horrible fate delighted him.He then turned to Stefan, trying his best to flatter him as much as possible. "Mr. Hunt, why don't we take this matter into our own hands? An eye for an eye, right? Let's break all her limbs so she won't tarnish our industry's good name!""Breaking limbs, huh?" Stefan's eyes glinted dangerously. "That does sound like a good idea."Renee felt chills run down her spine. She didn't expect him to be so cruel! 'We used to be married! Even if it really was for the sake of hiding his sexuality, I was still his wife! He doesn't have to go this far…'Jason immediately started acting cockily, pointing towards the guards and shouting, "What are you doing just standing there? Did you not hear Mr. Hunt? Break all of her limbs! Let's see if she'll
"I'm clearly doing this because…" Renee paused, then grinned mysteriously as she half-joked, "I want your money!"Stefan now looked rather speechless. He could tell that the woman was being dismissive, and her reply basically gave him no information on the situation."I told you that you can ask me for money if you need it. We were husband and wife, so I'll definitely try to satisfy your financial needs as best as I can. You don't have to beat around the bush when it comes to things like this.""Just ask you?" Renee smiled sarcastically. "What if I said I wanted half of the Hunt family's wealth? Would you be willing to give that to me?"Hearing this, Stefan's expression darkened. "That's ridiculous!""Aw, and here I was thinking that my ex-husband was so generous. Looks like you're still going to be stingy when it comes to paying up. You can't even afford this little request…"Although the man looked exceedingly upset, Renee didn't seem to be worried about irritating him further.
Seeing that Renee refused to give up, Stefan didn't try to persuade her anymore. He just turned around and left with a cold expression on his face.When he returned to the very center of the summit forum, he instantly caught everyone's attention. Stefan turned his head slightly, speaking to Elijah who was standing behind him. "Inform Wyatt Haughey to publicly announce that the summit will be blacklisting Azure Group. All companies, and I mean all companies, are banned from partnering with them!"Not only did the annual Global Technology Summit provide the top companies a platform to promote their products, the most important section within the summit was the forum. With big shots from different countries gathered in one place, they would all discuss the future development of the industry, similar to a conference meeting.As the CEO of Hunt Enterprise, Stefan's electronics company accounted for seventy-five percent of the market, so he was definitely considered the most powerful of t
The audience started clapping as soon as the emcee finished speaking.All the bosses and big shots stared at the door in anticipation, wondering who the new director of the Electronics Technology Association would be. This person would be the one guiding the industry of electronics technology for the next four years.The spotlight shone on a figure walking through the door—a professional-looking woman clad in a black power suit with her hair tied up in a high bun."What?!" Elijah exclaimed in disbelief. He was the first person to respond. Rubbing his eyes, he added, "Is there a problem with my eyes? Because I think that's Madam!"Stefan frowned slightly. He stared at Renee's graceful figure, completely caught off guard.Renee walked up to the podium with her head held high, her eyes scanning the audience below. She then introduced herself, "Good afternoon, everyone. My name is Renee Everheart, and I am the new director of the Electronics Technology Association."Renee used to eit
Renee shot up to instant fame after the summit forum despite being completely unknown prior to it. She had become the darling of the electronics technology industry. Many people came to chat with her and wanted to take photos with her, and it was almost as if everything else was forgotten.It was customary for the successful conclusion of the summit forum to be followed by a celebration banquet attended by all of the big players in the industry. Naturally, Stefan and Renee were both expected to join the banquet.The two sat down at the same round table, but there were several people seated between them. Despite having been in a very intimate relationship as husband and wife in the past, not a single word passed between them for the duration of the event. In fact, they did not even make eye contact once.Truthfully, it was Renee who did not spare Stefan a glance. Stefan, on the other hand, kept his eyes fixed on Renee, giving her the legendary 'Hunt Stare' the whole time.With a gla
Like a proud emperor, Stefan sat there and haughtily glanced at the glass in Renee's hand, which was filled to the brim with orange juice."Is that how you show your sincerity towards this industry?" He sneered."Sincerity is measured by what I do," Renee retorted coldly, "not what I drink."She then turned to the top figures in the room and humbly stated, "Gentlemen, please forgive me for drinking orange juice instead of wine. I'm allergic to alcohol so unfortunately, I can't join you for a glass. Nonetheless, please know that I hold all of you in the highest regard.""Orange juice instead of wine?" Stefan scoffed. "Do you think this is child's play? The world of business is a battlefield where people fight to the death. No one here has any time to play with you. If you can't adapt to this world, you'd better just go home now and not waste anyone's time."Hearing this, the crowd immediately sensed a rivalry between them. If they did not pick the right side, their days in the fiel
Liam was impressed while looking at Justin's calm expression. He had always thought that Justin was cunning and full of schemes. He was even worried that Justin might plot against Renee in the future.However, Justin was quite open and generous. He was considering things from Renee's angle. He could be Renee's haven, but if he stepped down, he could willingly grant Renee's wish to be with the one she loved. It seemed that Justin was selfless, and Liam felt that he was worse than Justin. No wonder Renee would choose to spend the rest of her life with Justin. It seemed like he was a reliable man.Justin pocketed his hands and asked casually, "Is there any other problem now?""Not at the moment." Liam frowned in defeat. Since Justin had made such a big compromise, he would seem like a fool if he was too arrogant and refused to give up. A long sigh escaped him as he let go of Renee's hand, but he was still hopeful. He boasted to Justin, "Wait and see! I'll make Stefan appear.""Go
"Let go of her!" Justin turned cold and grabbed Renee's other hand. He said darkly to Liam, "You don't have the right to take her with you!""Hmph! I don't have the right to take her with me? Well, you don't have the right to marry her. I must take her with me today. Worst comes to worst, I'll fight your family!"Though he was too weak to fight the powerful Baldwin family, Liam was never a coward. He would fight the whole world alone for the sake of Renee's happy and stable life."Calm down…"In comparison, Justin was calmer. He was probably more confident since it was his territory and he could affirm Renee would not leave with Liam. He started mocking Liam. "I'm not the kind of person who will force others to do things they refuse to do. If Ren wants to leave, I'll let her go even if my family disowns me. But I know that she won't leave. At the very least, she won't leave with you.""What do you mean?" Liam could tell that Justin was mocking him, and it annoyed him. "Why are
Liam felt that his situation at the fort was almost the same as Renee's current situation. He had thought that the marriage was just for show. If he was unhappy, he could get a divorce. Even then, things were not that easy when he wanted to get out of that mess. If Amber had not protected him, Benjamin would have long gotten him killed. He knew better than anyone else how unfair it was for the other party when one tolerated and went through with the marriage.Amber was naive and was willing to be treated unfairly, but Justin was no fool. He would not be able to take it if it lasted for a long time. It was easy to imagine what Renee would face when Justin stopped taking her side."Let's go! I'm not afraid. You don't have to be afraid, either." Liam made up his mind to support Renee, who was standing behind him.Renee bit her lips and started to waver; not because she did not want to be with Justin, but simply because she was not confident in herself. She was afraid she would neve
"Liam, what are you doing?" Leia looked at Liam, unable to understand his sudden excitement."I'm going to meet Austin or Justin. I want them to cancel this engagement ceremony." Liam held Renee's wrist and tried to drag her out of the suite.He was certain Renee didn't want to marry Justin, so it was very likely that she would regret it in the future. It would be hard to settle if she regretted it after the engagement party. Liam felt that he had to try his best to put everything under control while he still could. Feeling helpless, Leia complained, "Stop making a scene… This is Ren's marriage. You can't make all this fuss!""You don't know. I'm doing this for her. I want the best for her." Liam knew the consequences of resisting Austin, given the man's position. He was also ready to be punished by them. Even though he would be beaten up vigorously, he would not hesitate as long as he could stop the ceremony and help Renee avoid such risks. "If you want the best for her, just
Leia felt so awkward that she wanted to run away. "Hey, can you stop flattering yourself? You haven't settled your messy romance, so please don't get Ren involved. You shouldn't joke like that!"Similarly, Liam found his joke impudent and admitted to his mistake. "Yeah, I was wrong. Don't take my joke seriously."Both Renee and Leia were amused. It helped relieve their tension. "But have you thought it through? After this ceremony, you'll be a part of the Baldwin family. You can't regret it by then," Liam said; he was worried about Renee. Everyone knew the Baldwin family's style. They had such a grand ceremony today. If anything went wrong, the Everheart family might be ruined for the second time. Although nobody knew who would win the battle, the trouble could be avoided. Liam was clueless as to why Renee wanted to take such a risk."Yes, I have." Renee nodded and added firmly, "I'd thought it through the moment I boarded the plane with Justin to fly here."It was the last c
Renee was done getting ready. As her closest friend, Leia came to North City with Liam immediately.The engagement ceremony was held in a magnificent hall of a top hotel. The guests arrived one by one and chatted among themselves. It was a luxurious and grand scene. "Ren, I'm sorry I'm late!" Leia arrived at the hotel suite where Renee was waiting. She put her hands together to express her apology. "It's Liam's fault! He was out of his mind and insisted on not coming here, but I forced him to and took some time. Please don't be mad at me!""Silly, I won't be mad at you. Plus, this ceremony doesn't carry much meaning. The Baldwin family just needs this as an assurance. It doesn't matter even if you're absent."Renee looked indifferent and was not at all happy and eager like a bride-to-be. The engagement ceremony was held to announce to the world about the relationship between her and Renee. In all honesty, Renee was resistant to it. She did not want her family or friends to at
Margaret decided to be frank since Renee had said so. "I can tell that you don't sincerely love Mr. Baldwin. Your marriage is just a way to avoid reality. Why are you so harsh on yourself if that's the case? Now, you're making such a big fuss about moving here. If you fail to get along with him and have to return to Beach City in the future, many people will gossip about you. They'll say nasty things about you. Why do you have to put yourself in such a condition?""Margaret, you don't understand…" Renee looked at herself in the mirror. She looked very charming, like a bride in ancient paintings. Everyone would be charmed by her—including herself. She knew very well that she was the one taking the lead in her romance with Justin. They could go on forever as long as she didn't end it. She was just afraid she could not hold on and wanted to stop, and the only reason that she wanted to stop was probably because of Stefan. "If I stay in Beach City, I'll come across Stefan. I know t
Time passed by. It was soon the day for the engagement ceremony between Justin and Renee.The Baldwin family held a grand ceremony while adhering to tradition. It was both traditional and romantic.Renee put on a red slim-fit silk gown with intricate black and gold embroidery. Her long hair was delicately pinned up, showing off her fair and slender neck. She looked elegant."How pretty!" Margaret stood in front of the vanity table and looked at Renee, whose face was dolled with exquisite makeup. She looked gratified, as though she were looking at her daughter."If your parents saw how pretty and elegant you were, they would be very happy." Margaret gently placed her hands on Renee's shoulders and commented, "You married Mr. Hunt when I wasn't around. You must have suffered a lot. But things will get better now… I'll stay with you and protect you forever. I'll be your strongest support."Back then, Renee was left alone when her family was ruined. She married Stefan without anyo
Alexander and Francine were already old. It was fine even if others criticized them or took violent revenge on them. But they were worried that the younger generation, especially Adie and Abby, would have a hard time handling it."You're right. I wasn't thinking straight…" Francine became teary and sobbed. "I just wanted to relieve my guilt and failed to consider the kids. We brought this upon ourselves. I'll probably have to suffer this pain for the rest of my life.""Stop thinking about that. It's all over. It's useless to regret or dwell on it." Alexander walked over and hugged her shoulders. He whispered some consoling words, "No one can tell who was right or wrong about that affair. We're already punished. Just act like everything is gone…"Is it? You're just trying to make yourself feel better." Francine leaned against Alexander's shoulders, full of melancholy. "Don't you think the kids are suffering the consequences of our actions? They love and understand each other bu