Simon glanced at Fiona, who was striding toward them. He then smiled calmly at the business partners he had been speaking with and uttered, "Excuse me for a moment."With that, he guided Laura to a secluded corner of the venue, somewhere they could speak without drawing too much attention.As expected, Fiona followed closely, her eyes burning with anger. "Why did you bring this bitch here?" she hissed.A wave of humiliation washed over Laura. At the same time, Simon turned to her, saying, "Why don't you wait for me over there?"She was eager to leave. If she stayed a moment longer, she feared she might lose her composure and confront Fiona then and there.Once Laura walked away, Fiona scoffed. "Why is she here? I specifically told you to bring Hailey. This was the perfect chance to introduce her as your fiancée.""She has surgery tonight and can't make it," Simon replied nonchalantly, swirling the champagne in his glass.Fiona's tone sharpened. "Even so, how could you bring some
Jennifer wasn't particularly knowledgeable about jewelry, nor did she have much interest in it. She simply thought it looked nice.Beside her, Laura whispered in awe, "Oh my gosh! It's stunning! Jennifer, look at that! It's absolutely beautiful. Every necklace Kalanthe designs just takes my breath away."Simon, sitting next to her, observed her reaction. Though he appeared indifferent, his gaze was drawn to the beauty and expressiveness of Laura's face.Lost in her admiration, Laura wondered which wealthy buyer would ultimately claim that necklace."This blue diamond necklace is called Sea of Dreams," the auctioneer announced. "It's Kalanthe's latest creation this year, with a starting bid of six million dollars!"Bids quickly began rolling in. "Seven million!""Eight million!""16 million!"As soon as Maxwell placed his bid, the room fell silent.Jennifer's eyes widened in shock. She quickly leaned in and whispered, "Are you out of your mind? 16 million dollars for a neckla
Laura was all too familiar with Simon's unpredictable moods. It wasn't the first time he had humiliated her.So, she simply gave him a smile and said, "Well, if there's a guy out there who's better looking, wealthier, and more skilled than you, I might actually consider it."Simon sneered, leaning in slightly. His cool lips brushed against her ear as he whispered, "You should know just how skilled I am. After all, you were screaming when I really put that to the test. Don't tell me it slipped your mind."Laura's face flushed red at his words, her heart pounding in her chest.If she ever revealed to anyone that beneath Simon's polished manners and charming appearance lay a twisted, manipulative man, no one would believe her.Seeing Laura's flustered reaction, Simon's lips curved into a smirk. He seemed to enjoy her discomfort.Maxwell and Jennifer finally wrapped up their speeches on stage. Thanks to Laura's shawl, no one had noticed Jennifer's gown had a split seam. But even af
Laura feared that Simon would see through her, so she quickly shook her head and replied, "It's nothing."After all, he was too perceptive. Sometimes, a single glance was all it took for him to know what she was thinking.At that moment, Simon's skepticism was unmistakable. His piercing gaze bore into Laura, making her gulp nervously.Choosing to play it safe, she leaned into his embrace and gently wrapped her arms around his waist, behaving like a loyal pet. She knew he appreciated it when she acted this way.As expected, a pleased smile tugged at the corners of Simon's mouth as his slender fingers wove through Laura's hair. "What prompted this sudden willingness? Do you want something from me?"Laura hesitated for a moment before cautiously speaking up. "This weekend is my dad's 57th birthday. Can I go see him?"As soon as the words escaped her lips, Simon shoved her away. "Laura, don't push your luck! What makes you think I'd ever agree to your request?"Her heart sank at his
The brand representative for the gown Jennifer wore rushed to the Lance residence. Their gown had suffered a significant failure, and it had happened to the Lances! Naturally, no one would take this lightly.By the time Jennifer and Maxwell arrived home, the representative was already waiting for them."Mrs. Lance, I'm truly sorry for the trouble this has caused. It's entirely our responsibility," the brand representative apologized. "Honestly, our gowns are all custom-made, and we've never encountered a situation like this before."Would you mind changing out of it? We'd like to take it back for inspection and figure out what went wrong. We promise to provide you with a satisfactory answer."Seeing their earnest effort to resolve the issue, Jennifer decided not to ask Maxwell to make things difficult for them.…When Laura visited Harry at Haven City Prison, she was struck by how absurd her thoughts that day had been.This was Simon, after all. How could he possibly be at someo
Simon stood before the enormous floor-to-ceiling window, gazing down at the sprawling beauty of Haven City. Even his stance carried a coldness that made people hesitate to approach. No, it wasn't just coldness; it was sheer cruelty.Laura couldn't hold back her frustration any longer. "Why, Simon? Why are you doing this to me?" she questioned.Her voice cracked and tears streamed down uncontrollably. "If you didn't want me to see my father, you could've just said so! He's getting older. Why do you have to torment him like that?""Did I ever tell you how much I hate being threatened? Laura, you had the nerve to threaten me last night. Did you really think you could get away with that? You can leave, but what about your father?" Simon's lips barely moved, but his words came out calm and sharp.Each word was like a knife, cutting deeper with every syllable. Helplessness and despair gripped Laura so tightly she could hardly breathe."Don't you have a father? How would you feel if so
Simon's lips curled in disdain as he gripped Laura's chin. "Next time, remember to strip before you beg me. Got it?" he hissed, each word laced with cruelty.The humiliation hit Laura like scalding water, burning from the inside out. At that moment, she finally understood her place. She was nothing to him.How naive she had been to think she could threaten him by saying she'd leave the night before.With a wry smile, she lowered her gaze in resignation. Her fingers trembled as they found the zipper of her dress.She moved slowly and deliberately. Her beauty, heightened by her vulnerability, ignited a fire of desire within Simon.He reached for the remote and lowered the curtains. In the next second, he lifted her onto the desk.Laura was terrified. She hadn't expected him to stay in the office. He didn't even bother to head to the lounge.Tears welled in her eyes, and her heart shattered into pieces. Yet, she had no choice but to please Simon, to prove her sincerity.…By the
Suddenly, a face flashed through Jennifer's mind. She didn't want to believe it, but if the designer was right, she couldn't think of anyone else with a reason to do it—except Madison!After seeing the designer out, Jennifer summoned Madison. The young woman stood before her with her head down, looking anxious and timid."Mrs. Lance, did you need me?" Madison asked nervously.Jennifer's eyes turned cold as she demanded, "Madison, did you touch my gown after it was delivered yesterday?"Madison froze momentarily. Then, she shook her head, wide-eyed and innocent. "No, I didn't. What's wrong, Mrs. Lance?""Look at me." Jennifer's voice sharpened. "I'll ask you one more time. Did you touch my gown?""I didn't!" Madison burst into tears, her voice filled with hurt as she inquired, "What's going on, Mrs. Lance? I swear I didn't touch any of your things!"Right then, Camila descended the stairs, her voice laced with irritation. "What's with the commotion? Can't I get any peace around h