Chapter 0338


    After Candice hurt her shoulder, she had stopped driving for a while and instead relied on hailing


    taxis at the vi''s entrance.


    When a ck Maybach stopped in front of her, Candice stepped back a bit.


    The car window slowly lowered, revealing Jessica’s smiling face. “Candice, what a coincidence. Are


    you waiting for the bus? I can take you there.”


    Candice could see Alex''s profile through the car window. She declined. "Not exactly; I''m waiting for


    someone."


    "Waiting for Hanley?" Jessica asked.


    Candice didn''t respond, acting as if it was an affirmation.


    With an apologetic smile, Jessica said, "Then I won''t bother you. I was thinking of having a chat with


    you."


    Candice bid farewell to Ms. Kane.


    Alex didn’t even bother to look in her direction, he simply said to Jessica, "Aren''t you in a hurry?"


    Then he rolled up his window and drove away.


    Inside the vehicle, Jessica examined Alex''s cold profile. She asked helplessly, "Who has upset you


    now?"


    Alex stayed silent, his expression tense as he focused on the road ahead.


    Jessica chuckled and hugged herself. "Did you turn on the air conditioning? It''s chilly here."


    Alex nced at her through the rearview mirror and sarcastically remarked, "Grandfather is still


    waiting for you at home."


    Jessica and Shawn had a nice rtionship. Since Shawn and Jessica''s father wererades-in-


    arms in the war, Shawn actually preferred Jessica to Helen.


    She had introduced Helen to her husband, making Jessica something of a matchmaker.


    Jessica shook her head and teased, "Am I ying matchmaker for your family now? I''ve already


    introduced your folks; now it''s your turn?"


    -


    Candice had arranged to meet Xavier in the city center.


    When she arrived, Xavier was already there.


    Candice put down her bag and got straight to the point, asking, "What''s your condition?"


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    Xavier gave her an approving look. "It''s easy to talk with those who have brains."


    She fixed an intense gaze on him. This man was crafty and deceptive, with many tricks up his


    sleeve. She understood that she had to remain on high alert even when speaking with him.


    "Coffee?" Xavier asked.


    ncing at the coffee that had been set before her, Candice asked, "Were you behind the drugging


    incident?"


    Xavier''s eyebrow twitched. "How could that be me?"


    He denied it. Still, his self-assured manner suggested it was probably not far from the truth.


    Candice kept her cool and stated, "I''d rather not spend time with you, so let''s avoid small


    talk."


    Xavier was surprised for a moment, then ced a USB drive on the table. He gave a phony smile.


    "Everything you want is there. You only need to agree to one condition, and it is yours."


    Candice looked at the USB drive. "What''s the condition?"


    "I want all the important data from Aether Corporation. You''ve been with Alex all this time. It


    shouldn''t be hard to learn those things." Xavier said it all with an air of self-assurance.


    Candice stayed silent.


    Xavier persisted in his efforts to sway her. "Here in the industry, everyone knows howmitted


    you are to Alex. We used to envy Alex since he had such a great assistant. But what exactly did he


    do? He abandoned you and fired you." He paused briefly. "Don''t you want revenge? And I''ve heard


    you owe him 1.5 million dors. Just say the word, and I''ll give you five million. I can even get you a


    top-level position at Horizon Holdings."


    Candice remained unmoved until Xavier finished speaking, then asked tly, "After using Sonia, are


    you trying to manipte me now?"


    Xavier appeared unfazed. "Sonia? Just a simpleton. I''m surprised Alex kept her around for so long."


    Candice remained mostly indifferent to his remarks. She grabbed the USB drive Xavier had left in


    front of her.


    As Xavier began to smile broadly, Candice abruptly tossed the USB drive back to him.


    "I''m not interested in seeking vengeance,” she said coldly. “Furthermore, I probably despise your


    organization more than Aether Corporation."


    Xavier''s expression hardened. "Aren''t you going to think about your own interests?"


    "In light of Horizon Holdings and your reputation, it''s in my best interest to decline," Candice


    responded as she stood up. ncing at the USB drive on the table, she added calmly, "At least I''ve


    confirmed something today. You were indeed coborating with them."


    Leaving the café, Candice was hit with a wave of nausea. I was unsure if it was due to her


    condition; her morning sickness seemed particrly severe. Furthermore, the aroma of coffee


    heightened her reaction.


    Standing by the roadside, she lifted her head to find Sonia ring sinisterly at her.


    "Did you have a problem with my sess?" Sonia confronted Candice, her teeth almost gritting as


    their gazes met.


    Candice furrowed her brows as she looked at Sonia. "I have no idea what you''re talking about."


    "Do you take pleasure in seeing me suffer? Were you happy to see me humiliated at the health


    club? Aren''t Alex and Hanley enough for you? Why try to seduce Xavier now? Whypete with


    me?" Sonia''s tone grew increasingly furious as she focused on Candice.


    She had caught Xavier secretly chatting behind her backst night. Her intuition led her to follow


    him today, only to see him with Candice.


    From a distance, all she had seen was Xavier''s smiling face. It had been a long time since he had


    treated her like that. Lately, he had be increasingly indifferent toward her.


    Coupled with recent grievances at Horizon Holdings, Sonia found things harder to stomach, and her


    resentment toward Candice intensified.


    During her time at Aether Corporation, she had effortlessly climbed the ranks, attaining a position


    far beyond ordinary employees'' reach.


    Upon joining Horizon Holdings, she had spent only a week as an executive secretary before being


    reced and assigned to the exhausting and demanding sales department. And the reason? Her


    abilities were apparently insufficient to perform the tasks of an executive secretary.


    Sonia''s gaze toward Candice turned increasingly hostile. She couldn''t understand why she was


    deemed incapable. That she was unable to handle the position?


    This bitch had clearly tried to seduce her man again! Moreover, Xavier had previously told her that


    she was more capable than Candice.


    The moment Candice beheld Sonia''s menacing expression, her guard went up. She took a couple


    steps backward out of instinct.


    Suddenly, a strong voice called out to Candice, interrupting Sonia''s ns.


    "Candy!"


    Turning around, she saw old Mr. Elysian and Jessica approaching her.